BROADCASTS.com

b'

This week on the show, Dan Neumann is joined by Jorgen Hesselberg! Jorgen is the author of the new book, Unlocking Agility: An Insider\\u2019s Guide to Agile Enterprise Transformation, as well as the co-founder of Comparative Agility \\u2014 a leading Agile assessment and continuous improvement program.

\\xa0

This episode will be focused on data-driven continuous improvement. Jorgen shares the main reasons to use data to drive continuous improvement, some of the main ways to gather data (and why these methods are used), and important pieces to keep in mind when implementing changes to your team and organization through the data you collect.

\\xa0

Jorgen has a lot to say about this topic as a co-founder of a leading Agile assessment and continuous improvement program so you definitely don\\u2019t want to miss his insights and key takeaways!

\\xa0

Key Takeaways

Why use data for continuous improvement?

Data can help guide you and your teams by asking better questions as well as shining a light where there otherwise would be darkness

Helps you reflect on what you\\u2019re doing and what you can do better; data helps guide these conversations

Optimizes workflow by making the feedback loop faster so you can take action more quickly and therefore see results faster

As a change leader, data can help you find out where you can be of most use to help your teams

What are some ways to gather data for continuous improvement? And why are these methods used?

Objective data (defects in production, trends, etc.)

Surveys, even though very subjective, can also be very useful because they can hit some important patterns of ways of working (i.e. psychological safety was discovered through a survey) and highlight other points that wouldn\\u2019t naturally come up in conversations because they create anonymity and give everyone an equal voice

Structured interviews

Gathering data \\u2014 whether it\\u2019s through structured interviews, subjective data, or collecting data electronically \\u2014 helps to shorten feedback loops

What is important to keep in mind when using data for continuous improvement?

Subjective, objective, and quantitative data are all great \\u2014 as long as the data helps you and your team ask better questions, that is the main goal

As a coach or change leader, it is important to ask meaningful questions that highlight the issues and challenges your teams are facing and to give them a voice

Don\\u2019t implement changes all at once that you have gathered from the data because you and your teams will become overwhelmed and end up making no changes (i.e. because you are diluting the focus and creating confusion; people don\\u2019t have time to adjust too many different things at once)

An important facet to making change based off data is to change at a rate where you can see it ripple through the organization

Combine subjective data with objective data

Measure technical debt simply by asking your developers

Listen to data early on and refresh it periodically to stay ahead of the curve

Don\\u2019t continually ask your developers how they\\u2019re doing \\u2014 they\\u2019ll get annoyed!

Understand what \\u2018normal\\u2019 benchmarks are for your niche

Data isn\\u2019t going to give you answers but it is going to help you ask better questions

Use data for information, not evaluation

\\xa0

Mentioned in this Episode:

Jorgen Hesselberg

Unlocking Agility: An Insider\'s Guide to Agile Enterprise Transformation, by Jorgen Hesselberg

Comparative Agility

The Agile Manifesto

\\u201cPsychological Safety and Learning Behavior in Work Teams,\\u201d by Amy Edmonson

Mood Marbles

Daniel H. Pink Books
Strava

Agile Coaches\\u2019 Corner Ep. 58: \\u201cHow to Get Past the Two-Week Shelf Life of Your New Year\\u2019s Resolution\\u201d

\\xa0

Jorgen Hesselberg\\u2019s Book Pick:

Blueprint: The Evolutionary Origins of a Good Society, by Nicholas A. Christakis

\\xa0

Want to Learn More or Get in Touch?

Visit the website and catch up with all the episodes on AgileThought.com!

Email your thoughts or suggestions to Podcast@AgileThought.com or Tweet @AgileThought using #AgileThoughtPodcast!