Esther Derby

Working with Complex Adaptive (Human) Systems

5:00 PM MDT

The world abounds with complex theories and complex advice about complex adaptive systems. But most of them aren't very helpful when it comes to knowing what to do to make a system work better. In this interactive session, we'll explore three levers that you can use to influence patterns of behavior in complex adaptive systems…such as software development teams.

In this session, we'll simulate a small product company and examine the structures, exchanges, and differences that influence how the company worked. Then we'll look for similar levers within our workplaces and develop ideas on how you can use lessons from complexity science to help your team work more effectively.

All Together Now: How Teams Decide

9:00 AM MDT

Have you had the experience of watching smart people argue endlessly over which technology to use? Have you walked out of a meeting believing the group had agreed, only to find out that five different people thought they’d agreed to five different things?

People in our industry pride themselves on their brain power and ability to make good decisions. And most of us are good at thinking, learning, and deciding—on our own. When we work collaboratively on interdependent work, though, we need to think and decide as a group if we want to realize the benefits of the team effect.

In this session, we’ll experience a group decision. Then, we’ll look at the pieces and parts of the process to see what we can learn about how groups think and decide togther. We’ll tease out the techniques that will help you help groups take advantage of all their expertise, see other points of view, and arrive at high-quality decisions.

In this session, we’ll experience a group decision. Then, we’ll look at the pieces and parts of the process to see what we can learn about how groups think and decide togther. We’ll tease out the techniques that will help you help groups take advantage of all their expertise, see other points of view, and arrive at high-quality decisions.

Improving Customer Conversations

10:45 AM MDT

It’s not easy to build the right product. People sometimes don’t know exactly what they need, want things that won’t help, and don’t imagine what’s possible. Agile project capture requirements on cards that contain a statement of want and benefit and notes on how to confirm the need is met. The intention isn’t to fully document the requirement on the card, but to make a note and create a reminder for a conversation with the customer. Whether you are using agile methods or traditional requirements, valuable products start with understanding the customers context, their problems, what they want, and how they use a product. However, most people aren’t born with the ability to speak naturally in user stories or fully formed requirements statements. So we must learn how to ask the right questions, draw out pertinent information and understand the customer’s world in those conversations.

In this session, you’ll learn about different types of questions, and when to use them to learn about how the customer currently uses a product, the problems they experience with the product, and problems that new features in the product might solve. Then, we’ll put that to work in practice interviews.

Motivation that Doesn't Misfire

1:30 PM MDT

Many managers ask me, “How can I motivate my team?” The zeroth step in boosting motivation is to stop doing things that demotivate people. But what is a manager to do after that? Prizes, treats, rewards, pep talks, and recognition events don’t cut it. Why? Many of the common attempts to improve motivation rely on an external source of motivation. That assumes that people need a carrot (or a stick) to keep them going. Research shows a contrary conclusion—that intrinsic motivation has more sustaining power.

In this session, we’ll explore the key elements of intrinsic motivation in the workplace—autonomy, mastery, and purpose. We’ll examine how common management practices either support or work against intrinsic motivation. Then we’ll do an check-up to see where you can tap into autonomy, mastery, and purpose to boost motivation and creativity in your group.

Questionable Questions

3:15 PM MDT

Questions are powerful.

Presidential historians believe that the questions presidents ask and the way they ask those questions have huge ramifications. Questions asked and not asked influence policy initiatives, invasions, and trips to the moon.

Likewise, success or failure hangs on the questions managers and technical people ask when planning releases, making decisions, considering strategy alternatives or looking for improvements.
Yet we don’t often stop to consider the questions we ask. Every question contains assumptions and while the question opens one avenue of inquiry, it closes others.
In this session, we’ll consider the questions we do ask, the questions we don’t ask, the questions we could ask. We’ll look at what the questions people ask us reveal assumptions, who gets to ask questions, questions that mislead, and when its best not to ask questions, but rather to go and see.

In this session, we’ll consider the questions we do ask, the questions we don’t ask, the questions we could ask. We’ll look at what the questions people ask us reveal assumptions, who gets to ask questions, questions that mislead, and when its best not to ask questions, but rather to go and see.