When we talk about dojos there’s a tendency to focus on the mechanical aspects of the model — the workflow, method, short iterations, and immersive learning. Perhaps more important is understanding what models and principles actually make the dojo innovative and successful. In this webinar, our dojo experts will unpack the foundations of the dojo — the underlying models that make it work, the principles that guide our behaviors and choices, and how dojos help shift cultures from fixating on delivery to leveraging learning.
You will learn about:
- Theories and research that make the dojo model work: deliberate practice, spaced repetition, etc.
- What are the values and principles that are common to successful dojos
- How dojos help shift an organization from a culture of delivery to a culture of learning
4. AGENDA
01 DOJOS & AGILE HISTORY
02 DOJO CORE PRINCIPLES
03 MODELS AT THE HEART OF THE DOJO
04 KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING/Q&A
5. EXERCISE
MINS
dojo | ‘do, jo |
noun
A six week deep dive in which teams set technical,
business, and product goals, identify success metrics,
and iterate rapidly, sharing their progress and learning⎯
all while supported by dedicated experts.
5
6. DOJOS
A dojo is a place where teams come together to FOCUS on learning
Dojos provide…
• An immersive learning experience
• In a dedicated location
• For a fixed period of time
Dojos foster the use of…
• Collaborative problem solving
• To achieve specific outcomes
• Via rapid learning cycles
10. LET’S TALK PRINCIPLES
• “Principles are guidelines for human conduct that are proven to have
enduring, permanent value.” - Stephen Covey
• Principles guide our behaviors and choices. They align teams – giving us
focus, cultivating a shared sense of purpose.
• Our shared background in eXtreme Programming (XP) led us to a principle-
oriented approach in helping Target develop and refine their dojo.
11.
12. 1. Prioritize learning over
delivery.
2. Align learning to the team’s
actual work.
3. Focus on safety, not on
failure.
4. Work small and exploit
feedback.
5. Make everything visible.
6. Use the buddy system.
7. Success depends on
commitment.
8. Principles evolve with
experience!
DOJO CORE PRINCIPLES
14. ONLY THREE BEST PRACTICES
1. LEARNING: team routinely modifies behavior based on new knowledge
and insights.
2. EXPERIMENTATION: team is open to trying new ideas in a rigorous,
committed, and supported manner.
3. SITUATIONAL AWARENESS: team has a model of cause-effect
feedback loops and uses data to guide decision making and planning.
"The Principles of Product Development Flow" - Don Reinertsen
15. “Improving daily work is more
important than doing daily work.”
– Gene Kim, “The Phoenix Project”
18. BALANCING LOOP
Here we have a vicious cycle common in
software development represented as a
Causal Loop Diagram.
As we deliver faster, we may take
shortcuts leading to mounting complexity
in our codebase.
As complexity increases, our delivery
speed decreases.
Delivery Speed
System
Complexity
19. REINFORCEMENT & DELAY
Delivery Speed
Dojo Challenge
System
Complexity
A team tries new strategies in their dojo
challenge: strategies aimed at leveling
skills.
As teams master new skills and become
more balanced, system complexity goes
down.
New features are clean, fit, and well
thought out -- in the spirit of strategic
programming. Delivery accelerates.