Agile Localization and Leadership Styles

1Agile Project Management: Methodology and Impact. @RichardMBrooks

AGILE LOCALIZATIONAgile Project Management: Methodology and ImpactThursday 19th June 2014 11AM EDT

@[email protected]+44 1908 557 900

www.k-international.com


HELLORichard Brooks. CEO K International

@RichardMBrooks+44 1908 557 [email protected]


AGENDATODAY’S CONTENT

BEING AGILEA brief history of Agile Project Management.

UNDERSTANDING AGILEHow its used at the moment

and the implications for the localization process.

A Case Study! (not about software

localization)

WORKING IN AGILEThe leadership styles needed to deliver a

successful Agile project.


101Agile


AGILE METHODOLOGY

• Some assumptions: you know what Project Management is. And are familiar with the terms, Waterfall, Agile, Iteration, Sprint, Scrum… if not here’s a quick intro…

• Agile breaks a big projects down into a series of small development tasks (called ‘sprints’). Teams then work on this sprints. They deliver tangible results and feedback to the rest of the team. This can sometimes change the process.

• Process naturally encourages innovation, process evolves quickly.

• A close knit team is a must. Daily stand-up meetings held (either virtually or physically). All members treated as equals. Leaderless leadership.

• “Good project management is boring” < Agile is exciting!

5 MINUTES


THE NEED FOR CHANGE

Standish Group

Data taken from Standish Group’s survey on software failure and success rates in the US.

So… In 2009 in the US companies spent almost $500BN on application development, meaning $103BN was wasted.

More complexity needs different methodologies.

SOFTWARE PROJECT MANAGEMENT

32%Success

44%Challenged

24%Failed


AGILE MANIFESTOINSIGHT & ANALYSISIn 2001 a group of software and project managers got together to share success stories. In doing this they created the Agile Manifesto which is a statement of values for successful software development. It is only 75 words:

“We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others.

Through this work we have come to value: Individuals and interactions over process and tools Working software over comprehensive documentsCustomer collaboration over contract negotiation

Responding to change over following a plan

That is while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more”



AGILE BEATS WATERFALL3 EXAMPLES… MANY MORE ONLINE

Example 1 Example 2 Example 30%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

48%

38%

26%

48% productivity increase

over traditional methods (Harvard, MacCormack 1998)…

38% reduction in time to produce working software (Boston College, Fichman et al 1999)…

26% of developers had improvements of 50% (Harvard, MacCormack 1998)…

Loads more facts online.

% Respondents


COST OF MAKING CHANGESEARLY TO REDUCE COSTS

Stolen from Peter Reynolds (@peterrey).

Although specifically about the investment in terminology can/is used to demonstrate benefits of localizing fast moving products using the Agile Method.


Case StudyLocalization of 8000 food products36 regions. Translation, Legal Review & Artwork.


BUILD THE TEAM

Social integration of teams…. Leads to greater trust and openness. Vital for cross departmental and inter-company teams.

Regular workdays planned at each other’s sites.

Weekly stand-up face-to-face update.

Online community established. Social media encouraged.

CENSORED


INTEGRATED REPORTING

Extract from ‘top pocket’ guide

Alignment of reporting across whole supply chain.

KPIs developed to allow transparency and integration into ‘bigger picture’. Catch-up meetings held each Monday morning.

Systems integrated to output ‘standard’ KPIs – which is then rolled up into Excel (client’s choice not mine).


INDEPENDENT TECHNOLOGY

Independent workflow/tools preferred. With multiple vendors on the project agnostic tools important.

Extensive use of Skype, Google Docs, Whatsap, IM.

Open TMS, SMT, CAT, Glossaries to everyone in the supply chain.

API Link

Loc Workflow.• TMs• SMT• Termbases• Glossaries• Translation

environment

• Etc


TANGIBLE BENEFITS

Client Benefits• Lower overall costs• Reduced time to market• Dynamic product needs quick

updates• Internal systems improved• Process became source of

competitive advantage

Vendor Benefits• Higher margins – profits up• Flatter demand for services – lower

capital costs• Innovation – barriers to

entry/diversification• Better use of technology• Deeper relationship with client• Movement towards consultative

relationship


KEY LEARNING POINTS

• Agile project management can be used to great effect in areas out side of software localization/software project management.

• Close integration of the outsourced team is a must. 20% of my teams time is spent on site at client/other vendors. Skype, IM, Social Media cloud technologies are a must.

• Technology must integrate. Remove reliance on email, now real-time notification of source changes (ESKO). Demonstrates benefits to client of controlled authoring.

• Dynamically share all language assets across the supply chain.

• Be prepared to re-engineer the process mid process and keep changing it.

• Style of Project & Account Management is difference from tradition approach. Big benefits come from KAM. AT LAST WE ARE EQUALS IN THE PROCESS.

• Last point… this is about people (Individuals and interactions over process and tools)… Challenge your leadership style. >>>>>

AGILE LOCALIZATION TOP TIPS


LEADERSHIPJOHARI WINDOW

Known Unknown

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Self

1Open Area

3Hidden Area

4UnknownArea

2Blind Area



Known Unknown

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Self

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2Blind Area

• ‘Open self/area‘, 'free area‘, 'public area', 'arena‘

• Also known as the 'area of free activity‘• Information about the person - behaviour,

attitude, feelings, emotion, knowledge, experience, skills, views, etc -

• Known by the person ('self') and known by the team ('others').

• The aim in any team is to develop the 'open area' for every person, because when we work in this area with others we are at our most effective and productive, and the team is at its most productive too

• The open free area, or 'the arena‘ - the space where good communications and cooperation occur, free from distractions, mistrust, confusion, conflict and misunderstanding



Known Unknown

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1Open Area

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• ‘Blind self' or 'blind area' or 'blindspot‘: what is known about a person by others in the group, but is unknown by the person him/herself

• Could also be referred to as ignorance about oneself, or issues in which one is deluded

• Not an effective or productive space for individuals or groups

• Also include issues that others are deliberately withholding from a person

• The aim is to reduce this area by seeking or soliciting feedback from others and thereby to increase the open area, i.e., to increase self-awareness

• Team members and managers take responsibility for reducing the blind area - in turn increasing the open area - by giving sensitive feedback and encouraging disclosure

• Managers promote a climate of non-judgemental feedback, and group response to individual disclosure, and reduce fear.



Known Unknown

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Self

1Open Area

3Hidden Area

4UnknownArea

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• ‘Hidden self' or 'hidden area' or 'avoided self/area' or 'facade'

• What is known to ourselves but kept hidden from, and therefore unknown, to others

• Represents information, feelings , etc, anything that a person knows about him/self, but which is not revealed or is kept hidden from others

• Also include sensitivities, fears, hidden agendas, manipulative intentions, secrets - anything that a person knows but does not reveal

• Relevant hidden information and feelings, etc, should be moved into the open area through the process of 'self-disclosure' and 'exposure process'

• Organizational culture and working atmosphere have a major influence on team members‘ preparedness to disclose their hidden selves

• The extent to which an individual discloses personal feelings and information, and the issues which are disclosed, and to whom, must always be at the individual's own discretion



Known Unknown

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1Open Area

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4UnknownArea

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• ‘Unknown self‘, 'area of unknown activity‘, 'unknown area'

• Information, feelings, latent abilities, aptitudes, experiences etc, that are unknown to the person him/herself and unknown to others in the group

• Can be prompted through self-discovery or observation by others, or through collective or mutual discovery

• Again as with disclosure and soliciting feedback, the process of self discovery is a sensitive one

• Uncovering 'hidden talents' - that is unknown aptitudes and skills, not to be confused with developing the Johari 'hidden area' - is another aspect of developing the unknown area, and is not so sensitive as unknown feelings

• Managers and leaders can create an environment that encourages self-discovery, and to promote the processes of self discovery, constructive observation and feedback among team members

• The unknown area could also include repressed or subconscious feelings rooted in formative events and traumatic past experiences, which can stay unknown for a lifetime


Known Unknown

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Self

1Open Area

3Hidden Area

4UnknownArea

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Known Unknown

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3Hidden Area

4UnknownArea

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Established TeamNew Team


Storming(leader needed to coach)

Forming(team dependant on leader)

Norming(leader needed to facilitate)

Performing(delegation stage)

time

perf

orm

ance


AGILE LEADERSHIPUSING THE JOHARI WINDOW

Known Unknown

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1Open Area

3Hidden Area

4UnknownArea

2Blind Area

• Generic Strategies to help/speed up transition• A: Feedback solicitation• B: Self-discovery/exposure• C: Shared discovery• D: Self discovery• E: Others’ observations

• EQ more important than IQ!!!

A

B C E

D


You all right fatty?


Richard Brooksuk.linkedin.com/in/richardbrooks

twitter.com/@RichardMBrooks

plus.google.com/+RichardBrooks_L10N

0044 1908 [email protected]

Leadership & Management

Agile Localization and Leadership Styles