The sense-making nature of Agile
I believe that Agile is a sense-making approach because it creates a shared understanding among people working together. In an Agile system, individuals comprehend why they are collaborating and their personal goals align with the collective agenda. Sense-making in this context refers to the commonalities that exist across different cultures and backgrounds. These fundamental aspects are universally understood, regardless of whether one is from the Middle-West, China, Greenland, an Inuit, a bushman, or an Aborigine. On the other hand, what we typically consider as making sense is influenced by our individual upbringing, cultural background, and education.
In Agile, where diversity is embraced, new participants may challenge these shared fundamentals. Rather than imposing additional restrictions or specifications, it is important to remove barriers that hinder inclusivity and strive for a simple sense of belonging. Complex rules in a complex world can create confusion and hinder progress.
Sense-making is a key component of the Coherence aspect of Agile Organization (AO) theory. When individuals are coherent in their understanding and can align themselves with a common destination, it has the potential to foster cohesion, alignment, and engagement, going beyond mere commitment. This becomes a crucial factor in creating Complex Systems Behaviour, which I refer to as Agile Dynamics. These dynamics manifest through emergent and self-organizing behaviors, allowing for co-creation, collective problem-solving, and meaningful human interactions.
Complex systems dynamics, as opposed to linear systems, refers to the nonlinear behavior in which the relationship between causes and effects is intricate and non-proportional. In linear systems, inputs and outputs scale proportionally, but in nonlinear systems, the behavior is more complex.
Throughout the evolution of work since the late 19th century, there has been a transition from addressing primarily local challenges to global ones. The nature of work has been influenced by the interplay of demand and supply dynamics. This has led to the categorization of two types of work: linear and non-linear.
Linear work follows predefined patterns and can be planned in advance. It is characterized by mass production or mass customization, such as Taylorism or the Toyota Production System (Lean). In linear work, revenue is generated during the maturity phase by reducing variability in the system. In the field of IT, linear work often occurs in support roles.
Non-linear work, on the other hand, adopts a complex systems approach where data and experimentation precede the identification of patterns and solutions. It involves prototyping, testing, and then documenting the outcomes. Non-linear work is driven by innovation, mass customization, and globalization, which are the core principles of Agile. The challenge lies in generating revenue during the development phase. Unlike linear work, non-linear work emphasizes sense-making and embraces diversity to refine emerging trends and improve decision-making.
In summary, Agile is inherently a sense-making approach. It leverages systems dynamics to enable collective problem-solving, collaboration, and adaptability. For an Agile system to be effective, it should be obvious and make sense to all individuals involved. Every person has a voice and contributes to the sense-making process, which becomes the foundation for collective success.
Pierre E. Neis, Zürich 2024
