Intentional Organizations Workshop

Milan, 5th-6th June 2024, from 9.30 am to 5.00 pm each day. Trainer: João Rosa and Trond Hjorteland.

This workshop is designed to be delivered in presence, and it will take place in Copernico Isola for S32, in Milan.

Abstract

The rapidly changing world demands that organisations adapt quickly, and software plays a crucial role in this evolution. However, traditional methods often lead to growing unnecessary complexity, increased difficulty in system evolution, and a rising cost of change, ultimately putting pressure on the people involved.

In this Intentional Organizations workshop with João Rosa and Trond Hjorteland, you will explore first-hand, through real-world simulations, what is the experience of creating a sensible organization design that allows teams to self-manage and optimizes the use of technology.

By integrating principles from open sociotechnical systems theory, Domain-Driven Design, Wardley Maps, and Team Topologies, we will explore the organisation’s environment, identify sensible boundaries for teams and architecture, and generate options for the evolution of the sociotechnical system.

This simulation workshop will equip you with the knowledge and tools to create more adaptive, resilient organizations and software systems.

In this workshop, participants will join a journey on how to scan the environment, look at the company’s current capabilities, and generate options to keep, evolve, and be a sustainable company where people are happy to work.

Target Audience

The workshop targets folks who are involved in decisions about architecture (business, product and/or IT).

The learnings are more effective when people already have some experience in the industry, and are eager to learn how to jointly optimise their organisation’s social and technical aspects.

• Executives
• VP/Directors/Head of IT/Business/Product
• Enterprise/Solution/Software architects
• Business analysts
• Product managers/owners
• (Senior) Software engineers/Testers/Operations
• UX
• Team managers/Tech leads
• Agile coaches/Scrum masters/Agile Release Train Engineers

In more generic terms, the target is companies that believe in their own employees and want them to be engaged in work and be happy workers. And they are ready to participate in the design, whatever that is, even if it’s the strategy or down to the team level. These must be companies that trust their employees.

Topics

• Open sociotechnical systems and their role in organisational design: Explore the concept of open sociotechnical systems and how they provide a framework for balancing social and technical aspects, leading to more adaptive and resilient organisations.
• Identifying options for architectural evolution: Learn techniques for observing and interpreting the environmental factors that impact your organisation, enabling you to make informed decisions about architectural changes and improvements.
• Putting it all together: Leveraging Domain-Driven Design, Wardley Maps, and Team Topologies to optimize sociotechnical systems. By learning how to combine the practices and principles of those approaches, you can develop strategies to improve the architecture and the organisation structure continuously.

Program

Navigating the complexities of software development in a turbulent world
In today’s fast-paced, ever-changing environment, organizations must adapt quickly to stay competitive. This workshop will dive into the challenges and complexities of software development in such a turbulent world, discussing the impact of technological, social, and economic factors. By understanding these complexities, participants will be better prepared to identify strategies for building resilient, adaptable systems that can respond effectively to change.

Designing adaptive, resilient organisations through open sociotechnical systems thinking
Organizations that embrace open sociotechnical systems thinking are better equipped to balance their operations’ social and technical aspects, leading to more adaptable and resilient systems. In this workshop, participants will learn the principles of open sociotechnical systems and how they can be applied to design software and organize teams effectively. We will use a real-world simulation to demonstrate this approach’s benefits, helping attendees understand the importance of integrating social and technical aspects into their organizational design.

Applying practical techniques for an intentional architecture and team organisation
To create an adaptive, resilient organization, it is crucial to understand and apply practical techniques for architecture and team organization. In this workshop, participants will delve into approaches such as Domain-Driven Design, Wardley Maps, and Team Topologies. We will discuss their practical applications in designing, evolving, and optimizing sociotechnical systems. Through the real-world simulation and group discussions, attendees will gain the skills and knowledge needed to create a more effective, responsive organization that can navigate the complexities of the modern world.

Agenda

Day 1

• Overview of what an open sociotechnical system is
• Understand how to sense the environment to create options for the architectural evolution
• Discuss the two organisational design principles, and their implications
• How to create different options for the architecture

Day 2

• Explore how to implement the different options for the architecture
• How to jointly optimise the sociotechnical system
• Patterns and practices to evolve the sociotechnical system

Learning Objectives

• Learn how to design systems while dealing with an uncertaint environment
• Discover how to create evolutionary paths for the architecture (IT, product and business) and be intentional about its options
• Understand how the principles and practices can be applied to create a more effective and resilient organization (and architecture), regardless of whether you are a technical or non-technical professional.

Expect to get your hands dirty - How it works

In this workshop, you will participate in a real-world simulation designed to help you internalize the principles of open sociotechnical systems thinking. You’ll have the chance to explore and apply the concepts in real-world scenarios through group exercises, small group discussions, and individual reflection.

We’ve carefully designed each activity to provide a balance between theory and practice, ensuring that you gain a comprehensive understanding of the workshop topics. You’ll engage in puzzle-solving tasks, through a series of scenarios of a fictional organisation, all aimed at giving you practical experience in designing and implementing open sociotechnical systems.

To facilitate this hands-on approach, we’ll employ various visual collaboration tools and use physical materials like pens, post-its, and paper during the exercises. The trainers will be there every step of the way, providing valuable insights, answering questions, and fostering a dynamic environment where participants can learn from one another.

This real-world simulation workshop is designed to provide you with practical experience and tools that you can apply immediately to your organisation.

Why should you buy a ticket?

Come ready to engage, collaborate, and expand your skillset in this immersive workshop that will transform the way you approach software development and team organization.

The aim is to go back to a human-centric idea where the people who are building the software are the same who make design decisions and are also the same in making strategic decisions.

This workshop is an opportunity to acquire practical knowledge which will enable you to increase the intentionality in your architecture. In today’s fast-paced world, organizations must adapt swiftly, and you have a chance to experience how to create an adaptive and resilient system during the workshop.

F.A.Q.

Do I need to know anything beforehand in order to join the workshop?
If you read until here, we believe that you have the foundations in place. It is important to recognise that we operate in an unpredictable environment and how complexity affects the sociotechnical system (and, by the way, how the sociotechnical system affects the environment).
However, if you have never heard about sociotechnical systems but you have experience in the industry, and you know that the current trend of organization structure is not effective, this is the workshop to be!
Your experience is valuable, and the workshop is designed for anyone to participate and share their knowledge and experience.

Anything I need to read before the workshop?
Not a strict requirement, but you can take a look at the below links:

• Thriving in the Complexity of Software Development Using Open Sociotechnical Systems Design by Trond Hjorteland
• An Open Systems Thinking Perspective on Agile Transformation by Peter Aughton

Tools & Laptop: Do I need my laptop?
You won’t need a laptop to join this workshop. We’ll work with pen and paper.
In this highly interactive workshop, you’ll be engaging with the trainers and other attendees most of the time. We’ll also spend much time standing and walking around, so please remember to wear comfortable shoes.

Learning materials: Will there be anything to take away with me after the workshop is over?
Yes, you will have some booklets and other learning materials to take home.

Anything else that’s needed for this workshop and is not listed above?
Be curious and open. It’s our natural state, and it will be effective for this workshop.

N.B.

The workshop will be confirmed upon reaching a minimum number of participants. All registered participants will be notified by email no later than one month prior to the workshop date.

LAST CHANCE! Are you interested in this course? Please purchase your ticket by Wednesday 8th May 2024, to help us confirm it as soon as possible.
If we do not reach the minimum number of participants required to activate it by this date, the course will not be confirmed and will be postponed… don’t wait until the last minute to buy your ticket!

The sooner we reach the minimum numbers necessary for its activation, the sooner we can confirm the course and guarantee its execution.
If the course is confirmed, you will see a green tick on this page that says “confirmed/guaranteed to run”, and you will be able to buy tickets even after this date.

About the workshop

Language: The workshop will be held in English.

Time: from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm.

Venue: Copernico Isola for S32, Via Sassetti, 32, 20124 Milan.

Laptop: Check out the F.A.Q. section.

Dress code: Informal. We recommend you wear comfortable shoes as the majority of the activities will involve walking around and standing up most of the time.

Included in the price: coffee breaks and lunch with the trainer and the other attendees are also included in this ticket... because networking matters.

Throughout the workshop, you’ll have ample opportunities to network and collaborate with other attendees, sharing your experiences and learning from each other’s perspectives. This rich exchange of ideas and knowledge will not only enhance your understanding of open sociotechnical systems and the different options for design software systems and teams but also help you forge lasting professional connections.

How to get to Milan?

You can get to Milano Centrale by flying into one of these three airports: Linate, Malpensa, and Bergamo Orio al Serio.

Check out the Copernico Milano Centrale and get it sorted! With plenty of handy information on accommodation, travel options, where to find the training venue, and much more!

Questions? Drop us a line: info@avanscoperta.it

Link to the website

https://www.avanscoperta.it/en/training/intentional-architecture-workshop/

Trainer

João Rosa and Trond Hojrteland

Under_Cover_Learner Discount - SAVE 20%

If you’re paying the ticket out of your own pocket and you don’t have a VAT number, you can get a 20% discount on any tickets and on any ticket tiers!

How? Just enter the Under_Cover_Learner promotional code in the registration field on Eventbrite.

Please note: This code cannot be used in conjunction with any other offers/discount codes, and it applies to any ticket tier.

If you need to pay with PayPal, drop us a line at info@avanscoperta.it.

We accept the following methods of payment:

PayPal, Credit/Debit card (via PayPal, click on the link: "Don't have a PayPal account?"), Bank transfer (upon request - contact us at info@avanscoperta.it).

T&C, Privacy Policy, cancellations and refunds, Venue info

Find out more at this link.