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 Architecture Workshop with João Rosa and Trond Hjorteland, we delve into open sociotechnical systems thinking, which jointly optimises the social and technical systems while putting people at the centre of the design.
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 hands-on, interactive workshop will equip you with the knowledge and tools to create more adaptive, resilient organisations 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 optimise their organisation’s socio and technical aspects jointly.
- Executives
- VP/Directors/Head of IT/Business/Product
- Enterprise/Solution/Software architects
- Business analysts
- Product managers
- (Senior) Software engineers
- UX
- Team managers.
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, organisations must adapt quickly to stay competitive. This program session 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
Organisations 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 session, participants will learn the principles of open sociotechnical systems and how they can be applied to design software and organize teams effectively. We will explore scenarios and examples demonstrating this approach’s benefits, helping attendees understand the importance of integrating social and technical considerations into their organisational design.
Applying practical techniques for an intentional architecture and team organisation
To create an adaptive, resilient organisation, it is crucial to understand and apply practical techniques for architecture and team organisation. In this workshop, participants will delve into the 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 hands-on exercises and group discussions, attendees will gain the skills and knowledge needed to create a more effective, responsive organisation 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 – What are we gonna learn?
- 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 architecture (and organisation), 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 variety of hands-on activities 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 hands-on, interactive 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, hands-on workshop that will transform the way you approach software development and team organisation.
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.
