RallyDev.com
Mon 28 Sep 2009
DIY vs. Shu-Ha-Ri
Right now, I’m watching a company try to improve itself.
It seems that management has recently learned that there is a thing called Lean, which even comes with some cookbook recipes called practices that you can do. There is lots of nifty new lingo, and it’s complex enough that you can interpret it nearly any way you choose
ShuHaRi - stages of learning that lead to mastery
This company has reason to believe that they have some understanding of this new animal because they feel that they’re already Agile, but as far as I’ve been able to determine there is nobody involved who has, lets say, an actual resume chock full of actual training and experience in Lean. The employees are pro Lean because (a) they always validate what management wants, (b) they want it, too, and (c) they think they understand it.
And I find myself thinking, “This is not right. You are doing these practices in ways that I have never seen discussed in any of the books or courses with which I am familiar, and I have put in some time studying this stuff. You are tossing ideas around like you really understand them, and I do not think that you do. Worse, you’re starting out with complex new ways of doing it rather than start at the rock bottom with the basics. This is bad!”
Then I have an opposite thought, which is something like, “Hey. What are they supposed to do, sit around reading books for five years before they try something? That’s just another form of analysis paralysis. Go for it!”
Then my coach brain kicks in (by now I can feel my brain cell overheating, but I persevere), asking me - How may DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Agile implementations have you seen? (Answer: A lot) How many had great results? (Answer: Few) How many sucked? (Answer: Most) I am suspicious of DIY Agile and DIY Lean because I have seen too much badness there.
Enter Shu, Ha, Ri – a concept first introduced to the Agile world by Alistair Cockburn. The phrase is used to describe the three stages one goes through when pursuing the mastery of a complex art.
Shu, the beginner stage, is where you know nothing and you limit yourself to a rote application of very simple practices.
Eventually you reach the Ha stage, where you can stop concentrating on the simple application of techniques and graduate to the skillful execution of complex techniques that follow the known rules of your discipline while handling exceptions and even new situations.
Then, and only then, can you aspire to Ri, which is where you forget everything you know because you are beyond thinking about it. Here you transcend rules and blend techniques in artful and unpredictable, yet “correct” ways. (For me, this is the stage where “you can do it drunk”, though others may choose to describe it differently).
So returning to our story – here is the behavior I’d like to see from this company.
I want the company to reach and stretch, but I also want them to do it right. I want them to have a realistic understanding of who they are, and at the same time, not allow that understanding to deter or slow them down. How would that be possible? There’s only one answer that I can get to, and it is that you have to both act and study if you’re going to do either one effectively. Go ahead and leap right in, grab the marmoset by the tail and go for it, just don’t forget to do your homework too.
If I could talk to the management of that company, I’d urge them to get expert training for their people and to slowly, methodically, and gently yet firmly allow the company to move in the new direction. And I’d want them to make sure they are getting it right. It’s too easy to make this stuff up, and it’s too easy to bulldoze employees into following you down a path. Who’s going to argue with the CTO or the CIO or the CEO? Not many people will do that.
So I say, be humble. Bring in the consultants. Get the training. Keep trying new things. Be open to failure and to admitting wrong-headedness. You’ll make it. Just be balanced in the learning and the doing.
That’s what I think, anyway.
About the Author: Alan Atlas is a Musician, Certified Scrum Trainer, and Agile Coach at Rally Software Development. Subscribe today to get free updates by email or RSS.
I know that motivational posters and mottoes are not the way, but I offer this in hopes that it will help the transitioning team understand the process a little better or at least provide a small reminder:
http://agileinaflash.blogspot.com/2009/04/shu-ha-ri.html
I’ve seen DIY work, seen it fail, and I suspect it is often by jumping into “HA” or”RI” too soon, but also because they don’t adopt the values first. As merely “something they’re making us do”, no agile transitions will be resounding successes — even well-coached ones.
Tim,
Thanks for the link. It’s a great explanation of Shu-Ha-Ri (better than mine for sure), although I stand by my summary of Ri as “when you can do it drunk”. That comes from over 40 years as a rock musician. You can imagine. :-)
Alan, I totally agree with you.
By the way, if you like the ShuHaRi concept, you’ll probably also like the Dreyfus model of skills acquisition. See this post from Dan North called “Learning to Lean” http://dannorth.net/2008/06/learning-to-lean for more info.
Andy Hunt’s book “Refactor Your Wetware” has a whole chapter on Dreyfus. By the way, this is a must-read book!!
Anyway, I think some of the DIY attitude with Agile comes from a belief that it is easier to go Agile than it really is. I’ve heard more “we need to be more Agile” lately, said as though “Agile” was just a synonym for “nimble,” as though the Agile movement was just a wake-up call. As though it was a call for a change of attitude only, to be more flexible and less rigid, to be more responsive. No new understanding or practices required, just do the things we already know how to do, but now do them in a more “agile” way.
But I think part of it also comes from a practical side. Not everybody that wants to go Agile has or can get the budget for coaches. I personally think Agile coaches and Agile training are the most effective and also the least expensive (in ROI terms) way to go Agile, but if there’s no budget, there’s no budget.
Realizing that DIY Agile is here to stay, I’ve changed my blog to be “Do it Yourself Agile.” The idea is to always advocate coaching and training, but to provide help for folks that don’t have a choice.
Damon,
That’s quite a bunch of homework you gave me! I looked quickly and I intend to go back. I’ve heard of the Dreyfus model and maybe it’s time for me to learn more.
One thing, though, is that the problem I’m talking about is the part where in the model it says “Novice wants recipes…” but I keep running into Novices who seem to think they’re experts. What they want to do is skip the recipes and go right to the incorrect interpretation and application of the complex skills they’re trying to avoid bothering to learn. If you see what I mean. :-(
alan
Hi Alan,
Yup, I see what you mean. Unfortunately, my only exposure to Dreyfus is a single class (which was actually about BDD, Dreyfus was a tangent) and that one chapter in Andy’s book. So, I’m not an expert on Dreyfus. :-)
If I had to guess I would say that what is meant is that a novice learns best from recipes, but doesn’t always want to do what is best for them. :-)
For me, the benefit of learning about both the Shu-Ha-Ri and Dreyfus models has been the realization that there are these ways of thinking about how people learn which can help one better understand how to be an educator and also how to understand results.
I have a long way to go in understanding both, but have learned enough to know that they are worth learning about! :-)
Nice to “meet” you by the way. Cheers,
Damon
A friend and I refer to this as “Cargo Cult” mentality. For example, surrounding oneself with the trappings of Java, C++ and stacks of books on Object Oriented design does not automatically confer competence, much less mastery.
That being said, I’m guilty of it myself. It’s a constant battle to find the line.
Hi Alan,
“you have to both act and study if you’re going to do either one effectively”
I would like to add “collaborate”. So, along with “act”, and “study”, if the company also wrote (publicly… say on their blog) about their experiences and experiments, then they may be able to share and learn by engaging the larger community.
Just my 2 cents.
I agree 100%. When I wrote the post, I was thinking in the abstract about a person, but as an organization, I think you’ve hit a nail on the head. Thanks for adding that.
Shu-Ha-Ri sounds similar to the “4 stages of competence” concept, where a person moves through:
-Unconscious incompetence
-Conscious incompetence (the Shu stage?)
-Conscious competence (the Ha stage?)
-Unconscious competence (the Ri stage?)
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