Using the Toyota Improvement Kata to solve hard problems

As a technical leader, working on large strategic problems can be daunting. It’s hard to know where to start or which problem to work on, and even how to approach the Sisyphean task of moving the mountain. Using our war stories, we'll show you how to look at a long term vision, approach problem solving by using scientific thinking and move towards that long term vision instead of solving the known bottlenecks.

Adarsh Shah (@shahadarsh)is a technology leader, coach, hands-on architect and a change agent with over 15 years of industry experience. He is also an organiser for the Devopsdays NYC conference and devopsnyc meetup. Adarsh has a keen interest in building systems that add business value, and is passionate about helping clients with digital transformation by improving both technical as well as non-technical aspects.

These days, Adarsh is excited about working with distributed systems architecture and cloud-native technologies.

Hibri Marzook (@hibri) helps teams continuously deliver software with joy and is a technical principal at Contino, a transformational technical consultancy.

Transcript

1. Using the Toyota Improvement Kata to solve hard problems Hibri Marzook Principal Consultant All things Agile, TDD and Continuous Delivery Contino @hibri Adarsh Shah Technology Leader, Coach, Hands-on Architect Independent Consultant @shahadarsh 
 shahadarsh.com
2. @shahadarsh @hibri Toyota Kata Mike Rother Toyota Production System
3. @shahadarsh @hibri Toyota Kata Toyota Kata = Improvement Kata + Coaching Kata
4. @shahadarsh @hibri The Improvement Kata Routine for moving from the current situation to a new situation in a creative, directed, meaningful way.
5. @shahadarsh @hibri Solution 
 options Current Condition Usual way of problem solving Find current issues Find options available to resolve Solution Apply 1 or more solution 1 2 3
6. @shahadarsh @hibri Long-term Vision 1 Target Condition 3 Current Condition 2 Experiments 4 X X X Zone of Uncertainty The Improvement Kata
7. @shahadarsh @hibri VSM & Toyota Kata Long-term Vision Target Condition Target Condition Target Condition Next Target Condition Next Target Condition Next Target Condition Challenge Practicing the Improvement Kata and Coaching Kata involves everyone X X X X X X X X X Setting direction with VSM is responsibility of a few people
8. @shahadarsh @hibri Target condition - is not about • Not about avoiding negative outcomes • Not an either/or choice between existing options • Does not mean setting a stretch goal
9. @shahadarsh @hibri Target condition - is about • Achieving new outcomes • Aiming for all attributes. “and” not “or” • Giving people challenges and teaching them an effective way of meeting them
10. @shahadarsh @hibri Kata Solution Scientific Thinking + Practice routine
11. @shahadarsh @hibri Metacognition Combining a simple scientific striving pattern with practice routines called Kata helps you teach meta- cognitive strategies Metacognition = "cognition about cognition”
12. @shahadarsh @hibri Scientific Thinking A continuous process of applying rigorous skepticism to learn from the difference between our predictions and reality
13. @shahadarsh @hibri Babies do it (you can too) https://science.sciencemag.org/content/348/6230/91 Infants use “unexpectedness” as a cue for learning.
14. @shahadarsh @hibri Scientific Thinking Learning What actually happens What we expect to happen
15. @shahadarsh @hibri Scientific Thinking Learning What actually happens What we expect to happen Learning What actually happens What we expect to happen Learning What actually happens What we expect to happen Next target condition Current condition
16. @shahadarsh @hibri Deliberate practice
17. @shahadarsh @hibri Neuroplasticity We can rewire our brains
18. @shahadarsh @hibri “You must unlearn what you have learned.” - Yoda
19. @shahadarsh @hibri Case study: Major Stock Exchange
20. @shahadarsh @hibri Context Migrate apps to cloud Multi-cloud support Automate
21. @shahadarsh @hibri Initial plan Semi-automated
 process 1 Multiple manual
 approvals ——————— No connectivity 
 to on-prem ——————— 4-6 weeks ——————— Security challenges Current State Combine 
 approval meetings Schedule weekly approval meeting Introduce SLA for approval
22. @shahadarsh @hibri Kata in action IPAM Account provisioning Self service 
 environment
 provisioning Challenge Automated Sandbox 
 provisioning
 ———————————- AWS US Region only ——————————— Connectivity back to on-prem network ——————————- Under 30 mins Automated 
 Sandbox
 provisioning 3 1st Target condition Semi-automated
 process 2 Multiple manual
 approvals ——————— No connectivity 
 to on-prem ——————— 4-6 weeks ——————— Security challenges Current State Platform as a Product 1 Vision Leadership ————— Visibility —————- Messaging 4 Experiments X X X
23. @shahadarsh @hibri Kata in action Experiments X X X IPAM Account provisioning Self service 
 environment
 provisioning Challenge Automated Sandbox 
 provisioning
 ———————————- AWS US Region only ——————————— Connectivity back to on-prem network ——————————- Under 30 mins Automated 
 Sandbox
 provisioning 3 1st Target condition Semi-automated
 process 2 Multiple manual
 approvals ——————— No connectivity 
 to on-prem ——————— 4-6 weeks ——————— Security challenges Current State Platform as a Product 1 Vision Leadership ————— Visibility —————- Messaging Automated QA 
 provisioning
 ———————————- AWS US Region only ——————————— Connectivity back to on-prem network ——————————- Under 30 mins Automated 
 QA
 provisioning 5 2nd Target condition Experiments X X X 4
24. @shahadarsh @hibri Scientific thinking & Deliberate practice • Infrastructure as Code • Test automation • Pair programming • Driver-navigator model (Coaching Kata)
25. @shahadarsh @hibri Case study: Major Online Gambling Platform
26. @shahadarsh @hibri Context
27. @shahadarsh @hibri Kata in action Experiments X X X Pair programming Try TDD Stable product Challenge Unstable Product 2 No CI ——————— Manual tests ——————— No collaboration ——————— Prod outages Current State A reliable and performant platform 1 Vision Leadership ————— Visibility —————- Messaging Automated tests for key journeys
 ———————————- Tests run as part of CI ——————————— Start doing TDD ——————————- Collaborative ways of working 3 1st Target condition 10 or more stable Releases Experiments X X X Mock dependencies Deal with outside interruptions
28. @shahadarsh @hibri Scientific thinking & Deliberate practice • Standups • Test Driven Development • Pair programming • 3 Amigos • IaC to for test environments
29. @shahadarsh @hibri We failed
30. @shahadarsh @hibri Kata in action Experiments X X X Stable product Challenge Automated tests for key journeys
 ———————————- Tests run as part of CI ——————————— Start doing TDD ——————————- Collaborative ways of working 3 1st Target condition Unstable Product 2 No CI ——————— Manual tests ——————— No collaboration ——————— Prod outages Current State A reliable and performant platform 1 Vision Leadership ————— Visibility —————- Messaging 10 or more stable Releases STOP
31. @shahadarsh @hibri What can you start doing next week? If you are a leader • Vision • Deliberate Practice • Scientific Thinking If you are a doer • Vision • Deliberate Practice • Scientific Thinking
32. @shahadarsh @hibri Book recommendations
33. Questions Hibri Marzook Principal Consultant Contino @hibri Adarsh Shah Technology Leader, Coach, Hands-on Architect Independent Consultant @shahadarsh 
 shahadarsh.com