Week Notes: Vol. 3 – № 2

Drawing your way through Agile

I have an on-again, off-again relationship with drawing.

I do less of it now that I have kids. But I’ve discovered that drawing has a lot in common with how companies put product frameworks into practice.

A few years ago, I worked up the will to learn how to draw people, a weakness of mine. I bought books, watched tutorials on YouTube, and curated reference material on Pinterest.

When one approach didn’t click, I’d switch to another. If an artist I liked talked about what worked for them when they started drawing, I’d look into it.

At some point, the lessons began to blur together.

Everyone seemed to have their own tricks and aesthetic, built up over hundreds of drawings. Although there were similarities, each artist’s style led them to a slightly different technique.

Then, I looked at all the books, videos, and pins I’d curated. I wasn’t short on advice, just ability.

SAFe, LeSS, Nexus, Disciplined Agile (DA) – even the “Spotify Model” – are akin to figure drawing textbooks by Andrew Loomis, Michael Hampton, or George Bridgman. There are champions, teachers, and followers.

The principles are identical. Everyone just has their own flair.

If companies are indeed people, it makes sense that each one also has its own “flavor” of Agile.

The rub is when these companies confuse frameworks for talent.