Transforming the way we deliver Operational Technology

Alex O’BrienSenior Product OwnerTransport for London

Some existential questions..

Who am I?What do I do?Why am I here?

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TfL’s Challenge

• Expected population growth to 10 million by 2030

• Over 20 million trips on London’s roads every day

• 80% of all trips in London take place on the road network

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London is busy...

TfL’s Challenge

• London’s buses carry 6.5 million people each day

• Over 90% of all freight is carried on the road network

• Half a million road works every year

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London is busy...

TfL’s Challenge

• 100+ organisations can dig up the road• 33 boroughs + TfL• 1 National specification – EToN• Legislative and statutory requirements

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London is busy...

My Team’s VisionDelivering technology to help London’s Highway Professionals:

– Manage the public road space– Reduce Disruption– Promote safety– Manage revenue

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Products

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LW2 Origins

• Live since 2006• 2014 Tech Refresh• 2015 Surface ITS / Pathfinder• Agile Scrum

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Pathfinder Challenges1. Contracts2. Environments3. Customers4. Leadership5. Support6. Project Management7. Planning

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Agile in Local Government

• Tech + Process hurdles• LG = governance / risk management / public

money• Constraints = our own hybrid version• Informs future projects

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Hello governance!

Pathfinder Challenges #1

/ AKA / how to procure services for something you don’t yet fully know or understand• Detailed plan / payment milestones vs flexibility

to work creatively, explore scope, evolve understanding

• Fixed Price vs Time and Materials12

Contract Management

Pathfinder Challenges #2

/ AKA / What to expect if you cannot deliver shippable products every sprint• Project-specific [environments did not yet exist]• Challenged concept of ‘shippable product’• Led to ‘end-of-project-testing-effort’

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Non-Agile deployment / Environments / Testing

Pathfinder Challenges #3

/ AKA /  how to sell them the idea that they are more accountable for success than ever before• Greater responsibility • Inherit traditional expectations• Use of video

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SME Involvement

Pathfinder Challenges #4

/ AKA / how to ensure that ‘this agile stuff’ is as good as everyone says it is• Problems are inherent with a disruptive

approach• Problems encountered may be a symptom of a

wider dysfunction15

Senior Leadership Backing

Pathfinder Challenges #5

/ AKA / Exploring a non-penalty-centric approach to support agreements• Punitive approach vs partnership approach• Kanban / WiP • Complex model, but a good foundation

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Application Support Models

Pathfinder Challenges #6

/ AKA / delivering change in a ‘generally’ non-agile environment• Adherence to a programme can be counter-agile • Value is in the planning ‘not’ the plan• We need the agility to change course quickly,

without penalty or waste17

Project Management vs Agile thinking

Pathfinder Challenges #7

/ AKA / how to champion agile values in a traditionally C&C organisation responsible for spending public money• Educate, demonstrate success• Use stage-planning, not project-planning to

determine overall budgets18

Budget Planning

Partnerships

• WS02• ESRI• TfL Business• TfL T&D• Application Users• Application Partners

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And THANK YOU!

Final Words

• Embrace Coaching - get help early, and throughout a new deployment of agile

• Embrace agile values and principles – refer to these often, use as a sanity beacon

• Embrace the humanity of software development

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It’s been emotional...

Thank You

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