Patterns and Pattern Thinking for Analysis and Innovation
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Allan Kelly discusses the concept of patterns and pattern thinking in software development and innovation, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and utilizing existing patterns to solve problems effectively. He distinguishes between casual and formal patterns, explaining how documented patterns can aid in addressing recurring solutions to specific problems within a context. The document highlights strategies for applying pattern analysis and encourages innovation through the adaptation and mixing of existing patterns.
Patterns and Pattern Thinking for Analysis and Innovation
- 1. allan kelly allan@allankelly.net Twitter: @allankellynet http://www.allankelly.net Patterns and Pattern Thinking for Analysis and Innovation IRM Business Analysis Conference London, September 2013
- 2. Allan Kelly… Chapters in… • Business Analysis and Leadership, Pullan & Archer 2013 • 97 Things Every Programmer Should Know, Henney, 2010 • Context Encapsulation in Pattern Languages of Program Design, vol#5, 2006 Consulting on software development & strategy Training for Agile Author – Changing Software Development: Learning to be Agile (2008, Wiley) – Business Patterns for Software Developers (2012, Wiley - ISBN: 978-1119999249) – Xanpan: Reflections on agile (work in progress) https://leanpub.com/xanpan
- 3. BAs! Do you? • Think – “Someone must have done this before” • Struggle to identify the real problem? • And … if… – Everyone else does something similar – Does innovation lie in doing it differently?
- 4. Patterns might help • Learn to… – See patterns – Apply pattern thinking/analysis • Use patterns from others – Build on the work of others
- 5. So what is a “pattern” ?
- 6. Playing and Learning You often see babies looking very intensely at something, or trying to put things into containers and taking them out again. As a child gets older the shape of the object becomes even more fascinating and often the child tries to put it into the right shaped container. Older children can begin to name more complicated shapes such as hexagons as well as being able to use shape and colour repetitively to create a pattern. The knowledge of how patterns work also allows them to predict what comes next. From the Science Museum, London, Patterns exhibition February 2013
- 7. What is a pattern? • Casual patterns – everywhere! • Formal patterns – Started with architecture – Christopher Alexander
- 8. Spread to software in 90s
- 9. 3 (no code) books worth knowing... Organizational Patterns of Agile Software Development Jim Coplien & Neil Harrison Business Patterns for Software Developers Allan Kelly Fearless Change Mary Lynn Manns & Linda Rising
- 10. What is a pattern? A solution To a problem In a context A reoccurring solution A known solution
- 11. An example
- 12. SAME CUSTOMER, DIFFERENT PRODUCT • The Customer is the Asset Solution: Expand your product offering so you have more products to sell to your existing customers. Do this by focusing on the customer needs rather than the product. Problem: How do you maximise your return from existing customers? Taken from Business Patterns 2012
- 13. Pattern v. pattern A pattern • Reoccurring solution • Maybe a solution to a problem in a context • Not formally documented • Not formally reviewed • Not printed • Not taken to a conference A Pattern • Reoccurring solution • A solution to a problem in a context • Formally documented • Peer reviewed (at a *PLoP conference) • Printed Pattern with a small-p Pattern with a capital-P
- 14. Solution & Implementation Solution 3 Known Uses Problem Forces Consequences Context Anatomy of a pattern An Analysis technique?
- 15. Solution & Implementation Solution 3 Known Uses Problem Forces Consequences Context Pattern thinking for analysis No known uses to start with Start: What is the problem you have? 2: What makes this hard? What else is there? 3: What can’t be changed? 4. Iterate! Go round & round 5: What would you hope would be the outcome? You might get some ideas on solution but that is not the aim!
- 16. What makes a problem hard? • A single problem? – A problem with many forces contributing – Making solutions hard to find
- 17. Problem solving • Is this unique? – Could there be a pattern about this already? – Go research! • Apply pattern thinking – What is the problem? – What makes it hard? – forces! – And the context? (Un-changable) Image from Steven Walling 2010 via WikiCommons Creative Commons License
- 18. Innovation • Steal from other / use existing Patterns – Innovation may be new to you • What are the current patterns? – In business, in solution, in process • Mix patterns in unusual ways • Go against pattern – If everyone else does X why not try Y ?
- 20. Where can I find out more? • Books – Business Analysts & Leadership chapter on patterns • Google – But not all patterns are equal – Look at review process • My website – http://www.allankelly.net/patterns • Conferences – http://www.europlop.net
- 21. Pattern conferences - *PLoP • PowerPoint free – Reviews, conversation & games • EuroPLoP – www.europlop.net
- 22. Questions Allan Kelly Software Strategy Ltd. allan@allankelly.net www.softwarestrategy.co.uk blog.allankelly.net Twitter: @allankellynet