BarcVox. The voice of enterprise business architecture and more.
By Bry Willis
Here you can find my thoughts on topics ranging from business transformation strategy to enterprise business architecture to transformation implementation and adoption.
I view transformation through a customer experience lens to solve business challenges and leveraging technology to enable solutions.
Here I share decades of my experience in corporate and management consulting contexts, from my beginnings as a technologist through to my time as a consultant and advisor.
So join me on this journey and see where it takes us.
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BarcVox. The voice of enterprise business architecture and more.Jan 29, 2022
Agile Self-Organising Teams
In this segment, I share some thoughts on Agile's self-organising teams.
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Transcript available for this segment: http://barcvox.com/2023/01/24/agile-self-organising-teams/
What's the Story, Morning Glory?
In this segment, I rant about the use and misuse of story points within the Agile framework.
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Transcript available for this segment: http://barcvox.com/2023/01/24/whats-the-story-morning-glory/
Weighted Average of Dimensions for Initiatives
In this segment, I layout how to create a weighted average of dimensionalised initiatives to prioritise competing requests.
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Transcript available for this segment: http://barcvox.com/2023/01/21/weighted-average-of-dimensions-for-initiatives/
SAFe Value Stream Mapping
In this segment, I share my perspective on SAFe (Scalable Agile Framework) and its poor value generation prospects.
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Transcript available for this segment: http://barcvox.com/2023/01/19/safe-value-stream-mapping/
Software Solution Problems
In this segment, I share my discuss the difference between traditional management and trusted management necessary for agility.
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Transcript available for this segment: http://barcvox.com/2023/01/10/software-solution-problems/
Disadvantages of Agile
In this segment, I'll share my thoughts on the disadvantages of Agile as a software development framework / methodology.
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Transcript available for this segment: http://barcvox.com/2022/12/28/disadvantages-of-agile/
Competitive Advantage of Not Adopting Agile
In this segment, I'll discuss why you should not adopt Agile as a software development framework / methodology.
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Transcript available for this segment: http://barcvox.com/2022/12/27/competitive-advantage-of-not-adopting-agile/
Agile Training Is a Waste of Money
In this segment, I'll tell you how to save a lot of money by not taking Agile or Scrum training.
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Transcript available for this segment: http://barcvox.com/2022/12/27/agile-training-is-a-waste-of-money/
(Fr)agile
In this segment, I share my perspective on agility rather than Agile™ in software product delivery.
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Transcript available for this segment: http://barcvox.com/2022/12/25/fragile/
Giving up on Agile
In this segment, I start early fulfilling my New Year's resolution to talk less about Agile™ and more on agility.
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Transcript available for this segment: http://barcvox.com/2022/12/16/giving-up-on-agile/
It's the System, Stupid
In this short segment, I remind the listener that it's more likely your organisation has broken processes than derelict employees.
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Transcript available for this segment: http://barcvox.com/2022/12/16/giving-up-on-agile/
What’s the story with story points?
In this short segment, I share my perspective on what some enterprises get horribly wrong with story points in Agile estimation.
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Transcript available for this segment: http://barcvox.com/2022/12/15/whats-the-story-with-story-points/
Citizen Developer
In this segment, I share my perspective on the citizen development trend and why it may prove to be counterproductive.
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Transcript available for this segment: http://barcvox.com/2022/11/24/citizen-developer/
Professional. Competent. Congenial.
In this segment, I share my perspective professionalism as well as competence and congeniality.
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Transcript available for this segment: http://barcvox.com/2022/11/21/rad-agility/
RAD Agility
In this segment, I share my perspective on RAD as being superior to Agile in enterprise settings as well as some personal experiences.
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Transcript available for this segment: http://barcvox.com/2022/11/21/rad-agility/
Discipline or Domain?
In the segment, I outline the basic skills of a Business Analyst and discuss what skills are most useful in hiring.
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Transcript available for this segment: http://barcvox.com/2022/11/02/discipline-or-domain/
Where Goes Strategy?
In the segment, I discuss the meta of business architecture, enterprise architecture, and where strategy components fit in.
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Transcript available for this segment: http://barcvox.com/2022/11/01/where-goes-strategy/
Why Blended Agile Fails
In the segment, I discuss why Waterfall and Agile don't mix.
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Transcript available for this segment: http://barcvox.com/2022/10/17/why-blended-agile-fails/
Questioned Integrity
Except for the most cut and dry business ethics, they are too flexible to be useful, too open for interpretation.
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Transcript available for this segment: http://barcvox.com/2022/10/09/questioned-integrity/
Per my last email…
In the segment, I share my thoughts on why "Per my last email" may not come across as you might intend it.
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Transcript available for this segment: http://barcvox.com/2022/10/06/per-my-last-email/
Jira is Monkey Business
In the segment, I ask why hiring managers require Jira experience.
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Transcript available for this segment: http://barcvox.com/2022/10/05/jira-is-monkey-business/
Your Agile Transformation Will Fail
In the segment, I discuss why your enterprise Agile transformation will fail. Full stop.
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Transcript available for this segment: http://barcvox.com/2022/10/04/your-agile-transformation-will-fail/
Agile, Oil, and Water
In the segment, I discuss why Agile and "Business" don't mix.
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Transcript available for this segment
A walk through the BIZBOK
In this segment I provide an overview of how A Guide to the Business Architecture Body of Knowledge (the BIZBOK Guide) views Business Architecture.
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Transcript to this segment: http://barcvox.com/2022/09/27/a-walk-through-the-bizbok/
Analysts and Architects: What's the difference?
In this segment I explain the differences between certain analyst and architect roles in an enterprise setting.
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The transcript to this segment can be found here: http://barcvox.com/2022/09/26/analysts-and-architects-whats-the-difference/
Ageism or What?
In the segment, I ponder whether ageism is a real phenomenon or if it is just a manifestation of something else.
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Episode Transcript: http://barcvox.com/2022/09/14/ageism-or-what/
Which Regional English Accent Do You Prefer?
Which Regional English Accent Do You Prefer?
1. I prefer the Australian
2. I prefer the British
3. I prefer the Indian
4. I prefer the United States
5. I prefer my region. Where is it?
6. I don't speak English
Leave a comment, and don't forget to let me know what your reference accent is, and your preferred listening accent.
Opportunistic Recruiters
In this segment I share my experiences working with the opportunistic recruiters, who take a more deliberate approach to look for people with certain skills instead of looking to fill a particular role.
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The transcript to this segment can be found here: http://barcvox.com/2022/08/18/opportunistic-recruiters/
In the Name Of
Imagine a world where a company started referring to their fry cooks as chefs or another calling their meter maids detectives. In this segment I discuss how companies are hijacking the business architect title and applying it to other roles like business analyst and technical project manager and how this dilutes communication value.
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This segment can be found here: http://barcvox.com/2022/08/17/in-the-name-of/
Transformation Transplantation
Kidney transplants have a failure rate of about one in three whilst business transformations fail at a rate higher than two in three. What can we learn from the realm of organ transplantation that might help to improve the success rate of business transformations?
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http://barcvox.com/2022/08/11/transformation-transplantation/
Four Cs — Capability, Competence, Competency, and Capacity
I consider these four Cs to be critical to think about when assessing the maturity of an entity. Capability models are as important as business models, org structures, and operating and governance models. In the segment, I highlight the meanings of these with examples.
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http://barcvox.com/2022/04/23/four-cs-capability-competence-competency-and-capacity/
Lessons Learnt at DataRobot
In Defence of Project Managers
Despite failing at a rate of over 70%, project manager may still have a role under the right conditions. In this segment, I share my perspective on this.
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http://barcvox.com/2022/01/29/in-defence-of-project-managers/
Agile? Say No to Project Managers
Is your organisation still considering staffing Agile projects with project managers? You're likely setting yourself up for failure. In this segment, I share my perspective on this.
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http://barcvox.com/2021/12/05/agile-say-no-to-project-managers/
Transition from Waterfall to Agile
Is your organisation considering transitioning from Waterfall to an Agile software development framework? In this segment, I share my perspective on this.
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Ref: http://barcvox.com/2021/11/26/transitioning-from-waterfall-to-agile/
Agile Doesn’t Use Critical Path
In this abbreviated segment I share a story of a consultancy aptly reminds us that Agile does not use critical pathing. But this consultancy also has a dirty little secret.
Join me for a short story about a Wagile experience I recently encountered. Follow along on my blog at Barcvox.com, where you can read this and related topics.
http://barcvox.com/2021/10/24/agile-doesnt-use-critical-path/
Dashboards. Reports. Abuse.
Dashboards can be an extremely effective device to monitor progress of performance, but poor design considerations limit realised value. In the segment I share my perspectives on dashboards, reports, and an analytics maturity framework.
Follow along on BarcVox.com, where you can find this transcript as well as related content.
Ref: http://barcvox.com/2021/09/23/dashboards-and-reporting/
Agile Short: Customer Satisfaction
In this 12-part series, I share my perspective on each of Agile's 12 underlying principles in these abbreviated segments.
Follow along on BarcVox.com, where you can find related content. http://barcvox.com/2021/07/29/agile-short-customer-satisfaction/
Agile is not a project management framework
Discover why Agile is not a viable project management approach and why you should not consider adopting it as such. This is the topic of this segment. Follow along on BarcVox.com, where you can find related content.
Ref: http://barcvox.com/2021/07/18/agile-is-not-a-project-management-framework/
User Inexperience
Bad user design is a blight on productivity, and yet it often goes unchecked, or the performance drag goes unnoticed. I share my thoughts, including two of the worse offenders, HireRight and Epic software.
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Ref: http://barcvox.com/2021/05/25/user-inexperience/
Employment Recruiters
Employment recruiters come in all colours and stripes. I share my experiences and perspectives on some recruiters I've encountered as well as my thoughts on HireRight, the background-checking service. What experiences can you share?
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Ref: http://barcvox.com/2021/05/24/employment-recruiters/
Innovation Station
Does your organisation innovate? In this abbreviated segment I share my perspective on organisational innovation—from true innovation, which may not be as desirable as you might first assume to Luddites, who refuse to innovate, and in between, which is where you should probably be.
Follow along at BarcVox.com, where you can find content on related topics. Come join me.
Ref: http://barcvox.com/2021/05/24/innovation-station/
Minimum Viable Products: to MVP or not MVP?
Minimum Viable Product is the Agile way to deliver product, but not everybody agrees, and one size does not necessarily fit all.
In this segment, I respond to the detractors. Come join me, and let me know how you feel and what you think. Shakespeare would be proud.
As always, follow along on BarcVox, where you can also find related content.
Ref: http://barcvox.com/2021/05/20/mvp-or-not-mvp/
Minimum. Viable. Product.
What makes a Minimum Viable Product minimally viable?
In this abbreviated segment I share my perspective on MVPs and how they differ from POCs.
Come follow along on BarcVox.com, where you can find my perspective on related content.
Ref: http://barcvox.com/2021/05/19/minimum-viable-product/
Change. Complex.
Change management is difficult, and the difficulty increases proportionally with scale and complexity. In the segment I share my perspective on this in regard to the Lippitt-Knoster Model. Come listen. You'll be glad you did.
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http://barcvox.com/2021/05/15/complex-change/
Outcomes. Output.
Is your organisation focused on measuring outcomes or output? Don't ignore output, but the priority should be measurable outcomes. In this segment, I share my perspective on this.
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http://barcvox.com/2021/05/14/outcomes-output/
Agile. Scale.
Agile is not scalable. Full stop. In this segment I illustrate this by referencing group intercommunication and organisational design theories.
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Ref: http://barcvox.com/2021/05/07/agile-scale/
Smart. User. Story.
Agile user stories may be improved by following the INVEST method. SMART goals become objectives.
In this segment I review INVEST and SMART.
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Ref: http://barcvox.com/2021/05/06/smart-user-story/
Thinking. System Thinking.
Business and organisation transformation requires system thinking, yet this approach seems to fall short in execution.
In the segment I share my perspective and experience as well as metaphors involving bikes, something I haven't ridden since I was 10, so let's take this path together.
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Ref: http://barcvox.com/2021/04/28/thinking-system-thinking/
Personal: Value
In this segment, I share an experience with the sunk cost fallacy. A also share a story about personal worth and wage premiums.
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Ref: http://barcvox.com/2021/04/27/personal-value/