Where are we?!

Scrum is all about timely responding to what the “unknown” reveals to us. Scrum acknowledges that Product Development is unpredictable. Optimize value through frequently reviewing outcomes and adapting to learnings. 

This is the Cynefin framework by Dave Snowden.

Cynefin is a Welsh word for habitat. We’ll apply this model to our work environment and market. This model can also be used to categorize objectives. Objectives might be clear and straightforward to achieve, while others require chaotic firefighting.  

Imagine what it takes to navigate a complex, ever-changing environment. What would you do, knowing conditions have changed? 

In complex environments, problems are adaptive. The one minute you think you figured it out, the next, the situation’s nature has changed. Isn’t that just …. Ugh.

“But, said Alice, if the world has absolutely no sense, who's stopping us from inventing one?” - Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll

Thriving in complex environments requires ingenuity and resourcefulness. Solving a complex adaptive problem requires creative solutions, which in turn demands an environment that kindles creativity.

1 minute: In turn, assign each traveler a Cynefin domain.

1. Clear

2. Complicated

3. Complex

4. Chaotic

5. Confused

5 minutes: Pair up with someone who is assigned a different domain. Discuss the differences between them. (Repeat this step if you can enjoy more time for this activity. Participants now choose a different domain and switch with a partner of a domain they have not yet discussed):

5-10 minutes: As a whole group, map in which domain travelers consider themselves to be and briefly discuss why.  

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