Yes And Architecture

Abstract

"Yes, and..." Architecture: Embracing Fluidity in Architectural Design

Abstract:

In the realm of improvisational theater, "Yes, and..." is a foundational technique where participants accept and expand upon their partner's ideas, cultivating a shared creativity. This talk explores the transformative potential of applying the "Yes, and..." philosophy to architectural design in the technology sphere. Solution and enterprise architects are often faced with rapidly changing requirements, diverse stakeholder perspectives, and emerging technologies. Embracing a "Yes, and..." approach can foster a more collaborative, adaptive, and innovative architectural practice.

Agenda:

1. Introduction to "Yes, and...": Delving into its origins in improv theater and its core principles.
2. Relevance to Architectural Design: How this mindset complements agile methodologies and promotes the co-creation of flexible and resilient architectures.
3. Case Studies: Real-world scenarios where "Yes, and..." proved instrumental in navigating complex architectural challenges.
4. Breakout Activity: Attendees will be grouped and presented with a common architectural challenge. Each group will be given a business line and technology solution description, and two different disruptor events which will require the evolution of their architecture. They will discuss how to respond to each disruptor, noting the major themes in their notes.
5. Group Feedback: Representatives from each group will share their collaborative solutions, demonstrating the potency and versatility of the "Yes, and..." approach.
6. Concluding Remarks: How architects can integrate this mindset into their daily practices and foster a culture of collective innovation.

By the end of this talk, participants will gain insights into how the "Yes, and..." philosophy can revolutionize architectural practice, turning challenges into opportunities for innovation.

Notes

• "Yes, And": This is often considered the cardinal rule of improv. It means that when one improviser introduces an idea or statement in a scene, the other improvisers should accept it ("Yes") and then build upon it ("And"). This keeps the scene moving forward and encourages collaboration.
• Active Listening: Improvisers must pay close attention to what their scene partners are saying and doing. Active listening helps them react in the moment and incorporate new information into the scene.
• Agreement: In addition to saying "Yes, And," improvisers should generally agree with the reality established by their scene partners. Disagreements can create conflict, but they should be used sparingly and purposefully.
• Avoid Blocking: Blocking occurs when one improviser actively denies or negates what another has said or done in a scene. This can be counterproductive and disrupt the flow of the performance.
• Support and Focus: The ensemble must work together to support each other and maintain the focus of the scene. This means avoiding "upstaging" (pulling attention away from a scene partner) and staying present in the moment.
• "Yes, and...", also referred to as "Yes, and..." thinking, is a rule-of-thumb in improvisational comedy that suggests that an improviser should accept what another improviser has stated ("yes") and then expand on that line of thinking ("and").[1|1][2|2][3|3] The improvisers' characters may still disagree.[1|1] It is also used in business and other organizations as a principle that improves the effectiveness of the brainstorming process, fosters effective communication, and encourages the free sharing of ideas.[4|4]
• The "Yes" portion of the rule encourages the acceptance of the contributions added by others. Participants in an improvisation are encouraged to agree to proposition, fostering a sense of cooperation[2|2] rather than shutting down the suggestion and effectively ending the line of communication.
• In an organizational setting, saying "Yes" in theory encourages people to listen and be receptive to the ideas of others. Rather than immediately judging the idea, as judgment has its place later on in the development process, one should initially accept the idea, which enables the discussion to expand on the idea without limitations.
• In psychology, 'yes, and' encourages 'divergent thinking'

Summary: Using imagination

Also called: Creative Thinking or Horizontal Thinking

Wikipedia Excerpt & Overview

‘Divergent thinking is a thought process or method used to generate creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions. It is often used in conjunction with its cognitive colleague, convergent thinking, which follows a particular set of logical steps to arrive at one solution, which in some cases is a ‘correct’ solution. By contrast, divergent thinking typically occurs in a spontaneous, free-flowing, ‘

By contrast, divergent thinking typically occurs in a spontaneous, free-flowing, ‘non-linear’ manner, such that many ideas are generated in an emergent cognitive fashion. Many possible solutions are explored in a short amount of time, and unexpected connections are drawn. After the process of divergent thinking has been completed, ideas and information are organized and structured using convergent thinking.’

• Example of yes and:

If I come in as the grumpy postman who thinks this job is the worst, you may “yes, and…” me by coming in as a chipper newbie who is enthralled by this job. Alternatively, you might come in as a similarly bedraggled postman and we may spend the scene complaining to each other about the state of the postal service and the horrendous state of the world at large. As long as the logic behind your character is principally based on my offer of a grumpy postman then you can have your own creative freedom to add and build upon whatever excites you.

• Example of yes and disagree:

Say someone comes to me and says they want to fly to the moon/I could easily list to that person the many reasons that that is impossible. I could tell them that they don’t have the training, the time, the career path,the funding and much more. Alternatively, I could build from what they do have,and explore what’s possible. We could discuss their drive and their ambition. I could help them look for qualifications that might help them on their way.  This way, I am building WITH them rather than simply smashing down the dreams they currently held. This is “Yes, and…”

• Avoid critical analysis upfront as it has the tendency to stifle innovation, rather focus on exploration and understanding first
• “It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer.” - Albert Einstein

Case Studies

Example of it working:

Example of it not working:

• I worked on a services team years back with a buddy of mine. We were responsible for delivering a brand new product along with a couple of other teams and obviously we owned the services portion
• One day, the point of sale development manager pulled us informing us of

Questions

References

Yes And Architecture Presentation

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What's important in software architecture?

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No, but

Notes:

• Interrupts the flow of a scene, and of ideas, it closes down communication and pre-empts opportunity for discovery

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Me

• Architecture
• Development
• Team Dynamics
• Dungeons and Dragons

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"Yes, And"

Notes:

• This is often considered the cardinal rule of improv. It means that when one improviser introduces an idea or statement in a scene, the other improvisers should accept it ("Yes") and then build upon it ("And"). This keeps the scene moving forward and encourages collaboration.

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• Rogue: I will infiltrate the Beholder’s lair.
• Sorcerer: Yes, and it’s gonna be tough. I’ll cast Invisibility on you.
• Ranger: Yes, and you don’t have darkvision, so I’ll go with you as your wingman.
• Wizard: Yes, and I’ll give us all telepathy so we can silently coordinate the infiltration.

Notes:

• Add more information to the scene

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Let's try again....

What's important in software architecture?

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Agreement

Notes:

• In addition to saying "Yes, And," improvisers should generally agree with the reality established by their scene partners. Disagreements can create conflict, but they should be used sparingly and purposefully.

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Agreement != Acceptance

Notes:

• You always can accept a gift and not agree it's a good gift.

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“It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer.” - Albert Einstein

Notes:

• It's OK to disagree, hold onto it, hear your partner out.
• Accept it 'as if it were true'

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"I'm so glad you brought that up"

Notes:

• disagreement to 'yes and'

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How might you 'yes, and' a conversation with your friend who wants to fly to the moon?

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'Yes, and' isn't just the conversation but also the architecture

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Questions

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#1
Can you share instances where "yes, and" thinking in software architecture led to the discovery of novel solutions or optimizations that might not have been considered otherwise?

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2

How can we strike a balance between adhering to architectural principles and being open to "yes, and" improvisations to ensure software systems remain adaptable in a changing technological landscape?

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Additional:

1. How can the "yes, and" approach in improv help software architects embrace unexpected requirements and changes during a project's lifecycle?
2. In what ways can we encourage software development teams to adopt a "yes, and" mindset when discussing and refining architectural decisions?
3. What are some examples of successful software projects where the "yes, and" philosophy was applied to evolve the architecture to meet evolving business needs?
4. How might incorporating diverse perspectives and ideas, akin to "yes, and," lead to more resilient and adaptable software architectures?