Fluid Scaling Technology and Open Space

Open Space conferences inspire Fluid Scaling Technology (FaST), a software development approach that encourages self-organization, promotes best practices, and eliminates knowledge silos.

Ever attended an Open Space conference?  

They’re a personal favorite. While traditional “tracked” conferences offer value, I often find myself skipping sections that don’t pique my interest.

Contrastingly, Open Space conferences, like Open Agile Northwest  , allow attendees to self-organize the daily session schedule. This process takes about 30 minutes each morning, a stark contrast to the months-long preparation for tracked conferences.

Why does this work?  

It’s all about the Four Principles and the Law of Personal Mobility. These guidelines encourage attendees to participate where they can learn or contribute most, fostering a sense of shared responsibility and pride.

The Four Principles:  

• Whoever comes are the right people
• Whatever happens is the only thing that could happen
• When it starts it’s the right time to start
• When it’s over it’s the right time to end.

The Law of Personal Mobility:  

If you find yourself in a situation where you are neither learning nor contributing, move to somewhere where you can.

Could this approach work for software development?  

Absolutely!

Fluid Scaling Technology  (FaST) applies a similar concept. It uses a modified Open Space marketplace, allowing the collective to select and steward work through each value cycle.

Just like in an Open Space conference, team members in FaST choose where they can be most effective. This self-selection enhances the collective’s ability to address work rapidly, promotes best practices, and eliminates knowledge silos. There is no scatter-gather effect  , as the teams practice collaborative programming. Throughput speed increases as there are no silos to gate important work. FaST creates the right teams with the right people at the right time to make sure the best software is created.

Interested in trying this?  

Start by downloading and reading the FaST Guide  . Then, feel free to message me or schedule a chat  . I’ve helped implement FaST at several companies and would love to help you experience its benefits.