Transformation Economy

The book The Experience Economy: Work Is Theatre & Every Business a Stage, by B. Joseph Pine II & James H. Gilmore, identifies these economic layers:

• Commodities grow wheat cheaply and broker it from a common pool
• Goods bake the wheat into a loaf of bread and brand it
• Services sell an assortment of breads in a supermarket
• Experiences serve the bread for free in a dinner theatre
• Transformations serve free bread in a monastery where a guru transforms you.

The profession of AgileCoach? works at the 5th level of the economy. A coach transforms a team from whatever to Agile (and therefor "good") software practices.

Each layer of the economy charges 10 times more than the next lower layer, and gives the layer below that away for free. 5c worth of wheat, in a bread roll in a deli (a service) is 50c. In a restaurant (an experience) it is free. The restaurant charges extra for the meals and big premiums for the luxury items, like deserts.

A transformation consists of a series of experiences. Coaches charge for each experience, and essentially give the services away for free. Items like e-mail support, FitNesse, and PairProgramming with the newbies are free because the 100x markup to the transformation level is so lucrative. Charging per line item inhibits the flexible spontaneity that ensures success.

The transforming experiences are:

• ReadinessAssessment? - before the coach arrives, the team must run a checklist, and accomplish every detail they can do without a coach. This ensures when the coach arrives she or he wastes not time futzing with details that don't need a coach's attention. The team will build a CommonWorkspace with PairStations?, for example.
• CommitmentSchedule - the coach arrives and sets team goals, such as TestDrivenManagement? goals, BurnDownCharts?, metrics, etc. Then the coach leads the team through the new Agile working cycle. The coach prevents the common mistakes and answers the frequently asked questions. The coach identifies the differences between Agile behavior and CargoCult behavior. These experiences transform the team to achieve the goals.
• Followup - the coach monitors the team remotely, via proxies, liaisons, and occasional SeagullConsultant sessions. This ensures the short term goals remain engaged, without backsliding.

This model explains the success of ExtremeProgramming itself. It is a software lifecycle with both the verbiage and internal qualities that lead to rapid and lucrative team transformations.

-- PhlIp

And note that the DisneyLand? model - advertising the Experience to your kids, then making you pay extra for all the Goods - is incredibly UserHostile.