Tuckman was wrong by Doc Norton at #AgileIndia2019

@DocOnDev :: #AgileIndia2019
Tuckman Was Wrong!

Doc Norton

Stable Teams

Stable Teams
– Scrum PLoP Stable Teams Pattern
“Keep teams stable and avoid shufﬂing people
around between teams. Stable teams tend to get
to know their capacity, which makes it possible for
the business to have some predictability.”

Why Stable Teams?

Because Tuckman’s
Forming Storming Norming Performing

Performance
Time
Because Tuckman’s
Forming Storming Norming Performing

Performance
Time
Because Tuckman’s
Forming
Storming
Norming
Performing

Performance
Forming
Storming
Norming
Performing
Because Tuckman’s
Have you Experienced this?

Performance
Forming
Storming
Norming
Performing
Because Tuckman’s
- OR -
Have you Experienced this?

Performance
Time
Forming
Storming
Norming
Performing
Tuckman’s?

Performance
Time
Forming
Storming
Tuckman’s?

Performance
Time
Forming
Storming
Norming
Performing
Storming
Norming
Storming
Norming
Norming
Storming
Tuckman’s?

Performance
Time
Forming
Storming
Norming Performing
Storming
Norming
Storming
Norming
Norming
Storming
?
Tuckman’s?

ActivityOccurrence
Time
Forming
Performing
Storming
Norming
Tuckman’s (For real)

The problem wasn’t
Because Tuckman’s

BUT 
Stable teams did make
things better.

So, if the problem wasn’t 
Because Tuckman’s?

So, if the problem 
wasn’t 
Because Tuckman’s?
What Was It?

What if the problem was 
Because Resources?

Because Resources

Tasks of 8 hours each
8 hours 16 hours 24 hours 32 hours
Start All at Once
Because Resources

Start All at Once
8 hours 16 hours 24 hours 32 hours 40 hours 48 hours8 hours 16 hours 24 hours 32 hours
Because Resources

8 hours 16 hours 24 hours 32 hours
Finish One at a Time
Start All at Once
8 hours 16 hours 24 hours 32 hours 40 hours 48 hours
Because Resources

8Hoursofworkcompletedin…
0
3.5
7
10.5
14
Active Project Count
1 2 3 4 5
8
9.6
10.88
12.19
13.62
Because Resources
8 hours 16 hours 24 hours 32 hours 40 hours 48 hours

TaskTime
Allocation
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Because Resources

Because Resources
0
40
80
120
160
Allocation
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
1
# of Projects

Because Resources
0
40
80
120
160
Allocation
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
1
2
# of Projects

0
40
80
120
160
Allocation
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
1
2
3
Because Resources
# of Projects

0
40
80
120
160
Allocation
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
1
2
3
4
Because Resources
# of Projects

0
40
80
120
160
Allocation
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
1
2
3
4
5
Because Resources
# of Projects

Stable Teams 
Solved 
Because Resources

But…

And Then…

“…different areas of code are going to need
different skill-sets at different times, and for that
reason we need [people] to go and work on
those particular areas at different times… None
of this is basically static. It’s very fluid. And if you
have the ability to reteam, then you are able to go
do this sort of thing consistently.”
– Michael Feathers

“… None of this is basically static. It’s
very fluid. And if you have the ability
to reteam, then you are able to go
do this sort of thing consistently.”
– Michael Feathers

reteam starters

Connection
Diversity
Excellence
Autonomy
Four Factors
lead to better team
performance and
c o l l e c t i v e
satisfaction…
reteam starters

reteam examples

reteam
examples
Cabals at Valve

reteam
examples
“Spotify Model”

reteam patterns

reteam
patterns
Socialization

reteam
patterns
Mitosis

reteam
patterns
Volunteer Fire
Department

reteam
patterns
Trading Places

“Reteaming is
inevitable. You
might as well
get good at
it.”
- Nayan Hajratwala

Tuckman Was Wrong!
Thank You!

Tuckman was wrong by Doc Norton at #AgileIndia2019

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Tuckman was wrong by Doc Norton at #AgileIndia2019