Busting Assumptions
The video linked in this post is one I show when talking about the need to question assumptions while working to integrate Agile principles and practices into an organization. It was taken with the dash camera in my car. The drama seems to make it easier for people to see the different points of view and associated assumptions in play. (The video at the link is a lower resolution, adapted for the web, but it still shows most of what I wish to point out.)
First off, no one was injured in this event beyond a few sets of rattled nerves, including mine. Even though this happened fast, there were signals that immediately preceded the event which suggested something strange was about to happen. The key moment is replayed at the end of the video at 1/4 speed for a second chance to notice what happened.
The truck ahead of me was slowing down. Unusual behavior when the expectation is that traffic would be flowing.
The driver in the truck was signaling that they intended to move to the left, either to switch lanes or turn left.
This activity was happening as we approached an intersection.
Something didn't seem right to me so I had started to slow down. That's why it looks like the driver of the Jeep appears to be speeding up.
So what are some of the assumptions that were probably in play?
An important piece of information is that the road in the video is a two lane one way street. The driver of the Jeep clearly understood this and assumed everyone else on the road would be following the rules of the road. The driver of the truck appears to be assuming he is driving on a two lane two way street and so prepared to turn left onto a side street. His signaling and subsequent behavior suggest this. So the driver of the truck was assuming everyone else on the road was operating under this incorrect understanding. So when he began his left hand turn he wasn't expecting the need to check the left hand lane for cars coming up from behind him. One second difference, literally, in the timing and this could have ended badly for several people.
Assumptions are unconscious and everyone has them. By design they never represent the full picture. Yet we almost always act as if they do and, more importantly, that they are shared by everyone around us. Events like those in the video clearly demonstrate that is not the case. If it was, there would be far fewer road accidents.
Organizations that are seeking to implement Agile principles and practices are guaranteed to be operating under a mountain of assumptions for how work can or "should" be done. They're easy to spot based on how strongly people react when someone fails to follow the rules. It's important to examine these assumptions so they can be either validated, updated, or retired. If we don't do the work to identify and understand the assumptions driving our work processes we will usually be made aware of them when some crisis occurs. Where's the fun in that?
Photo by Jaroslav Devia on Unsplash