program selection system

Software development is performed by groups of individuals. When individuals become a members of a group, behavior changes. The group becomes focal and the individuals become background. The group behaves as a system and exhibits system-level behavior. Groups as a system exhibit primitive emotional behaviors that can derail the group from its stated primary task.

Group relations theory says that a group behaves as a system—and that the primary task of the group is survival. Although this primary task is frequently masked, survival as a group becomes the primary preoccupation— and latent motivating force— for all group members.

Understanding the undercurrent of group-level emotional behaviors manifested by all groups is important to effective Agile practice because these behaviors are a source of tremendous quantities of waste. Agile team members who understand group relations theory can more quickly pool their rational thinking, combine their skills, solve problems, and perform complex decision-making. Group relations theory helps explain the astonishing success of Scrum’s simple ground rules.

Under group relations theory, the group has a dual identity. The first identity is the work group, who are assembled to execute on the stated task. The second identity, the basic-assumption group, exhibits and manifests the latent aspect of group life. The combined wishes, fears, defenses, impulses and projections of the individuals in the group constitute the goals and objectives of the basic-assumption group.

A tension exists between the work group and the basic-assumption group. The behavior of the basic-assumption group has the potential to generate tremendous amounts of waste, while the behavior of the work group is capable of very high productivity. Basic-assumption behaviors can be minimized through the rigorous enforcement of simple ground rules and associated group norms. This is precisely how Agile methods like Scrum actually work.

Software development occurs in groups. Group relations theory helps explain the group-level sources of waste in software development. Attend this session to participate in a deep-dive into the application of group relations theory in your Agile practices.