Document the shadowing process

[mgifford]

The shadow program described here looks great https://fearless.tech/blog/2022/08/22/ditap-shadowing

With ChatGPT here's a possible description of what a shadow program could look like.

Guide: Shadowing an Agile Digital Services Team as a Government Procurement Officer

Purpose:
Shadowing an agile digital services team helps procurement officers understand the team’s workflow, challenges, and needs, ultimately improving acquisition strategies and fostering collaboration. This guide outlines a step-by-step process for a government procurement officer to effectively shadow an agile team.

Step 1: Preparation

Before shadowing, ensure you’re equipped with the necessary context and goals.
1. Understand Agile Basics
• Familiarize yourself with agile methodologies such as Scrum, Kanban, and SAFe.
• Key terms to know: sprints, product backlog, user stories, stand-ups, and retrospectives.
2. Define Your Objectives
• Gain insights into how digital teams work and identify procurement bottlenecks.
• Understand how agile practices impact contracts, deliverables, and timelines.
3. Coordinate with the Team
• Meet with the digital team’s leadership (e.g., Product Owner or Scrum Master) to align expectations.
• Clarify your role as an observer to minimize disruption.
4. Review Existing Documentation
• Read project charters, contracts, and procurement requirements relevant to the team’s work.
• Understand key deliverables and milestones.

Step 2: Initial Observation

Embed yourself with the team for an initial period to observe their routines and processes.
1. Attend Agile Ceremonies
• Participate as an observer in stand-ups, sprint planning, and retrospectives.
• Focus on how the team prioritizes tasks, handles blockers, and adapts to changes.
2. Shadow Team Members
• Spend time with developers, designers, and product owners to understand their roles and workflows.
• Observe how they document and communicate requirements.
3. Analyze Collaboration Tools
• Familiarize yourself with the team’s tools (e.g., Jira, Trello, GitHub, Miro).
• Note how user stories and tasks evolve through the pipeline.
4. Take Detailed Notes
• Document observations about team dynamics, workflows, and any inefficiencies linked to procurement processes.

Step 3: Active Engagement

Once you’ve built rapport and understand the workflow, engage more actively.
1. Ask Questions
• How do they handle changing requirements?
• What procurement constraints impact their work?
• What metrics do they use to measure progress and success?
2. Discuss Procurement Challenges
• Talk to the team about how procurement impacts their ability to work iteratively.
• Identify areas where flexibility in contracts might improve outcomes.
3. Learn Pain Points
• Explore issues like vendor lock-in, delayed approvals, or rigid deliverables that disrupt agile workflows.
• Understand their feedback on current procurement practices.
4. Identify Areas for Improvement
• Collaboratively brainstorm solutions that align procurement processes with agile workflows.

Step 4: Reflection and Reporting

After the shadowing period, document your findings and plan next steps.
1. Synthesize Observations
• Summarize insights about the team’s workflow and how procurement can better support their efforts.
• Identify recurring themes, such as the need for modular contracting or faster approval cycles.
2. Draft Recommendations
• Propose actionable changes to procurement processes, such as performance-based contracting or iterative payment structures.
• Highlight opportunities for collaboration between procurement officers and agile teams.
3. Present Findings
• Share your report with leadership and the digital team.
• Suggest pilot programs to test new procurement strategies in agile environments.
4. Implement Lessons Learned
• Adjust your approach to writing RFPs, evaluating vendor proposals, and managing contracts based on shadowing insights.
• Stay engaged with digital teams for ongoing collaboration.

Key Principles for Shadowing Success
• Be a Silent Observer First: Focus on understanding, not influencing, in the initial stages.
• Foster Trust: Build rapport with team members to ensure honest feedback.
• Stay Agile Yourself: Adapt your shadowing process based on team dynamics and project needs.
• Promote Collaboration: Encourage dialogue between procurement and technical teams to bridge knowledge gaps.

Shadowing an agile digital services team provides invaluable insights into how procurement can evolve to meet the needs of modern, user-focused government projects. By embedding yourself in their workflow, you’ll be better positioned to write contracts, evaluate vendors, and manage projects that align with agile principles.