Collaborate. Innovate. Accelerate.

Creating successful software requires a new model of development and a new kind of development team

In recent decades, software development has gone through an industrialization process. Just like the introduction of the assembly line and other mass production techniques transformed manufacturing in the first half of the 20th century, the introduction of software engineering practices and increasingly sophisticated tools has transformed the way we build software. The software factory has become a common term, as has the

thinking that we can build software the same way we build cars. The idea behind the software factory as originally defined was that process dominates, and that people were somewhat dispensable. Once we had the right process and methodology, anyone with appropriate training could do the job. This mentality permeated the IT services industry in India for the past 20

years. There was steady availability of skilled technical manpower, low prices and English fluency. Not surprisingly, a great amount of repetitive process work and programming jobs migrated from companies with developed economies to India.

By its very nature, the factory approach doesnt allow you the creative collaboration thats essential to building innovative products.
That model no longer works as it once did. The archaic model of outsourcing based on cost arbitrage and the interaction based on heavy specifications and processes crushed the motivation of IT professionals, along with their ability to innovate and uniquely solve problems. This becomes a bigger problem when one considers that problem-solving through innovation is ultimately the greatest benefit technology can offer. Meanwhile, just a few decades after its birth, software is transforming every

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industry, quickly and often disruptively, creating new possibilities and a new competitive environment in each sector. What is happening in the entertainment, mobile, gaming and retail industries is just a taste of the transformation that lies ahead. This transformation, and the growing investment across industries, is putting more pressure on the ecosystem of service providers to be agile and innovative experts. This introduces opportunities for new players and different models of value creation through technology. A completely new era is emerging ahead and new rules are about to transform our whole industry again. The software factory is no longer good enough. By its very nature, the factory approach doesnt allow you the creative collaboration thats essential to building innovative products. That kind of outcome requires a high-performance team that exhibits what Forrester Research, Inc. calls a partner player

mentality. Certain unique attributes define that kind of partner:

Principles of Lean Development Add Value

1. Eliminate Waste
Dont write unnecessary code or functions or add useless bureaucracy; employ the retrospective period to identify waste and figure out how to avoid it. Planning is necessary and a good practice, but trying to anticipate details and decisions far ahead of the real need may give a false feeling of certainty to things that will change for sure transforming the plan and the decisions into pure waste. cycle at the start of every project, whether its developing a new design or defining a repetitive work process.

TALENT.
Although you might not have the opportunity to examine the abilities of an IT providers junior staff, you can often judge by the talent of the team leaders. As John Halamka M.D., CIO of Harvard Medical School, says: My experience is that A players hire A players and B players hire C players. This means that highly competent people surround themselves with skilled people because they do not feel intimidated by having subordinates or colleagues who are smarter, more talented, or more successful. An organization that can provide true partner players is able to do so because it knows how to keep the most talented people working there. Managers understand what motivates top talent. It doesnt just recruit A players; it retains A players. A players want to keep working there because theyre challenged, theyre motivated, theyre

4. Deliver Fast, and Iterate

Dont let things get bogged down. An agile team picks up the slack to fill in when someone else is stuck on a function or process. Break a project in many small iterations do not try to anticipate everything: deliver quickly, learn with the users response, then incorporate the feedback immediately.

2. Build-in Quality
Dont count on finding bugs later: Avoid introducing them in the first place. Incorporate test-driven development, use constant feedback.

3. Stress Continuous Improvement

Implement the PDCA Cycle: Plan > Do > Check > Act. Its a cycle a circular, never-ending process, meant to be repeated over and over. Implement the

5. Optimize the Whole Value Stream

Enlist a multi-disciplined, multi-talented team also known as a highperformance team.

1 Case Study: Ci&T High Performance, Brazilian Style, Forrester Research, Inc., March 7, 2011

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given opportunities to improve, and theyre allowed to explore things theyre interested in. The camaraderie of other dedicated professionals is also a cherished perk for talented individuals.

This is learned through trial and error, through iteration after iteration, through practice. In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell discusses the 10,000-Hour Rule, the idea that being successful and exceptional at something requires practicing a task for at least that number of hours. But beyond just reaching that magic number, it is having the passion,

COMMITMENT TO MASTERY.
Like a master carpenter, a highperformance developer has learned what works and what wont, what tools to use, and where efficiencies can be gained.

the desire to practice and perfect a task. This is achieved by starting early and learning quickly. A great example that Gladwell cites is The Beatles playing in Hamburg clubs nearly every night for four years before ever releasing an album. Devotion to their craft was a key element in their success.

High-performance groups emerge when people have the courage to make commitments to co-create a new and different future, Steve Denning
Its the same with software. Mastery is fostered in an environment where developers have had the opportunity to practice and experiment, where theyre questioned and challenged and encouraged to look for their mistakes. A team that embraces Lean methodologies is likely to have attained this level of competency because of Leans use of constant feedback and emphasis on continuous improvement. Software developers thrive in a culture where they are not coddled but are

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pushed to continually advance their skills, where theyre expected to think and analyze. In an atmosphere where everyone rejects good enough, where everyone takes pride in what they can do, developers are driven toward excellence.

emerge when people have the courage to make commitments to co-create a new and different future, Denning says.

Where Would the World Be Without High-Performance Teamwork?

High-performing teams have played an integral role in the history and development of the human race. Prehistoric tribes structured hunting parties according to the skills and talents of the group; the smallest and weakest helped to lure or flush-out game, while the strongest wielded the clubs and spears. The pyramids of Egypt and Central America were the result of high-performance teamwork. The 300 Spartans were able to hold off the million-strong Persian army by adroitly applying the planning, communication, and rapid-response techniques of highperforming teams. Perhaps one of historys greatest examples is the original Royal Society of London, which in the 1660s included such teammates as Isaac Newton and Gottfried Liebniz and perfectly exemplifies some of the characteristics of such an organization: The level of trust (truth, respect, understanding, support, and accountability) and shared vision (the goal to advance science) the members of the Society achieved places them in my high-performance team hall of fame, says Donald J. Bodwell, who writes about team concepts and coaching for PT Consulting Partners, in Dallas. More modern examples would include Ernest Shackletons South Pole team, the Amazon explorations of Brazils Cndido Rondon, the Manhattan Project, and the NASA crew that averted disaster during the Apollo 13 mission to the Moon. So long as human beings remain the essential element of commerce, highperformance teams will represent mans best hope for developing accurate, swift, and agile organizations, Bodwell says.

ATTITUDE.
A high-performance team member is proactive and collaborative; willing to do whatever it takes for the group to succeed. He or she is always thinking about a better way to do the work, to be more effective, to trim time from the schedule, and to generously assist colleagues whenever necessary. He or she also loves the work. This results not just in happy employees but happy clients.

AUTONOMY.
A talented, trusted team needs the autonomy, the freedom, to make decisions. Ownership of solutions cannot be limited to an individual or the few people at the top of the hierarchy. A group becomes fully engaged when every member becomes an owner with a sense of shared responsibility and accountability for the accomplishment of the mission of the group, says Steve Denning, author of The Leaders Guide to Radical Management: Reinventing the Workplace for the 21st Century and former director of knowledge management at the World Bank. High-performance groups

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Members of high-performance groups are not only more productive: they also report on finding the work deeply satisfying and meaningful, Denning says. One recent study found that fewer than 10% of people enjoy their job. While that might be an overstatement, there is no doubt that finding a team with an attitude of positivity is not easy in many

companies. Finding one that embodies an affirmative, take-action spirit is a strong predictor of a collaborative experience.

to learn new things. A partner guided by the principles of Lean IT is focused on adding value for the client. For example, one of the first rules of Lean is to eliminate waste. As early proponent of

LEAN AND INNOVATIVE FRAME OF MIND.

A Lean-thinking teammate exhibits a problem-solving mentality, a tendency to bring up problems rather than sweep them under the desk, and a natural drive

So long as human beings remain the essential element of commerce, high-performance teams will represent mans best hope for developing accurate, swift, and agile organizations. Donald J. Bodwell
Lean IT Mary Poppendieck points out, waste can include things like unnecessary code or functions, or bureaucracy, or defects all things that can delay a project and affect the customer. One of the most important benefits of Lean thinking is a tendency to yield innovative processes, products, and services. Lean brings structure and predictability to innovation, and sharpens the distinction between idea generation and

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the development process, according to a report from the Wharton School of Business. Both share a common goal: to meet customer needs in a cost-effective manner. And Lean can help empower researchers and reduce uncertainty in the innovation process itself. Wharton professor Kartik Hosanagar cites Pixar as a company that has combined Lean and innovation to good effect. Pixar has created a set of processes that emphasizes team-based collaboration and continuous feedback loops to help overcome creative blocks and track deliverables, but without the stress that could go with a regime of control, he says. One thing the filmmaking company does is conduct daily meetings where team members discuss what is going well and not so well. In a creative world you often hit roadblocks, and team-based collaboration is critical, Hosanagar says. People might discuss work that is clearly in an incomplete stage; they dont have to feel embarrassed. The point is to take the feedback, the knowledge sharing, and the

14 Principles for a High-Performance Team

To nurture a culture of tireless identication and elimination of waste. To face the brutal facts bravely and bring problems to the surface. To apply adaptive planning in order to see the whole and to respond to changes promptly. Ci&T has developed a canon of cultural principles that have helped the company hire and motivate talented, engaged team players.

8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

People

Purpose
To change the world by redening the value generated by information technology for clients and for society. To forge a new generation of professionals stimulated by the sense of challenge and provided with the ability to innovate and execute. To perform a leading role in the knowledge industry, inspiring entrepreneurship from even the most remote part of the globe.

1. 2. 3.

4. 5. 6. 7.

To respect people by believing they can develop themselves to the full extent of their potential. To develop leaders who deeply understand the work and who are living examples of Ci&Ts culture and values. To develop long-lasting relationships with clients and partners, based on common values and value generation.

Power to the edge

To make decisions the closest possible to the edge of the execution. To organize high-performance teams distinguished by selfmanagement, agility, innovation, and ability to execute. To learn and adapt quickly to increase the capacity to overcome challenges. To nurture a problem-solving culture based on data analysis, facts confrontation, and a team-based approach to finding solutions.

Process
To rely on discipline and standardization in the pursuit of continual improvement and consistent results.

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lessons learned from other projects and keep things moving forward.

VISION AND SHARED PURPOSE.

And finally, the characteristics of highperformance teams that truly tie these items all together: a sense of communal goals and a greater, shared, purpose. Accountability toward the mission is essential, along with a joyful willingness to commit to that mission because when there is also that greater purpose to work towards, a previously unimagined level of potential is suddenly available.

Nearshore, value-driven custom web and mobile application development, software product engineering, business intelligence, and SAP services to clients around the world. Established in 1995, Ci&T has quickly matured from an outsourcing service provider to a partner player by adopting a creative culture based on the principles of highperformance teams (see sidebar). In a March 2011 report by Forrester Research, Inc. entitled Case Study: Ci&T - High Performance, Brazilian Style, Forrester principal analyst Jeffrey Hammond wrote: How do you measure the level of employee engagement at a company? In our opinion, you can quickly sense the difference when you walk into an organization or talk to its people. Employees are focused and busy, but they are also happy to be there; these environments exhibit a high level of collaboration and cheerful interaction between employees and managers. We saw all these signs of engagement on multiple occasions when we have

Trust Your Team, Like a Rock Climber

As a rock climber, I know that my life depends upon the skill and decision making of my climbing partner. No matter how good I am, a mistake by my partner could kill both of us. Every day I think about my teams and ask if I would trust them to hold my rope. A high-performing team requires a level of trust and confidence that fosters a joy of collective achievement rather than fear of individual failure.
John Halamka, M.D., CIO Harvard Medical School and known as the Geek Doctor
interviewed people at Ci&T. The developers and managers we interviewed exude engagement... One Ci&T employee who perfectly exemplifies the results of this kind of workplace atmosphere is Marcio Cyrillo. He began in the companys testing

ENGAGEMENT, ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT IN ACTION

As software service providers have taken on higher-value assignments, some have developed the skills, drive, and dedication exhibited by high-performance teams. One such software company is Ci&T. Headquartered in Brazil and with offices in the U.S., Europe, and Japan, and delivery centers in Brazil, Argentina and China, Ci&T employs agile methodologies and Lean principles to provide

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department in 1999, but now is the head of mobile strategy from his office in New York City. The company awarded him a Star Talent accolade for the things he accomplished during his time in New York.

It Starts at The Top

A high-performance team is a reflection of a companys leaders. Just as the team has certain attributes, so too do the people guiding that team. In every case that has been studied at the Europe-based Centre for Organisational Research, teams that click always have a leader who creates the environment and establishes the operating principles and values that are conducive to high performance, says Phil Harkin, CEO of Linkage Inc., cochair of the Global Institute for Leadership Development, and author of several books on leadership coaching. Harkin says these types of people exhibit four key behaviors: They define clear goals and a vision of the future in accordance with overall organizational aims (the big picture). They develop blueprints to achieve

ACCELERATED DEVELOPMENT
Another example of Ci&Ts agility and responsiveness to customer needs is its new service offering, called Accelerate. The goal is to help small and large companies, in a landscape of disruptive technologies, turn their ideas into products quickly. Leonardo Mattiazzi, vice president of International Business, says Accelerate helps businesses ideate, create, and iterate. Ci&Ts use of agile methodologies, Lean principles, and a fast feedback loop enables clients to develop products ahead of schedule and with minimal cash burn, continues Mattiazzi. One of the first customers to benefit from the Accelerate offering was Carousl Labs, which was later acquired by NewBlue Inc, the maker of the Vibop iPhone app. Co-Founder of Carousl Labs, Guto Araujo has worked with Ci&T on several

those goals. They use language to build trust, encourage forward-thinking, and create energy within the team; Harkin calls these powerful creations. They get the right people involved, the passionate champions.

When the team runs into difficult situations, as is inevitable, the highperformance leader will help them focus on the future and move back to the present with reminders to keep our eye on the ball and remember our objectives. They also arent afraid to talk about things even the hard things.

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development projects with different organizations and says: The Ci&T team partnered with us in shaping our product, an iPhone app and cloud service for group photo and video sharing. As a startup, we came to them with a product vision, strategy and designs. They listened closely; we had many interesting and intense discussions about the impact of technology and

architecture choices for the product design and, ultimately, on its value proposition to end users. They understood our business objectives, our customers, and product goals and were always very collaborative, challenging us and adding to our thinking. It was great to see that they shared our enthusiasm and passion for working on an innovative project, which had a very positive impact on the end product.

That enthusiasm was exhibited by the Ci&T staffs eagerness to get the project off the ground, and in the right direction, together with the startup founders. Referring to the aforementioned Marcio

They understood our business objectives, our customers, and product goals and were always very collaborative, challenging us and adding to our thinking. Guto Araujo
Cyrillo, Araujo recalls: We had quality discussions over e-mail, phone and Skype discussing the product strategy and best ways to deliver a differentiated product and I did not get a bill for that time. Instead, Marcio and Felipe Rubim, Ci&Ts Chief Technology Architect, were interested in having those planning discussions to make sure we were going in the right direction.

IDEA GENERATOR
When Coca-Cola Brazil decided it needed new and better mobile apps to reach

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teenage consumers, the beverage company turned to Ci&T not just for development but for ideas. All of the mobile initiatives Coca-Cola had in Brazil had been SMS, which is a reflection of the market, but at the end of last year Coca-Cola challenged us to come up with some ideas for mobile, with a tight timeline and a restricted budget, Paulo Camara, head of mobile operations at Ci&T in Campinas, Brazil, told Mobile Marketer. One of the ideas Ci&T came back with was a mobile game: Sprite City, for the iPad (40,000 downloads in two months). Even more popular is the Coke Drink iPhone app which has achieved over 2,000,000 downloads making it CocaColas most downloaded app. We use our own Web sites to let consumers know about [our mobile] initiatives, but using [paid] media to drive consumers to those apps is something well start investigating more going forward, said Adriana Knackfuss, senior manager of consumer connections at Coca-Cola in Brazil. Ci&T challenged us

to bring IT thinking to the ideadevelopment process, and it made a huge difference.

variable code quality, and difficulty responding to scope changes or requests to refactor existing projects. Guto Araujo, Co-Founder of Carousl Labs, describes what he considers when looking for a team: As a technology startup, we needed a development partner who would listen and engage in an intelligent conversation to understand what we were trying to do and add value to the product and technology discussions. It was also

very important for us to find a partner who shared our lean startup principles, and could respond quickly with minimum overhead Araujo found that partner in the team at Ci&T. We were happy to develop that kind of partnership with Ci&T. We shared that DNA and were able to move fast as a team to achieve our objectives. Araujo says.

HIGH-PERFORMANCE PARTNERSHIP
Consider this advice from Forrester for selecting a development team: Take a good look at its culture and assess whether you see engaged developers or a revolving door death march. If its the latter, be prepared for rising costs,

This E-Book is Sponsored by Ci&T

Brought To You By: Nearshore Americas

Ci&T (www.ciandt.com) provides value-driven, Nearshore web and mobile application services and software product engineering. The company's high-performance teams employ agile methodologies and Lean principles to deliver innovative, value-generating projects for companies of all sizes, by leveraging the latest mobile, cloud and web technologies. A truly global company established in 1995, Ci&T is headquartered in Campinas, Brazil, with strategic locations across Latin America, North America, Europe and the AsiaPacific region. For more information, visit www.ciandt.com.

About Nearshore Americas: Nearshore Americas is an independent online news provider dedicated to expanding knowledge on the fast-growing global services/ BPO market in the world Latin America. As one of the worlds leading resources on offshore outsourcing, Nearshore Americas is committed to providing high quality information and data for business and IT leaders in the U.S. and around the World. Nearshore Americas - based in New York City - is published by Next Coast Media. Visit Nearshore Americas to sign up for a free newsletter, and get connected to the brand through Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

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