Linear thinking doesn't work in software delivery. You simply don't do one thing differently and get one change (for better or worse). This, frequently, leads to pain and unintended consequences. We can do better, and systems thinking helps us.

Software delivery is a function of a sociotechnical adaptive system. Sociotechnical (people interacting with technology, creating technology); adaptive (system changes based on feedback - i.e. people change based on tools; tools adapt to people; teams and products adapt to influences); system (product of the whole - all people and teams and influence and more...not just the parts).

Signals - ways that we understand the system at play.
Levers - ways to influence the system

Signals are everywhere, but usually not on your dashboard. 'No meetings Friday' is a signal, and the problem isn't that there are so many meetings. 'Testing is hard / not really automated / flaky' - is a signal. Planning for months across lots of teams...signal. The levers that are frequently pulled - more process!, 20% innovation time, etc - are levers with little leverage.

This talk will help you understand how systems thinking applies to software delivery and give you real techniques to make your context more visible and find the appropriate lever - the lever that shifts the way work works where the signal is caused, and not just where you see it.

We're all part of the system and have more influence than we may know. Let's see that together.