What’s Special About Amplio

Amplio is a unique collection of new and old

Amplio is a collection of mindset, perspective, concepts, practices, and tools that have been collected and created over the last 25 years by literally hundreds of consultants. It continues to be extended in Amplio University via the ensemble learning amongst AU’s leader, Al Shalloway, and the learners in the university.

It has many unique aspects to it, but what makes it unique as a whole is its integration of many concepts and practices that are not brought together anywhere else.

Foundations

Amplio is not a framework

While frameworks are ubiquitous in the Agile space, using them is often the core of much of the stagnation we see. Frameworks are pre-conceived solutions, none of which work everywhere. Although they get you a quick start, they tend to stagnate after a while.

Amplio is more like physics with pre-supplied solutions for common problems. Amplio provides you with a way to think, approach problems, and decide what is best for your situation. By including some quick-starts, it enables starting as quickly as say Scrum or SAFe, but does not limit you in what is possible

Amplio’s Axioms provide a clear statement of what Amplio is based on in the same way the laws of physics underly physics.

Based on systems thinking, Flow, Lean, and the Theory of Constraints

These technologies have proven their worth and flexibility. All three are used to create a system more flexible than one that relies on only one approach.

Inherent simplicity

“Inherent Simplicity. In a nutshell, it is at the foundation of all modern science as put by Newton: ‘nature is exceedingly simple and harmonious with itself.’” Dr. Eli Goldratt

“If we dive deep enough, we’ll find that there are very few elements at the base—the root causes— which through cause-and-effect connections
are governing the whole system.”

Amplio used verifiable first principles based on this concept.

Dealing with complexity

In many ways complexity is an illusion. A system is mostly complex in the sense that we can’t see what’s happening.

Amplio presents the attitude that we can continue this process going deeper as we do, and getting better at the process to solve our problems.  However, during the process, we recognize that we are not aware of all of the complex (and potentially non-linear) behavior of the system, so we must attend to this risk by getting and responding to quick feedback.

Amplio provides a clear, shared model that everyone can discuss, agree on, and extend.

By taking a scientific approach, resistance is avoided and people can learn together.

There is a huge amount of evidence that without theory, people learn much more slowly and even resist adopting what are good practices. Telling people to follow until they understand is both demeaning, disrespectful and a poor way to lead. See Why theory is so important for more.

Communication without a shared model is circumspect at best.

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” George Bernard Shaw

Management and Value Stream Analysis

The role of management

The role of management is critical and mostly ignored or even vilified in Agile. Amplio uses a combination of the management insights of Deming, Drucker, Lean, David Mruette, and Nonaka.

Value Stream Analysis

Value stream analysis plays a pivotal role in Amplio. Al Shalloway has been a leader in value stream analysis in the Agile space for well over a decade.

Factors for effective value streams.

Factors for effective value streams are derived from first principles and enable us to discern how effective our value streams are. They are variations of the first principles. They’ve been converted into actionable questions.

In a nutshell, the factors for effective value streams codify how first principles show up in practice.