Robotics’ Post

[PDF] Teamwork in Multi-Agent Systems: A Formal Approach (Wiley Series in Agent Technology) Barbara Maria Dunin-Keplicz, Rineke Verbrugge digsell https://lnkd.in/exRKGtrP What makes teamwork tick?Cooperation matters, in daily life and in complex applications. After all, many tasks need more than a single agent to be effectively performed. Therefore, teamwork rules!Teams are social groups of agents dedicated to the fulfilment of particular persistent tasks. In modern multiagent environments, heterogeneous teams often consist of autonomous software agents, various types of robots and human beings.Teamwork in Multi-agent Systems: A Formal Approach explains teamwork rules in terms of agents’ attitudes and their complex interplay. It provides the first comprehensive logical theory, TeamLog, underpinning teamwork in dynamic environments. The authors justify design choices by showing TeamLog … Read More » https://lnkd.in/ee6mjKuz

Prototypes are the unsung heroes of product development, offering tangible glimpses into a future creation. They serve as invaluable tools, translating abstract ideas into tangible forms that stakeholders can touch, feel, and experience. These early mock-ups bring concepts to life, fostering a shared vision and stimulating collaboration among diverse team members. However, the allure of prototypes can be deceiving. The downside lies in the risk of misconceptions—what looks real may not function as intended. Over-reliance on prototypes might lead to unrealistic expectations and disappointment during the final product reveal. There's a delicate balance between a useful prototype and an overly polished, misleading representation. Some stakeholders, wary of potential misinterpretations, shy away from prototypes. Fear of budget overruns, time constraints, or the misconception that the prototype is the final product can drive this aversion. It's essential to humanize the discourse around prototypes, emphasizing their role as dynamic tools for exploration rather than static representations. Acknowledging the downsides allows teams to harness the true potential of prototypes while addressing concerns and fostering a collaborative, informed decision-making environment.

Exploring Innovation at Mike N Dad Engineering! At Mike N Dad Engineering, we believe that innovation is very important for the progress. Here's how we explore creativity and innovation within our dynamic workplace: ✅ Open Collaboration Spaces: We have created open and collaborative workspaces that encourage spontaneous interactions. These spaces are designed to make open discussions, idea sharing, and collaborative problem-solving. ✅ Idea Incubation Platforms: We provide platforms where team members can incubate and nurture their ideas. Whether through dedicated brainstorming sessions or innovation workshops, every idea has a chance to flourish. ✅ Diverse Project Teams: Our project teams are intentionally diverse, bringing together individuals with varied skills, backgrounds, and perspectives. This diversity cultivates a rich environment for creative thinking and innovative solutions. ✅ Support for Risk-Taking: We provide a supportive environment where team members feel empowered to explore unconventional ideas. ✅ Time for Creative Exploration: We allocate time specifically for creative exploration. This could be in the form of dedicated "innovation hours" or periodic sprints where team members can step away from their routine tasks to focus on innovative projects. ✅ Recognition for Creativity: We celebrate and recognize creative contributions. Outstanding ideas and innovative solutions are acknowledged and rewarded at Mike ‘n Dad Engineering. This recognition makes a culture where creativity is valued and encouraged. ✅ Continuous Learning Opportunities: We provide continuous learning opportunities, ensuring our team is exposed to the latest industry trends, technologies, and methodologies that can inspire innovative thinking. ✅ Cross-Functional Collaboration: We promote cross-functional collaboration, encouraging team members from different departments to come together and share their expertise to solve complex challenges. ✅ Feedback Loops: Regular feedback loops are established to gather insights and suggestions from team members. This two-way communication ensures that everyone has a voice in the innovation process and feels empowered to contribute.

Working in technology as long as I have, I’ve learned at least one thing is consistently true: Teams who ship new code frequently and with regularity will always provide more value and innovation over teams that spend eons brainstorming, prototyping, and thinking. Don’t get me wrong: strong idea centers and inventions are important, but all those great ideas don’t mean much if they never get built. For these reasons, it’s important to prioritize working for companies who invest in their tech teams and specifically those who outfit their teams with strong oversight functions, e.g. program management that isn’t stretched too thin. If engineering isn’t set up to build and ship rapidly, design and product can’t really do much of anything of value.

Building Your Innovation Muscle Encouraging a culture of innovation requires deliberate effort. Here are a few steps to get started: 1. Create Space for Innovation: Dedicate team time and resources to experiment with new ideas and technologies. 2. Encourage Collaboration: Foster an environment where cross-functional teams can collaborate and share insights. 3. Celebrate Successes: Recognize and reward innovative solutions and the teams behind them.

Change in engineering teams requires strategic buy-in. But focusing on the right groups and using empathy can make all the difference. How to drive change using the law of diffusion of innovation and empathy mapping in 3 steps: ➤ Empower these change agents to lead by example. ➝ Their enthusiasm and success will inspire others to follow suit. The goal is to reach out the mass effect. ➤ Identify the innovators and early adopters within your team. ➝ These individuals are the most open to new ideas and will be the first to embrace change, and help you validating your idea. ➤ Communicate the purpose behind the change using empathy mapping. ➝ When team members understand the WHY and how it aligns with their needs and desires, they are more likely to get on board. The law of diffusion of innovation shows us that change starts with a small group of visionaries and gradually spreads to the majority. By targeting the innovators and early adopters, you can create a ripple effect that leads to widespread adoption. But change for the sake of change is not enough. To truly motivate your engineering team, you must connect the change to a greater purpose and communicate it in a way that resonates with their individual needs and goals. Here are 4 approaches to facilitate communicating your purpose using empathy mapping: ➤ Highlight the benefits ➝ Show how the change will make their work more meaningful, efficient, or impactful. ➤ Address their concerns ➝ Acknowledge potential fears or resistance and provide support and resources to help them navigate the change. ➤ Put yourself in their shoes ➝ Understand their perspective, challenges, and motivations. ➤ Celebrate their successes ➝ Recognize and reward team members who embrace the change and achieve positive results. When your team members feel understood and supported, they are more willing to embrace new ways of working. They see the change not as a burden, but as an opportunity to grow and contribute to something greater. So, to drive change in your engineering team, start with empathy. Understand your team's needs and desires, communicate the purpose behind the change in a way that resonates with them, and empower your early adopters to lead the way.

It’s important to have something working from day one. Not a “working” database, not a “perfect” foundation, not a “solid” part that is disconnected from the product, but the primitive whole that is always integrated, so any time you can give it to your users and ask for feedback or even release. Optimize for learning and minimize the risk of building wrong things right.

This is us, some of the Rightmove engineering managers, at the end of the 2-day LeadDev 2024 conference. There was a lot to take in and many good workshops to attend. Here are some of my favorite takeaways: - Managing, mentoring, coaching, and sponsoring! How conscious are we as managers in using these techniques? - We need to get better at getting better! (Think about how we measure our productivity. Combine qualitative with quantitative metrics for better results.) - 53% of team members are likely to be neurodivergent, but only 3% will disclose that. - Real creativity, excitement, and humanity lie in the messy parts of life, not the tidy ones. (Love your challenging projects.) And ofcourse, many more topics. The conference videos will be available for public soon. (Chris Mukherjee Sara Matthewman Dan Jackson Catia Gomes David Disley Anjali Verma )

How about some reflections from Kjell-Vidar Åhman Teig before you leave work? What are Yulieta - by Innocodes core values when it comes to running a digitalisation & innovation project?