Creating an effective Scaled Agile implementation plan requires a tailored and in-tuned planning. Check out this guide on how to plan for a Scaled Agile implementation.
Creating an effective Scaled Agile implementation plan requires tailored and in-tuned planning. Check out this guide on how to plan for a Scaled Agile implementation.ot to consider.
In today's rapidly changing market, the Agile Project Management (APM) methodology allows the flexibility your business needs to accommodate ongoing adjustments. You can save money in the long run by being able to change a project's direction along the way without having to start over.
These methods don't just apply to IT companies anymore. Agile methods are being used in a number of industries and processes. But it may take some effort before your business can take the leap.
Ready to reap the benefits of scaled Agile? Then we've got some helpful tips for you. Get started with our advice on planning a scaled Agile implementation.
What is Scaling Agile?
When it comes to scaling Agile for your business, there is a range of different scenarios that can apply. This could be in a variety of team settings, product deliveries, and other project layouts.
There are multiple ways to scale Agile to the enterprise and in any given business environment while staying true to Agile values and principles. The first is scaling horizontally, which means integrating Agile among teams across the board. Everyone in your office will need to take on the Agile mindset and rework your organization and processes to fit in.
Challenges can arise when you begin to implement Agile vertically. Which is when you begin to reorganize and implement it up through the hierarchal ladder. This is why it is important to engage key stakeholders early on in the conversations surrounding an Agile implementation. Especially during the early planning stages.
How to Get Started?
When starting to plan any type of implementation, ownership in the form of project manager and leads should be determined. Scaling Agile offers tremendous benefits in the long run, but requires a good amount of heavy lifting, clear roles delineation, and responsibilities.
Many businesses tend to pull in outside consultants as subject matter experts to draw on their experience with similar Scaled Agile implementations and to minimize risks. This can be especially helpful when scaling Agile vertically when senior experts are there to help with securing buy-in from various levels of management and championing the effort with executives.s.fort running in a monitored and inspective manner.
For the Scaled Agile effort to be focused and kept on track there are additional roles which are called for by the various Scaled Agile frameworks and are also a best practice when it comes to managing a project of that scale. Those roles, tasked with the scaling effort, would include in a Business Owner and a Project Manager. This will keep the implementation effort running in a monitored and inspective manner.
Many business tend to pull in outside consultants as subject matter experts to draw on their experience with similar Scaled Agile implementations and to minimize risks. This can be especially helpful when scaling Agile vertically when senior experts are there to help with securing buy-in from various level of management and championing the effort with executives.
They can give you advice and direction on how scaled Agile will benefit your business. They will also coach you through the process and help you create a plan with actionable items. The last thing you want is for your plan to fail before it even gets off the ground.
Using Scaled Agile Software
Tools are to be optimized and utilized so they can tell the story that aligns management and teams on the mission, objectives, and progress. Software Products designed specifically for Agile Lifecycle Management (ALM) have materially helped businesses with their advancement of Agile adoption and with scaling Agile to the enterprise.. clear and transparent flow of project data, and efficient monitoring and tracking.
Tools are to be optimized and utilized so they can tell the story that aligns management and teams on the mission, objectives and progress. Software Products designed specifically for Agile Lifecycle Management (ALM) have materially helped businesses with their advancement of Agile adoption and with scaling Agile to the enterprise.
Planning Phase
Wherever you're starting from, realize that your effort to scale agile needs to be agile itself. Choose a framework that will start you on the right path, and adjust it as business needs evolve and new insights emerge, but not so much that it's no longer recognizable as agile. That is to say, scaling the practices of Agility across multiples teams.
Senior Management drives strategy and direction and as the senior leadership champions agile culture for the whole organization. A transparent culture surfaces issues without fear of retaliation and does that in a timely manner so the right solution can be formed faster and keeping teams moving forward.
Scaling Agile successfully relies on three common traits: An iterative program with build-measure-learn cycles already utilized at the teams level; Open cross-communication between organizational silos similar to the Agile ceremonies conducted at the teams level where context is shared constantly; Frequent releases guaranteeing a constant visibility of a Minimal Viable Product (MVP) or value and ensuring a timely and frequent feedback.
Get Help from Experts
As mentioned earlier, scaling Agile to the enterprise is an intricate and complex effort which requires alignment across people, process and tools. It is a best practice to get help from experts who have experience in Agile Transformation and scaling Agile. They'll be able to come into your business and determine the best strategy for implementing and scaling Agile.
You can decide how much assistance your team needs by scheduling personalized Agile Workshops. These training opportunities will give your team the direction they need to use Agile best practices in their daily work -- improving productivity and streamlining processes.
A firm offering a tailored Agile Transformation solution with training, workshops, consulting and organizational change management will provide the supporting structure that makes Agile at scale a reality. This will ensure your company's success in implementing and scaling Agile.
Ready for a Scaled Agile Implementation?
Implementing and Scaling Agile within your business will drive improvement with your processes, communication, revenue, and will bring about the sought after Customer Focused culture!
In this ever-changing business and market landscape, keeping up with the competition and delighting current and future customers can become a drain on your staff.
Agile methods have been proven time and again to establish an execution and delivery framework that keeps delivering value to the market and delight customers. Agile has also proven to drive a higher level of team engagement and morale and foster a customer-obsessed culture.
It is never too late to consider kicking off your own Agile Transformation for your teams and learn more about scaling Agile for your business.
Our experienced consultants make scaled Agile frameworks like SAFe, LeSS, Scrum@Scale work in the real world, helping you avoid the failure patterns we’ve seen repeatedly in scaled Agile adoptions.
There are practices to adopt and some are best made by you, as an expert in your own business. We help you sort out those decisions with minimal risk.
Ready when you are! Schedule a call with us today.