From managing projects to creating development cycles and developing web applications, Agile adoption has taken over many industries. It is a step-by-step means to achieve agility in all teams and projects to create a highly functioning network of operations within any organization. For a lot of companies, this transformation comes as a major challenge. Read on to know more about the stages of Agile transformation.
The shift to Agile requires a total change in team members’ attitudes, values, and mindsets. It requires a complete change in the organizational culture. More than 90% of large firms’ executives agree that agility and collaboration are crucial to a business’s success today. While every transformation is different we typically see an organization going through the stages discussed in this blog.
Stages of Agile Transformation Journey
The Goal of Agile in Today’s World
According to Mckinsey & Company, firms, and teams who use the Agile method do better financially than those companies that don’t. This is why more and more companies are shifting their views and adopting Agile holistically. Agile enables companies to succeed in a constantly changing environment by helping them plan and adopt different strategies and structures to create the maximum value for their stakeholders.
This will help organizations generate value with less friction and risk and achieve more financial rewards. It can be hard for people to implement across the organization because it typically works for small teams. It can lead to conflicts because some parts of the organization are moving much more quickly than others.
Understanding Existing Processes within the Company
Organizations need to start by relating how the company’s management processes align with the Agile way and see what practices exist already. Since Agile is so widely used, a lot of companies will notice that some practices of Agile management are already being implemented in parts in some departments. They need to analyze these parts and see what works for the teams and what doesn’t to gain a better understanding at a company level.
Making Sure that the Organization is Ready for Transformation
Launching Agile at a large scale is daunting, but for it to work effectively, employees’ mindset needs to be ready to adapt to the Agile method’s many changes. This means creating a culture where change is accepted, not forced upon. If the employees do not accept the changes or aren’t ready to shift from the traditional methods, it can lead to resistance and, ultimately failure.
All inconsistencies between the existing operations and Agile’s main goal need to be considered before undergoing a total transformation.
Learn from other successful Agile Transformations
When companies are still in the planning stage, it can be of valuable assistance if they decide to learn from other organizations about their Agile transformation experience. Top management executives will get better knowledge about key practices involved and what they should avoid. This will help companies realize how Agile’s adoption is more of a change in mindset first and then a change in methodology.
Organizations need to know that Agile transformation is more than just an organizational structure. It is a continuous journey that is evolving in terms of how employees think and work in an organization.
Forming a Team to Begin the Transformation
After deciding to go ahead with Agile transformation, the first step is to create a team that will be responsible for the same. Since it affects the relationship with the stakeholders, the Agile transformation should be supported by the company’s board of directors. The team needs to grow and change organically and implement the transformation into their work culture so they can lead the way into an organization-wide change and adoption.
Proving The Concept Of Agile
Once the team is built, and Agile practices are taking place, the team will have to prove the positive impact of Agile before its enterprise-wide implementation. Once Agile’s concept has proven to be working within the company’s business environment, it can be expanded to other teams and slowly make its way across the organization.
Scaling the Agile transformation is also crucial to the success of the organization. All team members and team leaders need to accept the change, which might lead to friction, and the organization might have to let go of some employees who are resistant to change.
Maintaining the Momentum of the Transformation
All companies will experience setbacks when they’re changing to an Agile method, especially in the beginning. It takes a lot of time for companies to radically change the way they have been working for years and then adopt a completely new methodology. So there will be a lot of setbacks. This only means that the company needs to continue with the transformation process till the teams make it through a full sprint without any major setbacks. It took Microsoft a year, so organizations should not give up.
Accepting that Agile is a Continuous Process
Creating an Agile team and creating an Agile organization are two separate but monumental tasks in themselves. All the teams might be working perfectly with the Agile method but organizations will still find friction and setbacks when it comes to the different teams working together. The collaboration between teams is important for a successful Agile implementation. Creating horizontal information flows instead of vertical and implementing decision-making at all levels will create a sense of leadership and teamwork within the teams and among other teams to create a new collaborative environment. This is an ongoing process that needs to adapt and evolve as more problems and issues arise.
Completing the Agile Transformation
Once all the teams have implemented Agile and the company has completed the transformation across all departments within the organization, the job may seem done but it is not. The final step remaining is getting all the hardware and software in line with the Agile method instead of allowing them to work the old way. This can lead to friction in the completion of tasks and duties, which is why adopting new and more Agile technologies and services will benefit the organization with its Agile transformation.
Final Thoughts
The Agile transformation is never truly complete. It is constantly evolving and can continue to cause fundamental changes in the organization. This will help the company be ready to adapt to any external changes that may arise from the market. Training employees and team members effectively in Agile methodology is crucial for the organization. This will ensure proper implementation within the team and across the teams to help organizations succeed and increase the business value they provide to their stakeholders.
That’s it, guys! We have reached the end of this article on ‘Stages of Agile Transformation’. Finally, some of the popular Agile Certification Courses that help in Agile transformation are:
- CSM Certification
- Certified Scrum Product Owner Certification
- SAFe Scrum Master Certification Training
- Agile Scrum Foundation Certification Training
- Agile Scrum Master Certification Training
- PRINCE2 Agile Foundation Certification Training
