Agile Transformation

Agile transformation is an iterative process. It does not run as a big revolution, but rather in a step by step process that values the current situation and tries to improve on it in increments.

• Always begin with the current organisational situation — consider it as something valuable that, however, can be improved.

• Work in iterations. Version everything (even the organisation itself) — versions imply forthcoming changes and version changes show progress.

• Check if changes principally generate win-win-win-situations: better for the customer, better for the employees, better for the company.

• Start thinking customer-centric — both externally and internally.

• Adopt a product perspective — every department or team needs to define its product(s).

• Clarify customer(s) of each product — every product needs at least one (external or internal) customer.

• Allocate ownership for products, resources and assets — everything valuable (especially each product) should have a unique owner.

• Define and monitor progress & success with dashboards — managers are not needed to exercise control, dashboards give control to everyone.

• Every (internal) product competes with the market for customer centricity, quality and price.

• Let managers manage systems not people — this scales up their work.

• Organize the people around the work and not the work around the people.

• Work based on roles and not on functional silos or hierarchies.

• Do not add bureaucracy — try to reduce existing one.

• Implement an agile organisational culture & mindset around work.

• Provide facilitation to management & employees.

Typical errors

A lot of company try to become more agile by just introducing some agile methods. However, agility is not a method, it is a philosophy — a way of thinking. Agile transformation transforms the mindset and does not just introduce new methods.

Companies that do not understand this often carry out the following errors, that should be avoided:

1. Do not introduce a lot of vocabulary out of context: agile, SCRUM, KANBAN, stories, story points, epics, INVEST, retros, reviews, owners, masters, tribes, cohorts, sprints, facilitators, circles, links etc.

2. Do not just rename traditional teams into agile teams without making them cross-functional and without them having ownership of a product.

3. Do not introduce agility without specifying the customer and without measuring customer satisfaction.

4. Do not dissatisfy the (external or internal) customer by removing deadlines and by not giving frequent product updates.

5. Do not work in agile teams without dashboards that track (daily) progress.

6. Do not introduce agile methods that are supposed to be based on self-management but then keep frequent management interference and control in place.

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