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03 September 2024 | Posted by angela.tuduri

Beyond Agile, what's needed

In the world of software development and project management, Agile principles and practices have been gaining increasing relevance over the last two decades.

Their flexibility, adaptability and focus on continuous delivery of value, through working in multidisciplinary teams with regular feedback and internal quality of the developed product, have transformed not only how organizations approach their initiatives, but how they are structured and, perhaps less so and this is where we find the most important obstacle, how they should be led, to mobilize collective intelligence.  

However, a critical question arises:  

Is Agile delivering everything that was expected of it?  

MASTER IN AGILE METHODS | LA SALLE-URL

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Agile's current reality in organizations   

It is undeniable that Agile has been adopted to a greater or lesser degree by organizations around the world. Many companies have integrated Agile methods into their processes in the hope of improving efficiency, product quality, customer satisfaction and, not least, increasing employee motivation.  

Eighty-six percent of companies use some Agile methodology." PwC  

Some examples: on the one hand, we will hardly find companies with huge projects that have a single delivery. On the other hand, in many organizations, the concept of multidisciplinary and stable teams is becoming more and more widespread. Finally, there is a growing awareness of talent as a key asset of the organization, which must be retained. 

However, only 30% of companies have achieved full adoption of Agile throughout their organization, and this remains a challenge.  

Agile adoption has not always been successful. There are examples of superficial or incorrect transformations that have failed to capture the expected benefits. 

Challenges facing a successful implementation   

One of the main problems is that some organizations have remained on the surface of Agile, adopting only a few practices or tools without fully understanding the underlying principles.  

This has led to situations where “doing Agile” does not translate into “being Agile”. Resistance to change, lack of proper training, fear of changing mindsets towards greater empowerment, the excessive strength of traditional siloed structures and the enormous pressure to deliver (without worrying about the end results, the quality of what has been built or stopping to reflect, learn and improve) are just some of the obstacles that hinder a true Agile transformation.  

Another typical mistake has been to think that Agile is “implemented”, following the traditional way. This is another reason why transformations have not gone so well. Agile is adopted in the Agile way, following the same principles of problem-solving orientation, with “test & learn”, with change management strategies, but in a more inclusive and organic way. 

Embracing labels and roles without changing mindsets  

Some organizations introduce Agile labels (such as sprints, daily scrums, retrospectives) and even certain Agile roles (Product Owner, Scrum Master) without changing the underlying mindset of the organization (not only the mindset of the people who will carry these roles but also, and crucially, the mindset of the company's management). This can result in a superficial adoption that does not generate the expected benefits.  

Lack of connection to the issues, adequate sponsorship, training and coaching  

Agile “responsibilities” are mostly focused on product development, services and project execution. As with any change, adequate training and support is needed. However, for a successful adoption, it is necessary to learn how to impact other aspects as well.  

For this change to be noticeable at the enterprise level, it is necessary to cover the value chain more broadly and have an impact on the related structures: how they are organized, how their management thinks and, a fundamental aspect, not forgetting the problems that the organization's leaders want to solve, so that they can provide the necessary degree of sponsorship.Thus, the change management strategy and cultural transformation should be among the first ingredients to be included.  

Urgency of change, what's next for Agile?  

In the current economic model, time remains a critical factor. Organizations that have not managed to become more Agile effectively will find it more difficult to adapt more quickly and compete. Constantly evolving technologies and customer expectations demand real agility, not just in name.  

While the essence of Agile - the ability to adapt and respond to change - remains more relevant than ever, what is needed now is a much greater emphasis on all aspects to consider around Agile so that it can deliver its full impact.  

Related education   

La Salle-URL's Master's in Agile Methods is aimed at professionals, entrepreneurs and managers who want to implement organizational and cultural changes to create highly competitive companies. The program will allow you to acquire the knowledge, tools and skills necessary to successfully launch initiatives in complex and highly competitive environments.  

In addition, the program includes the Certified Scrum Master (CSM) and the Certified Agile Scaling (CAS-S1) of the Scrum Alliance (the most internationally recognized entity), as well as the Certified Leader of Agile Humans. 

MASTER IN AGILE METHODS | LA SALLE-URL

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