“Agile transformation” is more than a buzzword from the programming realm.
Instead, it’s a way of switching the whole organization to a reactive approach based on agile rules. It goes beyond product development and demands a shift in corporate culture.
“Agile is an attitude, not a technique with boundaries. An attitude has no boundaries, so we wouldn’t ask ‘can I use agile here’, but rather ‘how would I act in the agile way here?’ or ‘how agile can we be, here?'”
Alistair Cockburn, signatory of the Manifesto for Agile Software Development.
The 12 principles of agile.
Since then, agile has spread to other fields of business.
- Deliver value to the customer early and often.
- Embrace change at any stage for the customer’s benefit.
- Release high-quality products often, sooner rather than later.
- Work together daily with different teams on the project.
- Support and trust motivated people to do the project.
- Talk face-to-face for better communication in the team.
- Quality products are the main measure of progress.
- Agile enables sustainable development at a steady pace.
- Focus on quality and good design for agility.
- Do less work but create more value.
- Self-organizing teams produce the best outcomes.
- The team must regularly improve its performance and behavior.
Challenges to agile transformation.
Agile transformation is not easy or quick. It takes time, resources, and commitment from everyone in your company. You must change habits, beliefs, and behaviors—and if you’ve ever tried to quit smoking or eating sweets, you know how hard it is.
If you want to embrace agile transformation, be ready for these challenges.
Resistance to change and cultural inertia.
Many people like things as they are. They may see agile transformation as a threat to their role or power. They may not want to share information or work with others.
Lack of executive support and alignment.
Executive support is crucial for agile transformation. Without it, your company may lack direction, vision, or resources. But executives may not understand or value agile transformation. They may also resist changing their leadership style or priorities.
Inadequate skills and resources.
You’re lucky if everyone within your team has skills like customer-centricity, collaboration, communication, creativity, and problem-solving. Otherwise, you’ll have to nurture these skills in your employees.
Siloed structures and processes.
How well do different parts of your business work together? The agile approach needs coordination and integration. But many businesses are divided into silos that create barriers and boundaries. These silos cause inefficiencies, conflicts, delays, errors, and waste.
Misunderstanding and misuse of agile practices.
Some may treat agile as a buzzword or a fad rather than a culture. They may also use agile as an excuse to avoid planning or accountability.
Key steps to agile transformation.
If you are willing to embrace change, how do you do it? Here's a quick checklist.
Assess your company’s current state and readiness for change.
Look at your culture, structure, processes, practices, performance, and challenges. This will help you find areas for improvement.
Define the goals of your transformation.
Close your eyes (this step is optional). Imagine your ideal company. What’s the culture like? How are the processes structured? How does your team perform? What are your values, and what value do you bring the consumer? Now, set SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) goals.
Design an agile operating model.
Define the roles of everyone involved in the agile transformation. Establish rules, policies, and standards that will guide decision-making and foster collaboration. But remember—agile is an attitude. Your processes must be adaptable to the changing needs of your consumer.
Focus on agile initiatives and projects.
Focus on projects that take you one step closer to your desired future state. Initiatives that bring the most value and align with your customer’s needs are top priority.
Measure the impact.
Constant progress is the key principle of agile transformation. But it's only possible if you know what to improve. Track customer satisfaction, employee engagement, cost reduction, and other metrics to measure your progress.
Final words.
Agile transformation is not something you do once and forget about. It’s a journey of ongoing discovery and growth.
“Change before you have to.”
Jack Welch, former chief executive of General Electric.
Embrace change now—and thank yourself later. Unsure how? We can help.
