Agile Transition Framework - presented at Frankfurt PMI Chapter

Agile Transition Framework©Prowareness

A structured approach for introducing future proof Agile in teams, departments, divisions and/or organizations.

Arno Delhij Agile Coach, Facilitator, Trainer and Manager

Business Transformation

Traditional organizations have become IT organizations. Their core processes largely depend on

efficient and effective software.

The Need for Change!• More speed is required!

– It takes too long for software to be delivered.– Value is only provided (if at all) at the end of the project

• Quality is insufficient!– Time pressure results in low quality software with lot’s of defects – Teams are not improving

• Business Value is missing!– Software does not solve the problem– Customers get what they asked for but not what they need

Benefits of Agile!

Preferred Method

VERSION ONE.COM © 2013, VersionOne, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Impact of Agile

On:– Teamwork– Ownership– Leadership – Managing projects– Dealing with change– Problem management– Traditional roles

Leading causes of failed Agile projects!

VERSION ONE.COM © 2013, VersionOne, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Assumption #1

Agile is a journey NOT a destination!

Assumption #2

Agility requires a complex organizational change. Therefore it cannot be entirely planned up-front.

Assumption #3

An Agile Transition requires steering & momentum.

Assumption #4

Types of interventions & steering will change over the course of the transition.

Assumption #5

Every organization is unique and so is the approach!

Balancing the ApproachDirecting an Agile Transition is all about striking the balance between;

Pre- Designed Emergent development

Top Down management Bottom up initiatives

Self organizing Structure and procedures

Responsible and self supporting

team members

Hire external expertise

Increase sense of urgency and gain momentum

Capitalize on willingness to change

Start with little steps Initiate major changes

Processes and tools Attitude and behavior


4 Sequential Steps;

Orientation: The call for changeIntervention: But how?Expansion: Let’s tryNormalization: Make it stick

Each individual, team or organization will sequentially go through these steps.

The given situation will determine which step will be the first.

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Top Down

Bottom Up

Divergence


Orientation Normalization

Intervention Expansion

Develop a vision, Create a sense of

urgency, Create awareness,

Define goalsDevelop basic Agile skills

Develop guidelines & handbooks,

Identify and share best practices,

KPI’s & Metrics, Educational plan’s

Make plans, Install teams, Agile Training,

Agile roles, Define backlogs

Get Teams going, Resolve impediments,

Facilitate Scrum Meetings,

Coach Teams

Where it may go wrong?“The 8 failures of Kotter”

Lack of urgency

No consistent vision

Absence of guiding coalition

Insufficient communication

(1000x)

Finish too early

Change has not been made to stick

Impediments do not get removed

Results are not made transparant

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Bottom Up

Divergence

Where it may go wrong?“Go against the flow”

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Divergence

1. GuidelinesSetting up Process descriptions and instructions for

Agile

2. SupervisionA check on whether or not the rules and

processes are followed

3. InterventionShow teams where

they deviate from the rules and try to get them back on track

4. OrientationMotivating and

providing rationale on the background of guidelines and

processes

Where it may go wrong?“Oversimplified Approach”

Plan’s and targets

Change in print only.“ The same shit with different flies on it”

A Day of training will do.

Good energy, lot’s of questions, but no

follow-up

Rules and procedures

Guidelines are beautiful but not

used

Let it emerge.

Optimalisation within current boundaries

with little or no impact and results.

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Divergence

How to implement?

Reusable experiences:

• Guiding the Agile Transition• Scrum on Scrum• Use a Transition Backlog• Surround sound Scrum• Babushka – nesting strategy• Shock Therapy Team Start

Guiding Agile Transition

Requires:• An iterative approach• The most valuable first• Failing fast• Guided by ownership• Execution is Teamwork• A Transparent Backlog• …Scrum on Scrum

Scrum on Scrum

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TransitionTeam

Daily Scrum

TransitionPlanning

TransitionBacklog

Sprint review &Retrospective

TransitionObjectives

AgiltyOwner Transition

Coach

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Coach Teams

The Transition BacklogOrientation

Description ObjectiveAgile Awareness Workshop

Create a common understanding of the Do’s and Don’ts of Agile

Agile Implementation Workshop

Setup Implementation Backlog and create a set of Transition Goals.

Introduction of Business Value

Workshop focused on how Scrum can be used for obtaining Business Value & ROI.

Voice of the Customer

Research on Customer Satisfaction and looking for improvements

Employee Satisfaction Survey

Research on Employee Satisfaction and looking for improvements.

High performing Teams

Step-by-step structure the organization around high performing (agile) Teams

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Coach Teams

The Transition BacklogIntervention

Description ObjectiveSet up Teams Together with management discuss the

possibilities and considerations for setting up teams.

Transition Planning Setting up (and adjusting) transition planning

Team kickoff training Team Kick-off training; align all members on basics of scrum before commencing the first sprint

Scrum master training

The Scrum Master has done a 2-day training and is certified

Product Owner training

The Product Owner has done a 2-day training and is certified

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Coach Teams

The Transition BacklogExpansion

Description ObjectiveScrum Coaching Help the Teams effectively use and understand

Scrum; the meetings, artifacts and roles. Product Owner Coaching

Assist the Product owner with focusing on achieving and reporting Value and help him or her with his new role.

Scrum Master Coaching

Coach the Scrum Master on his role & knowledge about agile and remove impediments.

Management Coaching

Help Management with guiding the Agile Transition and removing organizational impediment towards an Agile Organization.

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Coach Teams

The Transition BacklogNormalization

Description ObjectiveIntervision groups Set up Intervision structures based on

roles, expertise or functionProcess support Setting up supporting materials such as;

handbooks, reporting sheets, metrics. Agile Roadmap Development of an Agile Backlog for

guidance to maturityPerformance reviews Setting up a Performance review process;

such as 360 degrees feedback etcSprint Reviews Professionalise Review meetings using a

review framework

Suround Sound ScrumScrum sound from many positions, not just the coach

• 1 or more experienced Scrum Masters or Team Coaches

• Every Team 1 experienced Agile Developer• A Manager with ample Agile experience or

mindset

Babushka- Nesting StrategyStart small and incrementally grow

Shock Therapy

• Start with 2 day training

• Sprints of 1 week• Continuous focus on

“Done”• Clear set of metrics• Coaching on the job

full time for 6 weeks

An approach to get teams in a Hyper productive state rapidly

Disadvantage: Team has relatively little involvement in shaping the transition process.

How to implement?

Reusable experiences:

• Guiding the Agile Transition• Scrum on Scrum• Use a Transition Backlog• Surround sound Scrum• Babushka – nesting strategy• Shock Therapy Team Start

Thank’s for joining

Arno DelhijAgile Coach, Facillitator,

Trainer and Manager

Elevator PitchFor IT managers and Project Managers

Who want to succesfully guide an Agile Transition

The Prowareness Transition Framework

Is a proven approach

That takes into account the theory of Change Management combined with Scrum practices and Kotter 8-step model into a powerful balance between top-down/bottom up.

Unlike other approaches which consider a top-down (planned) approach mostly

This approach has both theoretically and emperically proven steps to success.

Agile Transition Framework - presented at Frankfurt PMI Chapter

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