I'm sure, like us, you've seen a good number of agile transformations or journeys in your time. You might have been involved in some from a facilitation or coaching perspective. Some work, but many fall back to the old, familiar ways of working - probably using agile labels as a mask.
Our team have listed their top tips for building agility within your company or team.
start small and build
Big bang introductions of agility typically build confusion and chaos. This puts people off and they quickly revert to their previous approach. Start with a small area, maybe a few teams, where you can grow your organisational experience. Empower your teams and allow them to create the environment they need to hit your goals.
This will create attention and your agility growth will happen organically - not because you want it, but because everyone else wants it too!
inspect, adapt...and do it frequently!
Make good use of all agile events, not just the retrospective, because this is what they're for.Avoid the lazy retrospective - this is the event that keeps the Scrum Master on their toes - it is for improving as a "team". Don't devalue them or use them as an opportunity to complain about the rest of the world. This is the team's event to focus on how they work. You could focus on one specific area to find improvements, you could look at how you worked during the last sprint. The important outcome from the retro is knowing how 'as a team' you will adapt.
it's more than scrum
Too many companies use an agile framework - typically scrum - then think they are done. OK, they might get some of the benefits of this way of working, but there is more that can be done....keep going! There are more practices that will unlock the strengths of your team.
training is just the start
People aren't experts because they've been on a course. Teams, Scrum Masters and Product Owners will all need time to learn how to use these new skills and experience how they help. Don't expect miracles on day 1.
don't be afraid to fail
Failing is an opportunity to learn. Consider risks - failing in a dangerous environment isn't something you're likely open to trying, and neither are your H&S or Compliance teams. Understanding what went wrong and having options on how to improve is gold.
Where there is an opportunity, don't be afraid to innovate or experiment. Know the gamble, because it can be a gamble - some you win, some you lose.