Organisational Agility and Agile Suitability

By: Dragan Jojic Agile on the Beach

September 2012

Gartners view of Agile Adoption (cc 2010)

by 2012, Agile development methods will be utilised in 80% of all software development projects

So what?
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From temporary, contained bubbles of agility

bubble at the bottom of an organization with a small group of developers who wanted to do things differently But bubbles never last.
Simon Baker in No Bull, 2012 http://nobull.energizedwork.com/

to the agile organisation

Organisational agility: Organisational capability to produce a continuous flow of value for its customers and other stakeholders

Agile organisations characteristics

Strategy
Longer-term, customer-driven

Structure
Delivery capability built around teams
Dedicated, multi-specialised individual team members Cross-functional, long-living, self-organising teams

Focus on flow of value and quality

Culture
Think big, start small, move fast Decisions prompt and made at the appropriate level High commitment, motivation and trust

Full Senior Management buy-in, leadership and support

Agile seen as the way of life
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Typical organisations characteristics

Strategy
Short-term, inside out

Structure
Delivery capability built around projects
Part-time, single-specialism team members Short-lived teams with layers of programme and project managers

Focus on individual and team utilisation

Culture
Too much work in progress, running around in circles Decisions slow and made higher up the hierarchy Low commitment, motivation and trust

Lack of Senior Management buy-in, leadership and support

Agile seen as a methodology or another tool in the toolbox
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We need to become more agile

"Never try to teach a pig to sing. You waste your time and you annoy the pig.
Robert A. Heinlein in Time Enough for Love, 1973

How do we assess organisations agile suitability?

And what if the suitability is low?

I am an optimist

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How to recognise a pig when you see it?

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So, how could we assess agile suitability?

Jeff Hiatt, 2006 (via Jurgen Appelo, 2012)

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Organisations agile suitability

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Is there awareness of the need to change?

There must be a critical mass of people with a similar awareness before the organization will be able to collectively move forward
Mike Cohn in Succeeding with Agile, 2010

Why do you need to be more agile? What are the benefits that you are aiming to achieve through agility? How will becoming more agile support your organisations (BUs) vision / objectives / strategy? What would happen if you were to stay as you are now? ??? NB: Look for simplicity, clarity and consistency of messages
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Is there desire to be a part of the change?

Agile transformations must start with a visionary why
Jean Tabaka in Tell Me Why, 2012

How will becoming more agile help you / your team? What else would you need to know before you can decide if you would support or resist the change? What will make you / your team be a more active part of the change? ??? NB: Look out for signs of support / complacency / anxiety

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And what about the culture?

Culture
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Culture makes changing much more difficult

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What characterises organisations culture?

[Cultures] near invisibility makes it hard to address directly
John P. Kotter in Leading Change, 1996

Who are your customers? How do you know what they value? How quickly can you respond to their requests? How many active initiatives/projects do you have at the same time? How do you decide if to optimise or to innovate? When was the last time you went through a significant change? How did it go? What made it successful / unsuccessful? ???

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And once we know, what should we do?

Sow the seeds, change some hearts and minds, and leave

Pick our battles and win them; move up and/or across the organisation; promote & transfer

Top to bottom, full speed ahead

Low

Organisations agile suitability

High

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Organisational Agility and Agile Suitability Questions / Comments?

@DrJojic