Agility as a Problem-Solving Method
Agility helps teams organize their learning process and check the results of their work. This allows them to adjust their direction and ensure they are on the right path. By prioritizing value, teams focus on completing the most important tasks first. Through this approach, they may realize they don’t need to complete all tasks or that some tasks are no longer necessary. The principles of Agility bring teams together to work towards a common goal, fostering unity and purpose among team members. Yet, one must note that having more features sometimes equates to success if teams understand the proper direction. Thus, gathering evidence and making informed decisions is crucial before beginning any task.
It’s not enough to complete 100 PRs weekly if they don’t help the business. Each team should be responsible for their process. The ultimate goal of any project is to deliver value to the customer, not write code. An agile approach that prioritizes value drives collaboration through open and consistent communication. If any part of our process wastes time, we should speak up about it. The only reason to use any technology is to provide business value.
Regarding software development, it can take time to predict what will happen. Spending less time creating a plan can save time. This is because it takes a long time to get a product to market, and it can take even longer for users to learn how to use it. To indeed be successful, teams need to work together and be flexible. This means embracing that things may sometimes go less than planned and being willing to adapt as necessary. By doing so, teams can take advantage of the benefits of Agility and avoid falling back into a more rigid way of working.
A team’s success depends on the managers who direct and oversee their employees’ work. Managers are responsible for managing their people and are content when their team members work. They use complete transparency to micromanage developers and push them to meet deadlines often set by the managers. Yet, product owners may not view themselves as part of the team and may not share the responsibility when things go than planned. Both product owners and managers may only feel accountable for the team’s success. So, it’s essential to consider both the process and the people involved in agile transformations.
Agility should be viewed as a problem-solving method rather than a goal. One approach to achieving this is implementing Scrum or Kanban in a traditional company, transforming it on all levels. Various experiments are currently underway to explore this approach. To succeed, a company must redefine its fundamental principles and re-evaluate itself. While the principles may vary, they should focus on learning and knowledge sharing to address complex issues. It takes years to transform a company and embed these principles into its culture.
