Agile adoption is on the rise, and for good reason. Agile companies can dramatically increase productivity and shorten release cycles, while improving quality, which is why almost 70% of organizations are now using some type of agile process.
Although the potential benefit is huge, it does require that organizations undergo substantial changes in how they develop software and in how the rest of the business engages with IT. There is no out-of-the-box solution for transitioning to Agile — adoption programs need to be tailored to fit the particular needs of each organization. SolutionsIQ offers two comprehensive workshops that help executives learn what to expect and how to prepare for a successful transition to an Agile organization:
- The Agile Organization: A Business Perspective (half-day) explores why executives should invest in and support Agile practices.
- Planning Agile Adoption (full-day) lays out the full scope of what it takes to plan and implement a company-wide Agile adoption program.
The Agile Organization: A Business Perspective
This half-day workshop is designed for business executives and organization leaders who want to learn how Agile adds value to the enterprise, and why executive sponsorship, support, and understanding of Agile practices are essential to successful Agile adoption. It provides an overview of what Agile is, why it is needed, how it’s used, and how it benefits the organization from a management perspective.
This session puts the opportunities and potential impacts of Agile into a business-value context, and explores how it addresses the root causes of business uncertainty and IT project failure. It compares and contrasts Agile with past business practices and explains how Agile fosters a culture of innovation and enhances financial performance by creating enduring business value. The key features of an Agile organization are reviewed, including project and portfolio management, business case development, governance, and metrics. Both technical and non-technical executives will gain a better understanding of how Agile can benefit entire companies and make IT or Product Development more accountable, market-responsive, and productive.
Sample Agenda:
- How Agile solves business problems
- Agile principles and values
- Agile business value
- How Agile changes the enterprise
- The Agile delivery organization
Planning Agile Adoption
Successful Agile adoption involves far-reaching changes at the individual, team, and organizational level. This full-day management workshop is a planning exercise for executives and change agents who are directly responsible for their organization’s Agile adoption. It will help them define and plan a successful agile change management program and prepare for the transition, laying out the full scope of what it takes to adopt Agile to those who are responsible for devising and implementing the transformation. Participants will gain an understanding of the real-world challenges and problems they will face and the steps they should take to address them. Stakeholders will become familiar with the key elements of a successful Agile adoption program, including business case definition, adoption program elements, managing the organization change, measuring success, and sustaining the results.
In addition to executives, managers and leaders that will likely be affected by the change will also benefit from this session and learn how the transition affects their organization’s culture, roles, responsibilities, and management practices. This could include stakeholders in Human Resources, QA, Finance, PMO, and business sponsors, among others.
Sample Agenda:
- Defining the business case
- Program vision and roadmap
- Changes to the enterprise
- Managing organizational change
- Competency development
- Measuring program success