FROM THE ARCHIVES: What Does "Success" Look Like For An Agile Transformation?
Aug 28, 2023
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Chris Murman, Andrew Leff, and Jay Hrcsko discuss the challenges and opportunities in Agile transformations, the concept of "big T" and "little t" transformations, starting Agile transformations at the team level, frustrations with metrics, dimensions of agility, and inviting Steve Denning as a guest on the show. An entertaining and informative episode!
A successful agile transformation involves redefining the organization as a whole, focusing on mindset, culture, processes, and leadership.
There is a distinction between big 'T' and little 'T' transformations, with the former encompassing the entire organization and the latter focusing on specific areas or teams.
Deep dives
The definition of successful agile transformation
A successful agile transformation involves redefining the way an organization operates as a whole, not just at the team level. It encompasses changes in mindset, culture, processes, and leadership across the entire company. The goal is to become more agile, which means being able to learn quickly, deliver value faster, and adapt to change effectively. Successful agile transformations focus on lean principles and lean thinking, which emphasize reducing waste, improving flow, and creating a learning culture. The key to success lies in having leadership buy-in, setting the right incentives, and aligning the organization's goals with the principles of agility.
Differentiating between big 'T' and little 'T' transformations
There is a distinction between big 'T' transformations and little 'T' transformations. Big 'T' transformations involve rethinking and reinventing the entire organization, while little 'T' transformations focus on evolving specific areas or teams. Big 'T' transformations typically touch all aspects of the organization, from talent and roles to funding and culture. On the other hand, little 'T' transformations may focus on specific parts of the organization, like improving delivery processes within IT. It is important to understand the scale and scope of the transformation in order to define the approach and goals appropriately.
The importance of lean principles in successful agile transformations
Lean principles play a crucial role in successful agile transformations. Lean thinking emphasizes the reduction of waste, wait times, and batch sizes, as well as the implementation of flow-based systems. Lean principles help organizations become more agile by promoting faster time to market, higher quality, and continuous improvement. Scaling agile practices beyond a single team requires embracing lean thinking at the company level. This approach focuses on creating a lean culture, where teams work collaboratively, prioritize work effectively, and embrace systems thinking. The application of lean principles throughout the organization helps achieve a successful agile transformation.
Leadership's role in a successful agile transformation
Leadership plays a critical role in driving a successful agile transformation. Leaders need to set the vision, promote the right mindset, and enable change throughout the organization. A successful agile transformation requires leadership buy-in, active participation, and support. Leaders should prioritize change management and create an environment that fosters agility. They should also ensure that the transformation aligns with the organization's goals and strategy. By championing the transformation and embodying the principles of agility, leaders can inspire and guide the entire organization, paving the way for a successful agile transformation.
One of our favorites from the archives: What defines a "successful" agile transformation? Is there a difference between "big T" and "little T" transformations? And what exactly is a capon? Join host Troy Lightfoot as he tries to corral an answer to this and other questions out of Chris Murman, Andrew Leff, and Jay Hrcsko. This one's a bit of a rambler, but it should be fun for you listeners. Enjoy! About the Agile Uprising If you enjoyed this episode, please give us a review, a rating, or leave comments on iTunes, Stitcher or your podcasting platform of choice. It really helps others find us. Much thanks to the artist from who provided us our outro music free-of-charge! If you like what you heard, to find more music you might enjoy! If you’d like to join the discussion and share your stories, please jump into the fray at our We at the Agile Uprising are committed to being totally free. However, if you’d like to contribute and help us defray hosting and production costs we do have a . Who knows, you might even get some surprises in the mail!
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