Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches

Understanding the "Why" Behind Agile Transformation | Season Hughes

Feb 26, 2025

Season Hughes, a strategist and creator passionate about empowering teams, discusses the crucial 'why' behind Agile transformations. She highlights that understanding the organization's motivations is key to success. Instead of merely implementing Scrum, she advocates for foundational training and Liftoff workshops to build strong team dynamics. The conversation delves into the importance of establishing working agreements, prioritizing backlogs, and the need for continuous improvement to navigate the complex landscape of organizational change.

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ADVICE

Understanding the "Why"

Understand the "why" behind agile transformations by asking key questions.
Inquire about current processes, desired outcomes, and reasons for wanting change.

ADVICE

Start with Training

Start agile transformations with foundational training, ideally involving everyone, especially leaders.
Focus on understanding the Scrum Guide and the "why" behind its practices.

ADVICE

Team Liftoffs

Conduct team liftoff workshops to establish team foundations, vision, and working agreements.
Discuss needed skills, and start backlog formation and prioritization.

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Season Hughes: Understanding the "Why" Behind Agile Transformation

Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes.

Drawing from her consulting experience, Season shares valuable insights about leading successful Agile transformations. Rather than simply implementing Scrum, she emphasizes the importance of understanding organizational motivations by asking crucial questions like "Why do you want this change?" and "What does success look like?"

She outlines a comprehensive approach that begins with foundational training using the Scrum Guide, followed by Liftoff workshops to establish team foundations, working agreements, and regular check-ins to support continuous improvement.

In this segment, we refer to the Liftoff book, by Diana Larsen and Ainsley Niles.

Self-reflection Question: What steps are you taking to understand and align with your organization's transformation goals?

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About Season Hughes

Season is a strategist and creator who empowers customers and teams to excel. From designing clever, fandom-inspired apparel at Tomorrowland Transit Authority to coaching high-performance teams, Season is passionate about delivering value and driving growth. Now focused on ecommerce success, Season's mission is to turn goals into epic adventures.

You can link with Season Hughes on LinkedIn.