Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile Storytelling from the Trenches
Episode: Balancing Delivery Pressure with Agile Transformation | Antti Horelli
Host: Vasco Duarte
Release Date: January 29, 2025
Introduction
In this compelling episode of the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast, host Vasco Duarte delves into the intricate balance between delivery pressure and Agile transformation with guest Antti Horelli. The conversation provides valuable insights into navigating Agile transformations within traditional organizational structures, highlighting real-world challenges and practical solutions.
Background of Agile Transformation
Antti Horelli begins by sharing his experience as an Agile Coach hired to spearhead an Agile transformation in a traditionally siloed organization. He describes the initial state of the company, characterized by isolated departments such as Development, QA and Testing, and Support, with minimal transparency and communication between them.
Key Points:
- Traditional Silos: Departments operated in isolation, leading to poor transparency and understanding between business and tech teams.
- Agile Introduction: The transformation began by establishing cross-functional Scrum teams to eliminate silos and foster collaboration.
Implementation Steps
Antti outlines the comprehensive steps taken to implement Agile practices within the organization:
- Cross-Functional Teams: Transitioned to Scrum teams integrating developers, testers, and support personnel to enhance collaboration and efficiency.
- Transparency Initiatives: Introduced a physical transparency wall in the office divided into two sections:
- Business Funnel (Left Side): Showcased incoming sales and business projects.
- Delivery Wall (Right Side): Displayed ongoing projects and sprint plans, providing a clear view of what development teams aimed to achieve each month.
- Common Weekly Meetings: Held open meetings every week that included stakeholders, allowing anyone interested to join and stay informed.
- Joint Planning Days: Implemented a joint planning day akin to PI Planning in SAFe, facilitating mid-term planning across multiple sprints.
- Scrum of Scrums: Established a Scrum of Scrums to coordinate between different Scrum teams, ensuring alignment and resolving inter-team dependencies.
Notable Quote:
"We want to focus the summit on real life, first person stories of Agile all succeeding that inspire you to action."
— Vasco Duarte [00:01]
Challenges Faced: Balancing Delivery Pressure
As the transformation progressed, the organization encountered a critical challenge: the inception of a high-stakes, "do or die" project that necessitated a return to traditional project management practices. This shift was a direct response to the immediate pressure to deliver a significant project successfully.
Key Points:
- Do or Die Project: A major project emerged that the company deemed essential for survival, compelling a shift back to a project management-driven approach to ensure its timely delivery.
- Impact on Transformation: The reintroduction of traditional project management temporarily hindered the Agile transformation, creating tension between maintaining Agile practices and meeting urgent delivery demands.
Notable Quote:
"Balancing making change in small steps at least, and not like stagnating, but having also the stress of a big project that you really have to deliver, that was pretty tough."
— Antti Horelli [07:59]
Conflict Between Agile Transformation and Project Management
The episode delves deeper into the inherent conflict between Agile methodologies and traditional project management, especially during periods of intense delivery pressure.
Discussion Highlights:
- Organizational Trust: Management's lack of trust in the newly adopted Agile processes can lead to reverting to familiar project management methods, especially under high-stress scenarios.
- Risk Mitigation: Faced with critical deadlines, organizations might prioritize predictability and control offered by project management over the flexibility of Agile.
- Anti-Patterns: The host, Vasco Duarte, identifies a common anti-pattern where organizations treat Agile transformation as an end goal rather than a means to enhance delivery and value creation.
Notable Quote:
"Agile is a method or rather a philosophy of delivering. It's not a process you adopt, it's a philosophy of delivering."
— Vasco Duarte [10:47]
Lessons Learned and Insights
Antti reflects on the lessons gleaned from navigating the transformation amidst delivery pressures:
- Value-Driven Agile: Emphasizes that Agile practices should serve the purpose of delivering value, not merely adhering to processes for their own sake.
- Sustainability: While traditional project management can ensure the completion of critical projects, it may not be sustainable in the long term and can lead to burnout.
- Integrated Practices: Even when reverting to project management for specific projects, maintaining elements of Agile (e.g., cross-functional teams, transparency) can preserve some benefits of the transformation.
Notable Quote:
"Agile or any methodology or process isn't a value in itself. We're not doing it like doing Agile to do agile, we're doing agile to create value."
— Antti Horelli [12:17]
Conclusions
The episode underscores the importance of prioritizing delivery and value creation over rigidly adhering to transformation processes. It advocates for a balanced approach where Agile methodologies are leveraged to enhance delivery, adaptability, and collaboration, rather than being treated as mere checklists to be followed.
Closing Insights:
- Start with Delivery: Focus on improving delivery outcomes first, allowing Agile practices to evolve organically based on what works.
- Adaptability: Be prepared to adapt Agile practices in response to organizational needs and external pressures without compromising the core Agile philosophy.
- Sustainable Practices: Aim for sustainable transformation by integrating Agile principles into everyday workflows, ensuring long-term benefits and minimizing burnout.
Notable Quote:
"Having a strong project manager might help in the short term, but it can be counterproductive and lead to burnout in the long run."
— Vasco Duarte [14:06]
Final Thoughts
This episode offers a nuanced exploration of the challenges and solutions involved in Agile transformations within high-pressure environments. Antti Horelli's firsthand experience provides valuable lessons for Scrum Masters and Agile Coaches aiming to navigate similar terrains, emphasizing the importance of flexibility, value-driven practices, and sustainable change.
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