Agile Evolution Cycle

Agile Evolution

Agile Evolution is a Business Agility Framework.

It focuses on learning, organisational development and helping organisations to develop faster. It concentrates on principles and values.

It is agnostic to agile practices, so it can be used in combination with one or more other frameworks.

While learning is part of other agile frameworks too, learning is not a “first class citizen” in the description. It looks like an afterthought. It is time to put actions to develop an agile mindset and culture in the center of the discourse.

No Blueprint – Agile is a Path

Introducing Agile is not a normal change, it requires a substantial shift in habits, practices, cooperation, product development and ultimately culture.

This cannot be done in one single step. Normally, when one starts on this journey, only the first steps are visible, there is no complete plan or roadmap.

However, there are some experiences which can help to direct the efforts in the direction with a high probability of success:

  • Identify the desired outcomes to evaluate an initial plan:
  • Find the right drivers and mindsets which allow a sustainable change towards agile
  • Identify the actors / target audience for the change steps and actions
  • Start with the actions which provide fast feedback, remove major obstacles and provide in general the largest impact

Bootstrap – Readiness for the Transition

  • Decide on Agile
  • Check Prerequisites and develop initial goals
  • Understand more of the Status Quo
  • Establish a leading coalition

Transition

Agile Transition is a massive change. It involves a change in structures, culture, roles. You will not like everything you encounter in this path. It needs therefore a strong leading coalition, lot of communication and some initial plan – while this plan will be modified when the experience of the first transition steps are considered.

  • Decide on an initial scope and how to start
  • Start communicating
  • Develop skills and capabilities of people and teams
  • Develop appropriate structures

Drive the Evolution

  • Continuously identify, prioritize, drive and evaluate next steps
  • Continuously re-evaluate your assessment and adjust focus, approach, scope