Not Very Agile

Agile has become a buzzword to attract developers. The problem is, being Agile means that the structure of the organization is Agile, which is rarely the case. In an Agile team, there is no hierarchy. It’s a team, working together to reach a common goal; as opposed to most waterfall organization who implement a tiered hierarchy.

In Agile, the SDLC is a continuous deployment model that incorporates changes each iteration. The recommended timeframe for an iteration is anywhere from one to four weeks. The most common is two weeks. In an ideal situation, there would be a product release at the end of each iteration. Product Owners would receive feedback from users and create user stories to add to the backlog based on the feedback received. By the end of the project timeline, the user would receive exactly what they want because they were able to monitor the progress of the project along the way.

This is in drastic contrast to a waterfall model in which requirements and design for the project are discussed up front, the project is then sent for development, testing, and deployment. This model does not allow for flexibility or design change during the development phase. Some companies do try to force changes in the late stages of development while using this model which only leads to lengthy deployment delays.

There are aspects of Agile that are easily incorporated into other models, such as scrum and kanban. Often companies use these aspects in their waterfall model while claiming to be Agile. This can be very misleading, especially for new developers who have never worked in an Agile environment.

Companies need to first understand that there is nothing wrong with the waterfall model. In fact, there are some projects in which the preferred model to use is waterfall. An example of this would be a known product that is not going to require any changes, or perhaps a simple upgrade on an existing product. The need for continuous deployment would be quite low.

New products that may have unexpected outcomes, or major changes to existing products are candidates for an Agile approach. The continuous deployment method allows developers, testers, and users to identify issues with the product before they become major problems.

Being honest with potential employees about the company’s structure allows people to make an informed decision about their future. This ensures that the people working with the company are happy. It’s been repeatedly proven that happy employees are more productive.

In the end, using Agile as a buzzword will most likely backfire. Be honest, allow people to make informed decisions, and if a company truly wants to convert to Agile for its efficiency, there many ways to do so.

One way to begin the transformation is to hire an Agile coach. Certified Agile coaches understand how to implement Agile principles, and can help companies through the transformational stages. Along with hiring an Agile coach, hiring experienced Agile practitioners can make the transition easier. Product owners, product managers, developers, and scrum master who have been working in an Agile environment understand the framework, and can help an organization adjust.

One of the best ways for an organization to make the adjustment towards Agile is for senior management to be certified in Agile. In most organizations, the biggest issue with implementing proper Agile or SAFe Agile is a lack of understanding among top level executives. The simplest way to resolve that issue is for those executives to spend a few hours of their time learning about Agile. Those few hours could boost productivity exponentially.

Putting Agile on a job ad might look good, and even attract a lot of potential candidates, but someone who truly understands Agile is not going to be fooled. If your company is in transition towards Agile, be honest about it. You will be surprised how many good, Agile practitioners will want to help you through that process, especially if your leaders have taken the time to understand the framework. By getting an Agile certification, company leaders demonstrate a commitment to be part of the change; it is the embodiment of leading by example.