The benefits of Agile transformation are abundant. However, unfortunately, studies show that 42% of Agile transformation ends as a failure. Even in some instances, organizations were forced into bankruptcy and takeovers in worst-case scenarios. Thankfully, there are some Agile transformation steps to follow to get the best outcome from Agile transformation.

Agile Transformation – The Meaning:

Agile transformation is a term used to denote the process of moving from traditional approaches to Agile approaches by organizations. This transformation needs that organizations should completely embrace the values of Agile. Also, they should follow the principles specified in the Agile Manifesto for a smooth transformation.

Following Agile transformation means reconstructing the present model that a business follows entirely. The reason is that Agile modifies an organization’s method to a more incremental and iterative framework. This is something entirely different from the traditional approaches to Project Management. So, it might need modifications to the base of the business.

Agile Transformation – The Benefits:

Are you concerned whether learning the Agile transformation steps is hard? If so, it is better to understand the benefits of Agile transformation. When you know the benefits, you will understand that the pain you experience during the transformation is for your organization’s future growth and efficiency. So, it is worth getting through the Agile Transformation:

1. To Bring Down Obstacles and To Boost Efficiency:

Have you been looking to boost efficiency by getting rid of obstacles in your organization? If so, the best thing you can do is to learn the Agile Transformation Steps.

One of the key advantages of Agile transformation is that the Agile framework improves your organization’s efficiency. This shows up as tighter attention to interaction and collaboration between teams in your organization.

Once Agile is implemented, the departments in your organization need not have to stay limited to their tasks without engaging in their co-workers’ work. It means that teams in your organization can share their skills and knowledge. So they can create better products by working more efficiently.

2. Shared Purpose:

Organizations that follow Agile share values. As against getting caught in minor details, teams in an organization can pay attention to the bigger picture. They feel motivated when their teams work towards the same purpose or objective. In turn, your organization will achieve better benefits.

3. Reduce Time to Market:

Agile teams generally work in a Sprint cycle that lasts a couple of weeks. Also, the teams work to deliver a Minimum Viable Product or MVP at the end of every Sprint. Agile teams can achieve quick delivery by splitting bigger tasks into shorter Sprints, iterating the process, and progressing it to the next Sprint.

Apart from these benefits, your organization can also achieve other benefits of Agile transformation. Examples include more innovation and creativity, a higher return on all efforts, and a renewed focus on customers and users with Agile.

Agile Transformation Steps:

Now, with the knowledge of the benefits of Agile transformation, you will be interested in learning about the Agile transformation steps. The ten steps in Agile Transformation are listed below for your understanding:

1. Building a Leadership Coalition:

The Agile transformation will demand changes to every part of your business. Your organization will need complete support from the top management as the first thing in the Agile Transformation Process. So, as the first step, you should ensure that all your executives are on board. Most importantly, they should stay informed on what is going to happen.

2. Vision Statement:

We can reach a spot only when we know where we will head. In the same way, for successful Agile transformation, your teams should know what they are working on. In other words, there should be a plan in place. The plan should encompass a working hypothesis for metrics, governance, and structure. These things should expand progressively all through the transformation cycle. When you have an Agile coach in every team, the coach will help you understand the patterns around how to form teams at scale. Also, the coach will explain how to orchestrate every team to work together.

3. Building a Transformation Roadmap:

One of the key Agile transformation steps is to build an Agile Transformation roadmap. This roadmap should explain which teams should move forward first, followed by the second and third teams. The transformation roadmap should give a complete idea of what you will do, how you will do it, and how long it will take to complete the transformation.

4. Follow A Rolling 90-Day Plan:

The team responsible for handling the Agile Transformation should meet to plan things. Also, during these meetings, they will have to evaluate progress and should adjust as required. Their objective should be to have a rolling 90-day plan with a fairly particular idea of what will take place. The 90-day plan should look like a PI or Agile Release Plan. In other words, the plan should specify everything in the business that will impact the next 90-day period.

5. Conduct A 30-day Checkpoint:

Agile teams will have Sprint cycles. In the same way, these teams should have a 30-day checkpoint cycle. The purpose of this cycle is to periodically evaluate the work progress concerning transformation, retrospecting, and making the required changes.

6. Adapt and Learn:

Re-evaluation and end-state vision should be done based on how our understanding has improved during the transformation process.

7. Bring Together Activity and Results:

One of the essential benefits of Agile Transformation is the creation of better business results. In the process of transformation, organizations start to justify their investment. It can do this by pivoting, explaining results, conducting experiments, and creating hypotheses based on the findings. Indeed, it is not possible to assess everything in advance. But, the ideal objective is to get good by arranging the results to be achieved and ensuring that the activities are done to give the desired results.

8. Associate Results to Business Objectives:

In Agile Transformation, the ultimate goal is to associate the money invested, and the measurable results achieved openly. The idea of this step is that you should be in a position to keep an eye on improvements in the system to make visible the benefits that your business has achieved. It means that the executives should see progress against business metrics. When they see the progress, they will continue to give their best to the Agile Transformation.

9. Communication Management:

Effective communication management is a crucial Agile transformation step. It means that there should be regular and transparent communication on the progress and hindrances from the leadership. This communication will create energy and excitement for sure. In general, this takes the form of signage, executive roundtables, town halls, and other information radiators.

10. Create Safety for Everyone Involved:

In Agile Transformation, the final step is to aid everyone in seeing what is in the transformation for them. They will become accountable when they know where to fit in your Agile Organization. The reason is that they are clear and confident about their roles, and they can measure their progress.

Define the Agile Transformation Roadmap:

Before the process of Agile Transformation begins, it would be safer to have an Agile Transformation Roadmap. It should clearly show the steps required to carry out the transformation successfully. The roadmap document should have the company’s approach to putting Agile operations into practice and make top-team executives familiar with Agile and creating the Agile Framework.

An organization can implement agile operations in three key ways. They have explained below:

1. The All-in-One Approach:

This approach denotes the deployment of Agile cells across the whole organization. These approaches are dedicated to implementing the Agile model in the quickest possible time.

2. The Step-by-Step Approach:

This approach to Agile transformation differentiates between the varied phases of an Agile transformation and permits organizations to familiarize themselves with the base before moving on.

3. Emergent Strategy:

This approach is otherwise denoted as the bottom-up approach. As the name implies, it involves gradually unfolding the capabilities of Agile among the team members.

Conclusion:

You know the Agile transformation steps now. But, the thing to remember here is that shifting to Agile is not child’s play. The initial step in the process is to understand the process thoroughly. After this, you should move your team forward with an Agile mindset.
The Agile transformation does not just involve a shift in the product development process. However, it is a shift that should happen at the enterprise level as it will touch every aspect of your business, including processes, people, technology, and structure. So, it should be done with the utmost care to achieve the best benefits of Agile transformation.