Our Agile at scale methods are often like driving on the wrong side of the road in reverse during a rainstorm. While the driver’s are well intended, and may even appreciate that at least they’re in a car, that are better ways. Here’s a list of things we must do that are usually not done when attempting Agile at scale.
- Take a systems-thinking approach
- Explicitly connect what the company wants to invest in to the development group
- Organize work around the value stream
- Manage the environment people are working in
- Attend to the organization’s culture
- Start with a framework of practices that have been customized for the organization
- Use the concept of Minimum Business Increments (MBIs) (quite different from MVPs)
- Attend to inter- and intra-team flow when creating programs
- Adjust your planning methods to the needs of the organization
- Do test-first at the requirement level
- Do test-first at the code level
- Create visibility of workflow
- Have explicit agreements about how work is being done
- Don’t buy into comments by those selling a framework that the above can’t be done.