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The video on Agile implementation pitfalls

Implementing Agile can prove to be somewhat tricky. At Orphoz, we have investigated pitfalls to avoid on 3 key dimensions: people, process and technology. We have come up with pragmatic practices for you to try with your teams.

Learn more with this 3-minute video and follow Bob, an IT project leader, on his journey to face Agile implementation challenges on each dimension.


 

Conclusion on hands on guide to avoid pitfalls in executing an Agile project

As you have seen through this series, there is no silver bullet for Agile project implementation success. The three dimensions – People, Process and Technology – are closely intertwined

That is why our conviction is that you should go all-in and address all those issues simultaneously

Technology - Pitfall#6: Being overwhelmed by technical debt

You have been practicing Agile for a while now. You have improved how your team work together by setting the right management artifacts. But somehow, it seems that something is still wrong: 

• The effort to develop new features grows continuously 

• Releases cause regression in existing features 

• Application’s availability drops due to unexpected bugs 

These are common symptoms of Technical Debt

Technology - Pitfall#7: Keeping old ways to test

Fundamentally, Agile is about going quicker. Quicker interactions between Business and IT, quicker increments of your app in production, quicker feedback loops from customers. To achieve such velocity, every element of the product development lifecycle (Planning, Coding, Reviewing, Testing, Deploying and Operation) should be shortened. 

Process - Pitfall#4: Underestimating planning value

One of the most popular myths about Agile is that there is no planning and no structure whatsoever. Well you could not be more wrong. In fact, planning is key to define and structure your product roadmap and share it with your agile teams. Contrary to traditional methods where you plan everything in detail at the very beginning of your project, agile methods offer you a more flexible approach to maintain Agile main values: adaptability and commitment to the product vision. 

Process - Pitfall #5: Not getting out of your Agile bubble

In a non-Agile operating model, you have a complex network of day to day dependencies. Several types of dependency are inherent to non-Agile environments.
In an Agile operating model, some of these team-level dependencies break away, but dependencies remain beyond the team level. It is important to set up enablers that promote coordination

People - Pitfall #1: Losing faith in the team

In your opinion, what is the most important asset in your organization? Intellectual property? Your physical plant? Data? None of that… Your biggest asset is People! 

32% of respondents recognized that to have a working Agile project, it is essential to have sponsorship from top/middle management and to define team members’ roles and responsibilities clearly. But the first issue to tackle would probably be the lack of trust within the team. 

People - Pitfall #2: Confusing agility and disorganization

The clear definition of roles and responsibilities is a key step in the implementation of any organization. In Agile, roles and responsibilities may differ from existing ones. But it means more than just rebranding existing roles in your team. Your coworkers must acknowledge that there is also a shift in responsibilities. Thus, when transitioning from a traditional to an Agile way of working, to engage your teams in this transformation and ensure everyone’s accountability, you must clearly define and adapt the new roles and responsibilities matrix to your project. 

People - Pitfall #3: Hiding yourself in the basement

Undertaking an Agile transformation has a major impact on the entire organization. It requires a strong sponsorship for teams to be fully engaged and committed. Otherwise, people might be reluctant to change and reject the Agile way of working.