Humdrum Scrum: Revitalizing Agile Delivery Part 1

In our three-part series on Humdrum Scrum, we’ve identified nine common issues companies encounter in agile deployments with suggestions and remedies to turn the crumbs of humdrum into savings of time and funds.

Issue 1: Plan? What Plan? (Excuse for Not Planning)

Often, the rigid and sequential planning of traditional waterfall deliveries leave teams mired in analysis paralysis or locked into antiquated plans and designs that failed to evolve with new information and customer demands. Agile provides a shift to quicker, more manageable delivery cycles—a refreshing change from the cumbersome waterfall approach. Yet, this has led some agile teams to forsake long-term planning altogether, concentrating solely on the immediate sprint, release, or planning period. Strategic roadmaps and long-term goals give way to chaotic backlogs and makeshift prioritization, with the excuse that “the future is unknowable, we’ll just adapt as we go.” But embracing agile doesn’t mean abandoning planning; it means planning with the flexibility to adapt as necessary.

Suggested Solution: To mitigate the excuse for not planning, teams should integrate their agile delivery with strategic foresight. This involves:

1. Establishing a Vision: Start with a clear, long-term vision that aligns agile projects with business objectives.
2. Iterative Roadmapping: Develop strategic roadmaps that outline major milestones but are flexible enough to adapt to changes without losing sight of the end goals.
3. Regular Reflections: Encourage teams to regularly reflect on their progress towards long-term objectives, not just immediate deliverables. This helps in maintaining alignment with the company’s strategic direction.

Issue 2: Drip Drop The Waterfall Won’t Stop (Unable to Shift from Waterfall Practices)

Many managers and senior leaders began their careers deeply rooted in the waterfall methodology, characterized by rigid development phases and immovable timelines. In waterfall, once requirements and milestones are set, any change requires arduous stakeholder approval, making the process inflexible and ineffective. Too often senior leaders value the illusion of control and predictability, favoring the timely delivery of features no longer needed or a suboptimized product over functionality and results aligned with customer value. This preference for predictability over practical value can be a challenging mindset to change.

Suggested Solution: To shift from entrenched waterfall practices to a more flexible agile approach, consider the following strategies:

1. Awareness & Education: Establish the waterfall mindset as a risk in the product planning and incorporate a phrase such as “drip-drop” to use when waterfall thinking creeps into discussions and behaviors. Have fun with the alert to lessen the discomfort of calling out colleagues or (yikes) leaders.
2. Pilot Projects: Implement agile practices in small, controlled environments to demonstrate their effectiveness. Use successful examples as case studies to build confidence and support for a broader rollout.
3. Gradual Implementation: Transition to agile incrementally. Start by integrating agile practices into the waterfall model, such as adding sprints within longer project phases, to allow gradual adjustment to the new approach.
4. Cultural Shift: Foster a company culture that values learning, adaptation, and feedback over strict adherence to plans. Celebrate successes achieved through agile practices to reinforce their value.

Issue 3: No Assembly Required (Delivering Parts Over Products)

In our quest for maximum efficiency and cost-effectiveness, it might seem sensible to provide customers with all the necessary tools and components, allowing them the freedom to construct the precise products they require. After all, why deliver just one type of fish when you can provide the entire fishing kit—pole, tackle, net, and every conceivable bait—to catch everything in the sea? However, this approach overlooks a crucial question: should we be enabling users to create whatever they perceive as valuable, or should we guide them to realize the specific value our products are designed to deliver, aligned with strategic goals?

The reality is that expecting users to assemble their solutions can lead to parts languishing in warehouses as mere potential, never actualizing into value. This method suboptimizes our supply chain, focusing on the volume of components shipped rather than the tangible benefits derived from fully realized products. Unassembled parts remain just that—costly expenditures—until they are pieced together into products that generate real, strategic value.

Suggested Solution: To address this issue and ensure that agility does not compromise product integrity, consider the following approaches:

1. Focus on End-User Value: Shift the focus from delivering pieces and components to delivering complete solutions that directly meet user needs. This means considering the end-user experience in every aspect of the product development process.
2. Modular Yet Complete: Develop modular systems that are easy to integrate but also function as stand-alone products. Ensure each module delivers value on its own while complementing the broader system.
3. Feedback Loops: Implement robust feedback mechanisms to gather user insights on the usability and effectiveness of both individual components and the overall product. Use this feedback to refine and adjust offerings.
4. Value-Based Metrics: Replace metrics focused on component delivery with those that measure the value and usability of completed products. Celebrate and reward teams based on these value-based outcomes.