How can you blend Agile Transformation with other organizational frameworks?

You can find LeSS, Nexus, Scrum@Scale and many more. Yet, whenever we speak at organizational level it's important to notice they don't provide holistic approaches to the enterprise. Sales, HR, and many so-called support functions are not present in those frameworks, as agility started in software development and slowly expanded to product and business.

As complex as it may sound, but most organizational frameworks works in perfect complement with agile transformation. Take for example product management concepts: Continuous discovery, user-centricity, and quick time-to-market are all mapped to one of the 12 Agile Principles. Same goes with design thinking, its iterative nature works best in an agile environment. Being product-led, which basically empowers the non-tech members of the organization to leverage the product and perform their functions in an optimal manner... again, that's self organization and empowerment... a critical part of the Agile Manifesto. I think of it as a "trick" to help the organization embrace agility without talking about Agility itself ;)

Some frameworks are better at big picture. Others help an organization gain insight into details of execution. Take Kanban, for example. "Protecting the flow" can be an esoteric Lean concept. Or, it can be represented by a board or system in which you can manage the work in detail, never allowing the system to be in a bottleneck. Some frameworks and models are about work management practices, such as a portfolio kanban; others about leadership practices, such as Kotter model for change. Some frameworks are domain specific, as it happens in engineering and health.

Blending models requires: - knowledge of the problem - understanding and respecting the appetite for change - knowledge of broader models and frameworks. Here is one example. As an organization adopts SAFe, they could very well adapt all sorts of communications by filtering them through the SCARF model (nothing to do with agile). The same organization can consider ADKAR model for change as they think of the flow for bringing about that change, respecting the individual and collective rhythms. Finally, while SAFe asks for planning and review of work, it's not impossible to combine those sessions in one. All this creating a very unique approach that is aligned with the culture and needs of the organization.

Yes. Applying a blended approach to provide best-in-class/breed (pardon the cliché), shows the biggest impact in agile transformations. Particularly when you start with design thinking for product-related projects, and when you combine it with lean UX ahead of creating value for the business (putting the customer at the heart of innovation and creativity). These frameworks (lean UX/design) help to harmonise and bridge the gaps between technology, processes and the people driving it for transformational products and services.

The best approaches are unique and tailored for a group, a team, an organization. While so-called agile frameworks are great starting point, organizations and their people are constantly evolving. So is the organization as it responds to market pressures and changes. Blended approaches invite co-creation from colleagues and bring together departments. Some agile transformations start with tech, or product. Eventually, as they need to encompass a change across the organization, what may seem like a patchwork for outside eyes, is actually a resilient fabric created by the people who live the consequences of the change.

It is useful to have training sessions for agile methodologies and other complementary methodologies and to convey what parts of each are being implemented to suit the organisational needs and the role to play that is expected from each team member.