Agile teams are not created equal. Some are more experienced, productive, and collaborative than others. But how can you tell how mature an agile team is, and what can you do to help them grow? In this article, you will learn how to assess the maturity level of an agile team using four dimensions: process, technical, people, and business.
Process maturity refers to how well an agile team follows the principles and practices of agile methodologies, such as Scrum, Kanban, or XP. A mature agile team has a clear and consistent way of planning, executing, and reviewing their work. They deliver value to customers frequently and adapt to changing requirements and feedback. They also use tools and metrics to track and improve their performance. To assess process maturity, you can use frameworks such as the Agile Fluency Model, the Scrum Maturity Model, or the Agile Maturity Matrix.
I believe that Mature agile teams deliver value to customers more frequently, with higher quality, and at lower cost. In order to improve the maturity process: 1. Assess your current state 2. set clear goals 3. Create a plan 4. Involve your team 5. Be patient. Investing in process maturity pays off in the long run. Mature agile teams are more efficient, effective, and resilient to change.
From my experience, more than the framework or process used, is important to understand the context, the product and most importantly the people working in it. Factors such as motivation and culture play a much bigger role in delivering great products than increasing delivery velocity and perceived performance. With the right mindset and people you are then able to mature the process (whatever it may be).
I feel like this is an overcomplication and doesn't necessarily represent the real maturity (and speed) of the team. I believe that following rigorous processes is an important intermediate step towards true team maturity, where processes (ideally) become irrelevant.
Honestly, none of your engineers would understand this jargon, nor would they try to. What is important is setting up processes that help in delivering, while also maintaining a healthy collaboration environment. This is a good ingredient in the recipe of concocting a healthy product!
Technical maturity refers to how well an agile team applies engineering practices and standards to ensure the quality and reliability of their software. A mature agile team follows coding conventions, writes automated tests, performs code reviews, integrates and deploys continuously, and refactors and improves their code regularly. They also use tools and technologies that support their agile workflow and enable collaboration and innovation. To assess technical maturity, you can use frameworks such as the Software Engineering Institute's Capability Maturity Model Integration, the Agile Technical Skills Assessment, or the XP Practices Assessment.
Encouraging 'good quality' of code is crucial. And it's never an engineer's job alone. A PM is, and should be equally responsible for a good quality system. No, you do not need to go and write comments and clean up variables, but yes, you do need to encourage your development teams to do the same. And it's not just your words that will encourage this, but your actions will.
To assess an agile team's technical maturity, evaluate their use of engineering practices and standards. Check for consistent coding conventions, automated testing, regular code reviews, continuous integration and deployment, and frequent code refactoring. Also, consider their use of tools that support agile workflows. Frameworks like the Capability Maturity Model Integration or Agile Technical Skills Assessment can provide a structured approach to this evaluation, helping identify strengths and areas for improvement in the team's technical skills.
People maturity refers to how well an agile team works together as a self-organizing and cross-functional unit. A mature agile team has a shared vision, values, and goals. They communicate openly and effectively, respect and trust each other, and resolve conflicts constructively. They also learn from each other, give and receive feedback, and celebrate their achievements. They are motivated, engaged, and empowered to make decisions and take ownership of their work. To assess people maturity, you can use frameworks such as the Tuckman's Stages of Team Development, the Team Performance Model, or the Team Maturity Assessment.
Being radically candid with each other is the rule of thumb I'd use to evaluate how mature team is, so that's the only thing I'd try to measure/evaluate.
In startups, the teams will usually be very young, comparatively. Hence, maturity doesn't refer to the years of experience. It should refer to the environment you build. Building trust and respect is extremely important. Encouraging open discussion, healthy arguments and constructive feedback loops are what lead to being able to build the teams that deliver!
Assessing an agile team's maturity involves evaluating people's maturity, focusing on collaboration and self-organization. Look for a shared vision, effective communication, trust, and constructive conflict resolution. A mature team learns from one another, embraces feedback, and celebrates achievements. Frameworks like Tuckman's Stages, Team Performance Model, or Team Maturity Assessment provide valuable insights into the team's cohesion and effectiveness. A high level of people's maturity indicates motivation, engagement, and empowerment within the team.
Business maturity refers to how well an agile team aligns their work with the strategic objectives and customer needs of the organization. A mature agile team understands the value proposition, market, and competition of their product. They collaborate with stakeholders and customers to define and prioritize their requirements, validate their assumptions, and measure their outcomes. They also deliver solutions that solve real problems, create value, and generate feedback. They are customer-centric, outcome-oriented, and data-driven. To assess business maturity, you can use frameworks such as the Business Model Canvas, the Lean Startup Methodology, or the Value Proposition Canvas.
Assessing the maturity level of an agile team is not a one-time exercise. It is an ongoing process that requires regular feedback, reflection, and improvement. By using these four dimensions and frameworks, you can identify the strengths and weaknesses of your agile team, and provide them with the guidance and support they need to grow and succeed.
The main indicator of business maturity in this sense is what I'd call "clarity of vision". Simply having a crystal clear understand of who they're serving, what's the burning problem they're solving, and what's the change they're bringing. It's shocking how many companies are clueless about this.
You can evaluate process and tools all day long but in my view, a team's true agility is measured by how well they've adopted the core agile principles into their everyday actions. A mature agile team goes beyond merely practicing agile methods; they live out the values of teamwork, flexibility, ongoing enhancement, and putting the customer first. They're disciplined enough to manage themselves, take responsibility, and refine their approach as they gain insights and feedback.