Agile CX: Redefining Teamwork for Customer-Driven Outcomes

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In a world demanding adaptability, Agile methodologies—once synonymous with software development—are a versatile powerhouse, transforming diverse domains. Over 15 years, I've applied Agile principles, particularly Scrum, orchestrating family goals and enhancing customer experiences across organizations, achieving game-changing results.

Exploring Agile and Scrum reveals their broad applicability.

What is Agile?

According to the Agile Alliance, “Agile is the ability to create and respond to change. It is a way of dealing with, and ultimately succeeding in, an uncertain and turbulent environment.?The authors of the?Agile Manifesto ?chose “Agile” as the label for this whole idea because that word?represented the adaptiveness and response to change which was so important to their approach.”

One thing that separates Agile from other approaches to software development is the focus on the people doing the work and how they work together. Solutions evolve through collaboration between self-organizing cross-functional teams utilizing the appropriate practices for their context.

Ultimately, Agile is a mindset with values and principles that focus on achieving great work together. The first principle:

Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through the early and continuous delivery of valuable software.

What is Scrum?

Scrum is an Agile Framework, providing a structure to the way of working.

According to Scrum.org , “Scrum helps people and teams?deliver value incrementally?in a?collaborative?manner. If you are just getting started, think of it as a way to get work done as a team in small pieces at a time, with experimentation and feedback loops along the way. Scrum helps people and teams?deliver value?incrementally in a collaborative way.”

I began working with Scrum in the early 2000s, when my software teams were struggling to deliver traditional ‘waterfall’ projects. The projects of the day focused on formal phases that slowly progressed through requirements, design, implementation, testing, deployment, and maintenance.

My job in managing the teams was to guard the team against any changes, carefully managing contracts with change orders. Due to lengthy project timelines, the final product often didn’t match evolving customer needs. The team didn’t function as a team – they were individual contributors only responsible for their specific phases. Furthermore, the rigid structure of the waterfall approach meant that testing and feedback were deferred until the later stages, often leading to the discovery of critical flaws when it was challenging and expensive to rectify them.

Recognizing the need for a more responsive and collaborative approach, I transitioned my teams to embrace Scrum. This marked a paradigm shift, fostering a culture of teamwork, continuous communication, and adaptability. With Scrum, we could iteratively respond to changing requirements, involve cross-functional teams in problem-solving, and ensure that the end product not only met but exceeded customer expectations. The contrast between the limitations of the waterfall model and the agile principles embodied by Scrum became evident as our projects started delivering value more efficiently, meeting evolving customer needs, and fostering a more cohesive and motivated team.

As my journey with Scrum unfolded, extending its principles beyond the confines of traditional software development became a defining theme.

Beyond Software: A Personal Evolution

Scrum led me to Customer Experience (CX), and eventually to opening my own business, LoyaltyCraft, focusing on CX strategy. I loved being able to take a more customer-centric approach, being able to deliver value faster and in a way that incorporated feedback, delivering products aligned with customer expectations and needs.

I also saw how Scrum could be applied outside of software development. The way of working, particularly the cadence, the ceremonies, and the collaborative, continuous improvement approach, all felt applicable to other parts of my life.

I started by applying Scrum outside of my software development teams. At the time, I had one other team: my family. We had many of the same needs and struggles as my software teams. We needed to communicate better. We had lots of dreams and desires, but no solid path to accomplishing them. We needed to be accountable to ourselves and each other, and we needed a framework to make it happen.

And so I gave each family member a different colored pad of sticky notes and taught them to write user stories.

I want to do ____________ so that ____________.

We each listed all the things we wanted to achieve, both individually and as a family. We came up with about 50 user stories. And we placed them on a large poster in our dining room, called the “Family Backlog.” And then we began 3-week sprints, pulling user stories from the backlog into the current sprint based on what we really wanted to focus on during that time period. Everything from "I want a haircut" to "I want to hike San Jacinto" to "I want to wallpaper the closet" was fair game.

Sure, the first couple of sprints were a little rocky, as we had to establish our way of working. I wasn’t sure how much Scrum I could get my family to sign up for. Would we do a daily standup? Would our retrospectives allow us to share effective feedback? Would the introduction of agile practices spark a mutiny?

Luckily, once they understood the purpose and saw the positive outcomes, everyone participated enthusiastically and contributed valuable insights during our family retrospectives. And we’ve been able to accomplish some amazing things together thanks to our commitment to the process. I honestly think it’s how we survived the pandemic.

And so, it felt natural to apply Scrum beyond software - especially to Customer Experience Teams.

Scrum and Customer Experience

In my work helping organizations transform into CX powerhouses, I am facilitating cultural change. We’ve got to get the whole company on board the bus. We start by making sure the C-suite not only ‘gets it’ but has a true commitment to walking the walk. Then we start a groundswell. We find the company’s customer advocates: those on the ground floor who interact with (both internal and external) customers every day. Our recruitment strategy prioritizes diversity, encompassing varied perspectives and leadership styles, along with a mix of talents across different departments and roles. This forms our first Scrum Team.

With our Scrum Team in place, we implement a dynamic approach that goes beyond traditional methods.

Here are five key ways our team operates using Scrum principles to propel our CX initiatives forward:

1) Follow the Scrum Roles. In this framework, it's not about traditional management hierarchies. We've embraced a self-organizing structure, ditching the manager-doer model. Now, our Scrum Team consists of three crucial roles: the Product Owner, the Scrum Master, and the Team Member.

• The Product Owner needs to represent the needs of the customer, and is accountable for maximizing the value of the work the team does. This person ensures that the highest-priority user stories align with and address the unique needs and expectations of our customers. They are diligent about getting feedback from the customer when the team has questions, ensuring a continuous and direct line of communication to refine and enhance the customer experience.
• The Scrum Master is a servant leader to the team, ensuring that roadblocks are removed as quickly as possible. Their job is to foster a collaborative and empowered team environment. The Scrum Master is accountable for the Scrum Team’s effectiveness as they help the Scrum Team to improve how the team works together.
• The Team operates with a versatile mindset, capable of directing their attention to various types of work (or user stories). Their core responsibility lies in crafting a plan to achieve the goals set for the Sprint. In addition to individual contributions, the Scrum Team functions cohesively, maintaining mutual accountability as professionals.

It is important to set expectations about how much time can be realistically dedicated to CX Scrum Team activities. While software development Scrum Teams typically have the luxury of having team members dedicated entirely to their projects, the nature of a CX Scrum Team is distinct. Members often serve as "borrowed" resources, juggling CX responsibilities with other roles.

Recognizing that CX may not be their sole focus, it's essential to establish realistic boundaries for meeting schedules, Sprint activities, and collaborative efforts. This ensures that despite the shared and sometimes part-time commitment, the CX Scrum Team can still effectively contribute to the iterative and customer-centric approach inherent in the Scrum framework.

2) User Stories are High-Value Customer Needs. Prioritizing user stories that encapsulate high-value customer needs is crucial for ensuring our Scrum Team is dedicated to delivering outcomes that significantly benefit our customers.

How it Works: We collect feedback from various touchpoints along the customer journey, such as surveys, interviews, advisory boards, journey mapping sessions, and employee input. This feedback transforms into 'CX Opportunities,' populating our backlog. Expressing these as User Stories enhances our understanding and empathy towards the job that needs to be done.

Examples:

• As a pet parent, I want to easily access and understand my pet's diagnostic results so that I can promptly address any health concerns, make informed decisions about their care, and ensure the well-being of my beloved pet.
• As a grandma, I want my grandchild’s present to be wrapped in paper of my choosing, with a note on it that I’ve written so that I can bring them joy, create lasting memories, and show them how much I care.
• As a commercial banking customer, I want a single login for all active services so that I can streamline my account management, easily navigate between various financial services, and maintain secure and convenient access to all relevant information, ultimately optimizing my banking experience and productivity.

The Opportunity Backlog should encompass all facets of the business, with prioritization based on high customer and business value. Collaboration from affected areas of the business is essential to weigh ease of implementation, dependencies, and other considerations.

Refining the backlog may involve the efforts of a Steering Committee, or a cross-functional team that considers not only the potential impact on customer satisfaction but also evaluates feasibility, aligns with business goals, and addresses dependencies to ensure a strategic and effective prioritization process.

Once high-priority user stories are identified, the Scrum Team becomes actively involved during the Sprint Planning phase. They collaborate to estimate the effort required for each user story, breaking them down into manageable tasks. The team discusses dependencies, identifies potential risks, and collectively commits to delivering a set of user stories by the end of the sprint.

3) Establish a Cadence. Setting a regular rhythm for our work through iterative cycles helps us maintain momentum and adaptability, fostering a steady and predictable pace for our customer experience endeavors.

How it Works: We establish fixed-length iterations, called Sprints, where the team plans, executes, reviews, and adapts its work. Typically, Sprints last between 2-3 weeks, although some teams opt for 1-week sprints for more rapid iterations, while others choose one month for more extensive cycles. The decision on sprint length is within the discretion of the Scrum Team.

Sprints form a rhythmic cadence, akin to the heartbeat of our process. This intentional repetition ensures a structured flow in our work. The fixed duration provides a framework for consistent delivery of customer value, maintaining focus on priorities and preventing scope creep. Any changes to Sprint duration are made by the Scrum Team collectively, reflecting a need to align with project demands or changing business requirements.

4) Create Scrum Ceremonies. Engaging in essential Scrum ceremonies, including daily stand-ups, demos, retrospectives, and sprint planning, cultivates a collaborative environment and facilitates continuous improvement throughout our CX journey.

• Sprint Planning: A collaborative meeting at the beginning of each sprint where the team plans the upcoming work. This ceremony establishes priorities, defines tasks, and ensures a clear direction for the sprint.
• Stand-ups (Daily Scrum): Short, daily meetings where team members synchronize their work, share progress, and discuss any impediments. This fosters real-time communication and ensures everyone is aligned toward the sprint goal.
• Demos: Demos are showcases of completed work at the end of each sprint, offering stakeholders a tangible view of outcomes, fostering transparency, and gathering valuable feedback. While commonly associated with software, demos transcend this boundary, adapting seamlessly to diverse contexts.In non-software scenarios, demos can feature physical artifacts, prototypes, reports, analyses, or elements like the design of a new customer survey, workflow changes, or training courses. The crucial aspect of a demo is its role as a platform, demonstrating how the team's efforts directly contribute to project success. It is an opportunity to convey the value of the work undertaken and how stakeholder input can further refine ongoing efforts.In the realm of customer experience, the term 'Stakeholders' carries a broad definition. Primary contributors include customers, whose experiences, needs, and feedback are paramount. Additionally, employees involved in product and service design, as well as leaders making strategic decisions and resource allocations, are essential stakeholders. And the scope may extend to investors, partners, and suppliers, depending on the situation.
• Retrospectives: Dedicated sessions held at the conclusion of each sprint, retrospectives serve as a crucial opportunity for the team to reflect on its performance. This introspective meeting involves the team, Scrum Master, and Product Owner. Unlike the Demo, the Retrospective is an internal affair aimed at continuous improvement.The retrospective revolves around three fundamental questions:
• What went well?
• What didn't go well?
• What will we do differently in the next Sprint?These focused inquiries guide the team in dissecting their experiences, celebrating successes, acknowledging challenges, and collaboratively planning for enhancements in the upcoming sprint. The retrospective is a cornerstone for iterative progress, fostering a culture of self-awareness, adaptability, and continuous refinement within the Scrum Team.

5) Involve the Customer. Actively engaging with customers throughout the Scrum process allows us to gather valuable insights, ensuring that our CX strategies are not only aligned with but enriched by direct customer feedback. This direct engagement ensures that our solutions are refined iteratively, resulting in a customer experience that goes beyond satisfaction, fostering genuine loyalty and advocacy.

Top Three Customer Involvement Strategies:

1. Feedback Loops: Establish continuous feedback loops with customers, seeking input at various stages, from ideation to product delivery. Including customers in the ‘Demo’ will ensure a cadence to the feedback.
2. User Testing: Integrate regular user testing into each sprint to validate assumptions and gather firsthand feedback on product features or improvements.
3. Customer Journey Mapping: Collaborate with customers to create and update customer journey maps, providing insights into touchpoints, pain points, and opportunities for a more customer-centric experience.

“It’s amazing what people tell you when you ask.” I can’t begin to emphasize this point enough. I’ve watched too many business leaders avoid asking – whether because they are intimidated, embarrassed, or perhaps afraid of the answer. There’s nothing like the nugget of gold you gather when you simply ask: “And how did you make you feel?”, “Tell me more,” and “What were you expecting?” It's not just about asking; it's about creating a space for authentic dialogue, where perspectives and experiences can be shared openly and constructively. The Art of Asking is a gift for your organization - and one that separates you from your competition.

Your customers are your best partners for innovation. Pose the right questions and listen attentively, as their insights hold the key to transformative and customer-centric solutions.

In Conclusion

When adaptability and responsiveness are paramount, Agile practices offer transformative power. As leaders, we hold the key to reshaping not just how work is done, but how teams collaborate and innovate.

Scrum's resonance beyond software development underscores its universal efficacy. From home dynamics to customer experience, Scrum provides a versatile blueprint for success.

Envision your organization’s CX initiatives with Scrum Teams—a dynamic force unshackled from traditional constraints, navigating challenges with agility, and delivering truly customer-centric outcomes.

This is not just a shift in methodology; it's a cultural shift—an invitation to explore untapped potential. As you embark on this journey, remember, extraordinary results start with a commitment to collaboration, adaptability, and delivering unparalleled value.

Ready for an Agile CX transformation? Let’s talk!

LoyaltyCraft ?was built out of a passion for helping companies create meaningful customer experiences. Founded in 2016 by Lauren Feehrer CCXP, we focus on strategy, qualitative research, customer design, and employee engagement to help mid-market companies open the door to new customers and keep existing ones from leaving out the backdoor.