Bringing Agile to Non-Technical Teams

As an Agile Coach for a large organization, one of the most common questions I get asked is “Will Agile work for non- technical or business-focused teams?

The answer is yes. Agile methodologies, which are now commonplace in software development, can also work extremely well beyond IT. Teams in finance, HR, operations, and support can reap the benefits of Agile, using approaches beyond basic Scrum practices by looking at alternatives like Kanban and Scrumban. This article discusses the basics of how different Agile implementations can help non-technical teams and tackles common concerns about adopting Agile.

Agile is all about collaboration, transparency, quality, customer satisfaction, and making progress in small steps. These principles can help any team, not just those built around software development.

Kanban for Finance and HR

Kanban is a pull-based system that uses visual boards to manage work, helping teams see what's being worked on, limit multitasking, and boost efficiency.

• Finance: Imagine a finance team using a Kanban board for tasks like financial reports, budgets, and audits. By visualizing these tasks, the team can track progress, spot slowdowns, and ensure deadlines are met. For instance, creating a quarterly financial report could be broken into steps like data gathering, analysis, and report writing, each moving through stages on the Kanban board.
• HR: HR teams can manage hiring processes, onboarding, and training with Kanban. Each step in recruiting—from job posting to interviews to hiring—can be tracked on a Kanban board, making the process smoother and more transparent.

Scrumban for Business Operations and Support Teams

Scrumban blends the structure of Scrum with the flexibility of Kanban, perfect for teams needing both stability and adaptability.

• Business Operations: Teams managing big projects, like product launches or major changes, can use Scrumban. For example, a marketing team launching a new campaign can plan sprints for content creation while using Kanban for ongoing tasks like social media and customer feedback.
• Support Teams: Customer support teams can use Scrumban to handle incoming issues while also working on long-term improvements. For instance, they can manage day-to-day ticket resolution through a Kanban board while planning sprints to develop FAQs or improve support processes.

Agile in Operations

Operations teams can benefit from Agile practices by improving workflow visibility and efficiency.

• Facilities Management: A facilities management team can use Kanban to manage maintenance requests, space planning, and office moves. Each task can be tracked from request to completion, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.
• Logistics: A logistics team can implement Scrumban to handle shipping and receiving while planning for larger projects like process improvements or system upgrades. Daily tasks like tracking shipments can flow through a Kanban board, while sprints can focus on optimizing supply chain processes.

Addressing Common Objections

"Agile Won’t Work for Us Because We’re Different"

A typical concern is thinking Agile is just for IT or that non-tech teams won't benefit. Here's how to handle this:

• Customization: Agile isn't one-size-fits-all. It can be tailored to fit any team's needs. Finance teams might use shorter sprints with detailed tasks, while HR might focus on long-term projects with ongoing feedback.
• Success Stories: Share examples of non-tech teams using Agile successfully. Highlight cases where HR improved onboarding times or finance streamlined budgeting with Kanban.

"We’re Too Busy to Adopt Agile"

Another worry is that switching to Agile might disrupt a team that's already busy.

• Start Small: Suggest starting with Kanban to visualize current workflows without changing processes. Gradually add more Agile practices as the team gets comfortable.
• Highlight Benefits: Point out the long-term benefits, like better efficiency, prioritization, and team morale. Emphasize that while there might be a learning curve, the gains are worth it.

"Our Work Is Too Unpredictable for Agile"

Teams with unpredictable workloads might feel Agile is too structured. This is where understanding the Stacey Matrix can be helpful.

• The Stacey Matrix: This matrix helps teams understand the complexity and predictability of their tasks. It categorizes work into four zones: Simple, Complicated, Complex, and Chaotic. Agile methods excel in the Complex zone, where requirements and solutions are unclear, and unpredictable changes are frequent. Many non-tech teams, such as those in operations or support, often operate in this zone due to dynamic business environments and changing priorities.

• Agile Flexibility: Agile is designed to handle unpredictability. Kanban, with its continuous flow, works well for teams with changing workloads. By visualizing tasks and limiting WIP, teams can adapt quickly to changes without losing sight of overall goals.
• Adaptability: Show how Agile encourages regular reassessment and adaptation. Teams hold regular retrospectives to discuss what’s working and what’s not, allowing them to quickly adjust. This iterative approach is ideal for handling the unpredictability highlighted in the Stacey Matrix.

The Takeaway

Agile methods can greatly benefit non-tech teams in finance, HR, operations, and support. Using Kanban and Scrumban, these teams can improve transparency, efficiency, and adaptability. Addressing concerns through customization, gradual implementation, and highlighting Agile’s flexibility can help organizations adopt Agile practices successfully, beyond just IT.

For more guidance on adopting Agile for non-tech teams, check out the latest Scrum Guide and other Agile resources.

-Alison Braun, Agile Coach Logic20/20, Inc.

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