Mistakes in Agile Implementations
Altaf Rehmani
Author, Digital Solutions Architect HSBC | Generative AI | Speaker for O'Reilly | Leadership | Low code Evangelist |Power Platform Solutions Architect
Agile — if implemented correctly can deliver tremendous value in terms of speed and agility to organisations of all sizes. A number of organisations are moving to an agile environment, the change is cultural and requires a mind-shift change for larger enterprises.
The most common implementation of Agile is the Scrum process framework typically used for software development and scaled agile framework (SAFE) which scales Agile to a larger program and portfolio level with multiple scrum teams. Read Scaled Agile in Enterprises. A cross functional team (or teams) working closely with the business to deliver value in the form of working software in an incremental and iterative fashion can satisfy the expectations of the digital customer in modern times.
Here are some common ones I have experienced.
- Cultural shift
- Mixing agile and non-agile Teams
- Scaling too fast with multiple teams on a single project
- Practices without principles
- Project Manager becomes the Scrum Master
- Technical Scrum master
- Outsources and overpriced scrum teams
- Product owner who is not available or involved
- Product owner becomes delivery manager
- Business analyst reporting into Product owner
- Not raising obstacles early enough
- Not conducting Retrospective Meetings after every sprint
- Lack of coordination
- Slippery definition of done
- Low value daily scrums
- Team burnout
- Team begins to overestimate too much