Why Chick-fil-A, Inc. Takes a Scaled Agile Approach to Tech Planning

Amy Hartman gets asked all the time: “Why is a chicken company going all-in on scaled Agile?”?? ?

But the reality is that Chick-fil-A, Inc. is so much more than a chicken company. In fact, the brand’s ongoing growth is powered by a wide variety of innovative technologies, from advanced machine-learning models to blockchain-enabled product tracking to predictive technologies powered by in-kitchen vision sensors.?

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Hartman, the lead Agile coach on the company’s Customer Technology Solutions team, says that the scaled approach has been transformative for the brand, which builds digital tools that reach millions of users every day.?

“All of our customer-facing apps are built internally,” she says. “We’re definitely more Agile than a lot of software companies. We work in short sprints, but we also want to apply the same principles to our bigger picture goals. Doing that responsively at scale is an essential enabler of good work.”??

For Hartman and her team, the commitment to continuous improvement doesn’t stop with the two-week sprints powering their technology development. They also use a scaled Agile approach to quarterly planning, bringing together dozens of staffers every three months to share learnings, identify priorities, and refine their ways of working.?

It’s that final element that makes the weeklong event, called Climbing Camp, so effective, Hartman says.? ?

“The only way to put something in place that's so large and have it be successful is to be continuously listening to people and making adjustments to make it better,” Hartman says. “Something designed three months ago often isn't going to be a fit for a team today. So you have to be constantly making micro-adjustments.“? ?

At the end of the weeklong event — which includes staffers from Customer Technology Solutions, Customer Digital Experience and Marketing — all participants are asked to reflect on what went well, what didn’t go well, and what needs to change. Before anyone heads home, focus groups work to design potential solutions, which are then implemented the following quarter. ? ?

Climbing Camp is also designed to focus on more than just planning. Much of the event is asynchronous and flexible, and professional development is built into the schedule, with individuals delivering talks on their favorite areas of expertise. There is also a celebration component, with a fun activity like a pickleball tournament or a petting zoo built in for everyone. ? ?

For Hartman, the collaborative approach embedded in scaled Agile goes perfectly with what she sees as the endless potential for creativity and growth that comes with working in technology.?

“Technology has always been something that I've associated with happiness, creativity and possibility,” she says. “Some people can get discouraged, but in my mind, with tech, you can always fix it. It's never broken.”?

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