Let’s cut the enterprise some slack

Dear Agileists,

We have an opportunity to get it right this time.  The next round of enterprise agile transformations is under way.  In past transformations we expected a lot and were disappointed when things did not change fast enough.  The constant pressure and criticism put a sour taste in the mouths of the people we were trying to help.

After some time away and more overdue waterfall projects they are trying again.  This time can be different.

The Agile Manifesto values “Individuals and interactions over process and tools”.  This usually gets applied to breaking down heavyweight waterfall processes and replacing them with Scrum or XP or Lean.  We get upset when they want to include some upfront planning or governance or post-release testing.  A hybrid process can meet the needs of the organization while still delivering valuable software quickly.

This time let’s iterate to success.  Let’s keep the things that work and stop the ones that don’t.  Let’s focus on the result and not on the process.  And let’s cut the enterprise some slack.  This is a big change that they’re trying to make and we are here to help.

=Kevin

Author: Kevin Hickey

I have been a professional software engineer for over fifteen years. I currently work at Intuit as an architect. I have written bootloaders, ported the Linux kernel and Android to new platforms, written CPU diagnostics, developed control software for CPU manufacturing and worked on enterprise web sites. As both a developer and program manager I have been helping software organizations become more agile for over a decade. I am passionate about helping teams deliver world-class software solutions to interesting problems. My current focus is on pragmatic agility for the enterprise. When I’m not behind a keyboard I enjoy spending time with my wonderful wife Amanda, rock climbing and hanging out with my dog Tex. In the summer you can find me in my pool or climbing something. In the winter I count the days until summer returns to Texas (I never have to count too long). View all posts by Kevin Hickey