I recently had a conversation with leadership at a Fortune 100 firm about their ongoing efforts around Agile Transformation. This company, while very progressive with regards to Agile, embraces the original promise of Agile and continues to implement true Agile change wherever appropriate. What really struck me was their frustration with the rigid and propriety Agile Transformation methodologies that they were sold and have implemented. With how fast things are changing in their environment, they have found that these rigid approaches simply will not work moving forward.
Most of us are familiar with SAFe and Kanban - and maybe even DSDM (Dynamic Systems Development Method) and FDD (Feature-Driven Development). All are great and certainly have their place. But more often now we’re hearing things like, “this is the <insert large consulting company name here> way” or “this is our unique methodology and you need to adapt to this.” As more organizations move along the Agile maturity scale, they are finding that like Agile itself, they need a framework that is also flexible, customizable and adaptable to their own unique environments. What does that look like and why might this methodology be better for your department or company moving forward?
Based on this type of feedback and the conversations we’re having with our clients, we developed the Agile Adoption Maturity Model or AAMM. The idea is most companies and organizations will require a customized or hybrid approach, and AAMM provides a framework by which that unique approach can be identified, mapped and executed. It also provides a framework that is flexible and scalable over time, as customer experience needs and business drivers change.
AAMM aggregates our practitioners collective experience of both challenging and successful Agile Transformations, coupled with a myriad of best practice frameworks. This well of knowledge is then used to assess Agile maturity, develop roadmaps and get things moving. Instead of the “my way or the highway” mantra of SAFe, Pragmatic and others, this is a lower (a) Agile approach designed for flexibility.
Whether it’s xScion’s AAMM or some other flexible Agile maturity model, all organizations need to be aware that there are options out there that will allow you to develop a more customized and adaptable approach to your continued Agile maturity. Don’t feel like you have to conform to the “it’s my way or the highway” approach sometimes being offered by larger consulting firms.
Henry Ford famously said, “Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black.” Successful Agile Transformation requires access to a spectrum of approaches, methodologies and tools. Fortunately for most companies going through the Agile journey today, there are options out there that won’t force you into good old Henry Ford’s approach and will actually allow you to buy whatever color Agile Transformation vehicle you like.
