I was listening to a Forrester webinar earlier this week about Agile and DevOps. One point the analysts made really resonated.
They said to best implement these practices, organizations need more than just coaching or training. To fully implement Agile or DevOps, it’s all about immersive intervention.
And this immersive intervention goes beyond just IT. Business units must be involved, as product or line-of-business owners often don’t have the skills, training or commitment to be part of a productive Agile team.
So what does this immersive intervention look like? From our engagements, it means a blended team (some Catalyst, some client) working on a real product. An experienced leader guides the team, Agile newbies and vets alike, through the Agile process.
This makes a difference in a few ways:
1. Those learning Agile can do so in a hands-on, non-theoretical manner. Each step means something and there’s instant, real product results to show what’s working and what needs to be refined.
2. There’s a built-in support structure. A natural mentoring process can help new team members.
3. A coach or trainer is usually around for a set period of time and then leaves. As teams ramp up and product development continues, a client isn’t abandoned and left to figure out important details alone.
So, as you’re adopting Agile or DevOps, consider a learn-by-doing approach. We have the expertise to help you with that process.