One question that I often get asked is what comes after Agile? Many feel like the ride is nearing its end while others are actually just getting started on their Agile journey. I think this question has a more natural version for what we are trying to figure out... As an organization, are we trying to do agile, or are we trying to be Agile and achieve agility? The feeling of uncertainty that revolves around what do I do next? What things should we be benchmarking and keeping track of? Which metrics or Key Performance indicators should I really care about and which ones are just noise? Are we focusing so much on increased output that we are losing site of the outcome we desire for the end recipients of our product or service?
The Walt Disney Company and more specifically Marvel Universe did such an amazing job with End Game, the final saga of the Avengers movie series. Everyone I know reports that they laughed, they cried, they felt anger and emptiness as well as shear joy. The implementation of Agile in most organizations follows many of these same patterns. The problem is, much like the movie, no matter how amazing it is or how long it goes on, we are often left with more questions than answers. It it for this reason I created the AgileDad 12-step guide to better Agile Adoption. I know what you are thinking, does this apply to me? The good news is that it was designed to apply to any company, in any industry, building any size or type of project or product.
While Agile is not a silver bullet, one size fits all, many will enter and few will be chosen type of scenario, this guide was created to help you identify or benchmark which key practices you are doing well and where the next areas for improvement should lie. In an effort to never spoil end game, we have placed all that you need to know about how the Avengers would embrace Agile into a fun comic book that you can download and share with your teams and leadership. The key to successful implementation of Agile in your organization rests squarely on your ability to figure out where to start and what to do next. We will follow this post with a review of each of the 12 steps in more detail so that you can follow along in the Agile Saga. Feel free to comment below and tell us how you like the comic book! (No Spoilers PLEASE!)