Agile in Practice: Must-have execution capabilities

The benefits of Agile are compelling, but obtaining them in practice requires operational readiness, which is not well-developed or integrated in many organizations. When we begin working with a new client, we look for certain capabilities to pave the way for a successful Agile launch. My next few posts will discuss key operational capabilities and Continue

A Way Out of IT Frustrations

The list of IT frustrations is well understood by many, but few know what can be done about them. Prior attempts to solve these systemic problems focused on tighter controls and better tools, yet these approaches have proved ineffective. This is where Agile and previous attempts at fostering business/IT innovation diverge. Agile was designed to Continue

IT vs. The Business: Why do we butt heads

It’s no secret that many business executives have a low opinion of IT, but more surprising is how many within the IT/engineering ranks are also frustrated with how collaboration with the business has nearly always set them, and the business, up for disappointment. In working with our Fortune 1000 clients over the years, I’ve compiled Continue

For the Non-IT Executive: How Agile leads to sustainable improvements

In the interest of fostering better relationships between business leaders and IT, I’m offering an explanation of Agile and Lean IT for the non-IT executive. Agile is something software and engineering teams are eager to adopt, yet doing so requires support and active collaboration from the business. Agile is not just an IT thing. At Continue

Moneyball’s Agile Transformation Lesson #2: Change Isn’t Free

This is the second in a series of blog articles I’m writing on how Moneyball (the movie) embodies powerful lessons for all of us seeking to innovate and transform today’s Agile collaboration models for how we conceive, build, and deliver new software and services to customers. The results are bound to produce extraordinary outcomes for all. Continue