Reviving Agile: The power of product teams
The first installment in a series exploring the various aspects of Agile and how it can drive success in your organization.
I’ve seen the headlines.
“Agile Projects Struggle to Deliver on Time and on Budget”
“Agile Is Dead”
“Agility Just Doesn’t Work”
I’ve also witnessed “Agile failures” in organizations seeking a silver bullet to deliver everything in scope: on time, under budget, and to the delight of customers.
We live in an instant gratification society. If I want a new widget, I can order it and have it delivered within hours. If I’m hungry, I can get fast food delivered to my door. So, if I’m running a software development team, why can’t they create what I want and need faster?
Agility is a mindset supported by specific values and principles. While I won’t delve into those here, you can find them at agilemanifesto.org. If you’re skeptical about Agile, I encourage you to read on with curiosity and a growth mindset.
As an Agile coach, I’ve seen agility drive success in software, marketing, sales, operational support, and more. If your projects haven’t been as successful as you’d like, here’s some advice on how to achieve success: transition from project teams to product teams.
Bringing Agile back to life
Leadership says, “We have a need and a budget. Find people. You have six months.”
This could lead to a scramble to assemble a project team, pulling members from other initiatives. Imagine a group of colleagues sitting in a conference room, listening to a project manager outline what’s needed for each sprint and the deadline for production delivery. The team of doers (could be developers, QA, UX designers, database administrators, or a business analyst) acknowledge their understanding, and they’re directed to create a backlog and go. They may know each other from past projects but are working together for the first time. What are the company’s expectations? How will they best operate together as a team? How do the tools and products work?
All new teams go through Tuckman’s “forming, storming, norming, and performing” stages. The project team may take weeks to reach “norming” (understanding the rules, best interactions, expectations, etc.). By the end of the project, they might finally be delivering at a rhythm and understanding how to work best together. Then the release occurs, the team disbands, and another project begins with a new set of team members, restarting the delivery process.
In an extreme worst-case scenario, the team members can’t figure out how to work together and become stuck in the “storming” phase. Individual needs take precedence over team needs, leading to escalations, frustration, missed deadlines, budget overruns, missed requirements, or bugs in production. The project becomes painful for everyone, the code released is poorly rated by customers, and the organization has lost money. In reality, project teams are usually somewhere in the middle of this spectrum, but the teams themselves are always temporary.
Product teams, however, bring several benefits that can help organizations achieve their goals more effectively. Unlike project teams, which are ephemeral and often disbanded after the project ends, product teams are stable and long-lasting. This stability fosters deep expertise and stronger working relationships.
Continuity and expertise
Product teams stay together, allowing members to develop a deep understanding of the foundational product, as well as the enhancements they’ve added. This leads to better collaboration, faster problem-solving, and more innovative future solutions.
Ownership and accountability
Product teams have a strong sense of ownership and accountability. They are dedicated and invested in the ongoing success of the product. This ownership drives higher quality and greater customer satisfaction.
Empowerment
A deeper understanding of the product, along with ownership of the backlog, enables the team’s empowerment. Empowered teams are more likely to take initiative and go the extra mile to delight customers.
Quick adaptation
In a rapidly changing market, the ability to adapt quickly is crucial. Project teams usually have a set scope, whereas product teams can more easily pivot in response to new information or changing customer needs.
Improved collaboration
Working together over time, product teams develop strong communication and collaboration practices. They learn each other’s strengths and nuances, which leads to more efficient process workflows and better outcomes.
How to transition from project to product teams
Just because you’ve always had project teams doesn’t mean changing is impossible.
“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” — Henry Ford
I get it — change is hard. Transitioning from project teams to product teams can be a significant shift at your organization and may seem daunting at first. It’s important to acknowledge that change can be challenging and that it’s normal to encounter some resistance and uncertainty along the way. Support your team by listening to their concerns, providing clear guidance, and offering reassurance that this transition is aimed at creating a more stable, rewarding, and effective working environment. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
Identify opportunities
Look for areas within your organization where a product-focused approach would make sense and could provide significant benefits. These may include core software products, ongoing services, or major customer-facing (moneymaking) initiatives.
Communicate the vision
Clearly communicate the benefits of product teams to business stakeholders and team members. Highlight how this change can lead to greater success, innovation, and customer satisfaction. And repeat this often.
Provide support and training
Equip your teams with the necessary training and resources to succeed in a product-focused environment. Offer Agile training, tools, and ongoing support to aid in their transition.
Foster a culture of continuous improvement
Encourage a mindset of continuous improvement and learning. Celebrate successes, learn from challenges, and continually seek ways to enhance team performance and product quality. Culture doesn’t change in one statement or email, so talk the talk and walk the walk.
Cultivating healthy teams
By making the change gradually and thoughtfully, you can help your team adapt smoothly and start reaping the benefits of a product-focused approach. Agility isn’t in the habit of setting a fixed scope, budget, and timeline; it leans on the principles of working software delivered frequently. Project teams don’t fit well into an Agile mold, and they may struggle to meet business goals.
Try out product teams and see your agility — and products — thrive.
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