November 15 2007
RADTAC Provides Answer to Customer Questions on “Agile Readiness”
Agile methods have reached maturity and are now on the Business Agenda of every forward thinking company. However, RADTAC research from polling attendees at Agile Conferences and Seminars shows that uncertainties remain, and there are still some questions that companies are actively seeking to answer:
•How do we start the move to Agile?
•Are we ready?
•Is Agile right for us?
•How do we comply with existing processes?
To help companies to answer these questions, RADTAC provides an “Agile Readiness Assessment” to assist smarter companies take the right first steps in a planned transition towards Agile, to identify the benefits that can be achieved, and how to achieve them.
RADTAC provides expertise in Agile methods, Project Management, Systems Development and Process Improvement. RADTAC’s unique Agile Readiness Assessment is delivered as a client-specific discovery exercise. Working closely with the client for a focussed few days, RADTAC will discuss and understand their aspirations and objectives, and observe, analyse and interview business and technical personnel at all levels to assess these objectives – where appropriate, including the ability to introduce Agile alongside traditional methods and governance.
The RADTAC assessment identifies and discusses the pragmatic combination of Agile and traditional methods that are appropriate for a potential transition. The assessment identifies and addresses cultural, technical and practical barriers that may currently hinder particular activity, and seeks enablers that provide value to processes and that should be developed, leveraged and optimised.
The cross section approach of the Agile Readiness Assessment enables RADTAC to apply the discovered information to produce a “gap analysis”; to identify where the client company is currently positioned, and where it aspires to be in terms of process development. RADTAC’s level of expertise and knowledge enables an in-depth analysis and feedback on the practicalities, enablers and barriers to achieving the client’s desired objectives, as well as being able to provide proposals for the steps towards introducing Agile, and identifying potential benefits that may be achieved.
Within the Agile Readiness Assessment RADTAC also works with the client to identify and qualify candidate Agile Pilot Project(s) as part of the potential “first next steps” after the assessment.
RADTAC believes that the value provided by this level of assessment and preparation answers the questions identified above, and provides a practical foundation for appropriate Agile methods to be introduced, and that can be evolved to a position where Agile becomes “business as usual” – where Agile methods are made to stick, and deliver repeatable benefit - at which time the client becomes self-sufficient and able to support their own ongoing Agile transformation.
The Agile Readiness Assessment is aimed at advising organisations that are interested in Agile methods and are unsure how it will work for them or where to begin. With our concise, in-depth and client-specific analysis, an organisation can make an informed decision on the potential and future of Agile for their organisation, and then plan and act accordingly. This provides a foundation for them to build on and to make Agile practices and benefits stick within their organisation.
