A Guide to Implementing the Agile Working Model

Agile is much more than just a buzzword, it’s an incredibly powerful working methodology that has been adopted by some of the most successful companies around the world. This guide provides all you need for a smooth transition into enhanced productivity through the agile working model.

A fast-paced cycle of planning, execution and evaluation enables stakeholders from all levels of the process to stay involved with every step toward success — ensuring that teams are always in sync.

What is the agile working model?

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Agile project management is a collaborative, iterative project management approach that incorporates continuous testing and responsiveness to change.

It is essentially an incremental framework that allows teams to compile tasks into shorter sprints. Think of Scrum as the configuration and Sprint intervals as periods of work with set goals. The overall approach is known as “agile” – keeping everyone focused on speed without compromising quality.

Companies have found success with the Agile approach, which allows them to quickly adapt and create products that are in demand on the market. It’s no surprise then it has become so popular in the software tech industry/development.

Ultimately, agile teams enjoy increased productivity and flexible working along with goodwill rewards, giving your organization exceptional results on their bottom line.

The 4 core values of agile working

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Agile working empowers teams with maximum flexibility. Not only does it give employees more control, but can also provide distinct benefits such as increased productivity and a happier workforce.

There’s no universal solution when introducing agile techniques into your organization, but setting clear boundaries and defining job roles ensures that everyone is clear on their responsibilities.

There are distinct parts of the agile working model. These include deciding when tasks should get done; finding new ways of completing goals; control over the work environment (office or home); and tailoring approaches for each task along the way:

• Time: when you work
• Role: what you do
• Location: where you work
• Source: the teams and tasks you work with. To get the best from employees, ensure that goals are based on context, intrinsic rewards, shared objectives and adaptability.

 

 

What does the agile working model involve?

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With this method of project management, your team can pick from a range of frameworks that will best suit the team.

1. Unified communication

Open dialogue between employees, management and departments foster an agile response in times of rapid change. Employee attendance is important in the agile work methodology because agile workplace teams rely on communication and collaboration to quickly and effectively complete tasks. TimeTrack Attendance Tracking is flexible and intuitive in allowing managers to create a working time model of communication at any time.

2. Collaboration

Effective communication between employees can greatly enhance delivery results through collaboration.  By managing tasks independently and together, teams are able to achieve more successful outcomes. Regular check-ins can also help managers keep an eye on lazy employees.

3. Introspection

Introspective opportunities are the perfect way to invigorate teams and encourage collaboration. A project team’s retrospectives provide a platform for members to explore successes, identify areas of improvement and inspire further growth.

4. Self-sufficiency

Self-organization and self-sufficiency have become the norm for many teams, giving them more control over assignments, sprint goals and estimations. It’s an efficient way to get high-quality working done within a shorter timeline.

5. Flexible working

Working smarter, not harder by adapting to unexpected changes in a timely manner is key to a successful workplace. With the right approach, you can stay agile and be equipped for any challenge that comes your way.

6. Customer satisfaction

Going the extra mile should be goal. Businesses should continually strive to deliver valuable products and services and unparalleled customer gratification.

7. Better work-life balance

The agile work methodology is a winning formula for businesses in more ways than one. By investing in this system, companies can enjoy increased transparency and productivity while empowering their teams with autonomy over their projects. Employees are proven to be happier, too – what’s not to love?

Value-based frameworks of agile work method

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Modern enterprise is facing rapid and ongoing change. Four key elements are quickly evolving: markets, enterprises, behaviors and value-based agility which applies to all parts of an organization. The ultimate goal? Increasing overall value throughout any work process.

Kanban Method

With its origins in Japan, Kanban is an agile working framework based on a visual board that has been used for decades to make processes more efficient. Since emerging from Lean Manufacturing Systems, this dynamic method of agile workplace and software development has revolutionized how projects are monitored by utilizing visuals like charts or cards to track progress.

Kanban works on three principles:

• The ability to envision the work that has to be done at any particular time.
• Setting limits on the quantity of work that has to be done or finished to prevent the team from taking on too much.
• Accelerating work when a certain job is about to be finished so that the following item may be added to the queue.

Scrum

Scrum is regularly hailed as the most popular agile working framework in the workplace today. Its focus on progress breakdowns, known as “sprints”, and assigning specific roles to employees, creates an efficient and dynamic workflow system.

At its core, Scrum uses a board similar to Kanban that moves tasks based on their development status, providing visibility across every step.

• Product Backlog is a prioritized list of features for the product, owned by the Product Owner.
• Sprint Backlog is a prioritized list of tasks for the Scrum Team to complete during a sprint, focused on delivering a product increment.
• Daily Scrum is a daily meeting to synchronize work settings and progress amongst employees.
• Scrum Masters facilitate and keep the team focused on the process.
• Sprint review and retrospectives assess the completed increments and gather feedback for improvement.

Lean

People often confuse Lean and Agile methodology. While both systems share certain benefits when it comes to productivity or output value, their origins differ significantly. Lean is an abbreviation for the renowned set of workplace rules developed by Japanese organizations during the 20th century. An agile workspace was a concept established two decades later.

Lean manufacturing fundamentals:

• Value stream mapping
• Identifying value
• Creating a pull system
• Creating a continuous workflow
• Continuous improvement

Implement agile working in your business

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Successful agile working starts with collaboration between HR teams and business leaders. Together, they can design work practices that provide a win-win for employees and the organization – from customers to profitability. The Agility Mindset offers savvy businesses invaluable tools to drive positive change through flexible working arrangements.

Be business-led

To stay competitive, the company culture must be a catalyst for agile work culture. With close coordination between management and HR teams, the team can create practical solutions to benefit clients, staff, and the company as a whole.

Focus on motivating your team

Gaining a clear vision of your business objectives is the best way to create an ideal workforce. By understanding what employees want and need, you can develop agile practices that are beneficial for both employer and employee – leading to optimal performance.

Develop the agile model bottom-up

When crafting an agile workspace business model, it’s best to take things one step at a time. Start with just one operation or unit and then gradually expand your approach as needed. Every enterprise has its own unique requirements. Identify the right fit for yours.

Consider big, strategic changes

Small tweaks to agile working can hone efficiency and performance, but for bigger rewards, you need to think even bigger, reimagine the planning process or consider a radical new idea. Go bold: push yourselves out of the comfort zone and seize those big benefits that come with daring moves.

Revise and adjust

Establishing a successful agile working framework entails following established project management processes from the get-go. As teams learn and grow, it’s important to focus on the mastery of fundamentals before expanding into hybrid models or altering standards during sprint cycles.

Benefits of agile working techniques

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More adaptability (and less risk)

Agile working methods provide a unique advantage for employees to stay on top of shifting priorities and changing conditions. With short sprints, team visibility is improved — giving them the data they need during development so decisions are informed by real-time insights, not predictions alone. Regular reporting helps keep stakeholders in sync while reducing project risks throughout the process.

Better customer experience

Want to make sure your project is a success? Focus on customer collaboration. Agile project management emphasizes the importance of working closely with customers and other stakeholders throughout the process. This way, you can ensure that what you’re delivering really meets their needs — leading to maximum satisfaction in the end.

Happier teams

Agile workspace teams are given room to breathe, with the autonomy and trust required to turn their big ideas into real-world accomplishments. It’s an empowering approach that rewards innovation, collaboration and success while keeping everyone motivated along the way.

Constraints of an agile working method

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Errors due to inadequate documentation

Without adequate documentation, team members are more prone to costly slips in quality. This can lead to problems like long onboarding times for new employees and time-wasting activities, that result in loss of time, energy and resources. Investing a bit of effort upfront will save valuable resources down the line.

Unclear scope

Without an established target, projects can become runaway trains that never reach their destination. Setting a clear goal is necessary for meaningful success.

Budget constraints

For projects with tight cost restrictions, it’s often difficult to attain the skills required without breaking the budget. Organizations may find it challenging to work within these constraints. It becomes tougher when teams work remotely or in a hybrid model, further reducing access to potential talent.

Conclusion

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Harnessing the power of agile working methods can be a game changer for organizations. Proper agile implementation is key to such success and so is investing in training your workforce. In no time they’ll be able to make meaningful progress that shows off the benefits of agile working.

Use a handy time tracker like TimeTrack Timesheet to have an overview of everyone’s working hours to gauge the agile working model’s benefits for your team’s time management.