Agile enablement in a SAFe environment
Synopsis
A global automotive manufacturer launched a 24-month initiative worth 200,000 EUR to switch from traditional to agile development methods in the midst of fierce competition in the industry. Using the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), the project aimed to adapt agile practices for complex automotive sector projects. Experienced coaches offered tailored support and led the teams through the transition using agile values and methods such as Scrum and Kanban. This transition was also supported by agile project management tools, which made it easier to streamline processes and reduce errors. The approach enabled a seamless transition to agile methods, promoted continuous improvement, and integrated agile flexibility with structured portfolio management for large-scale organizational agility.
Key data
Customer: Global automotive manufacturer
Project volume: 200,000 EUR, 24 months
Challenges
The automotive sector is facing enormous challenges. In order to survive the existing hyper-competition, extensive efforts are being made to reposition oneself for the future. The shift from classic software development methods to agile approaches is a central issue. However, traditional agile approaches are not enough for complex development projects in the automotive industry. As a leading standard for agile working methods in large organizations, SAFe provides a structured framework to effectively combine company-wide portfolio management with individually working agile project teams. The different subject areas to be worked on and the individual circumstances of project teams make it necessary to develop previously traditionally working teams into a suitable agile methodology. Agile values, working methods and a new understanding of roles must be introduced and lived, as well as suitable key figure systems that promote product-oriented progress within the entire organization.
Our solution
Comprehensively qualified coaches with many years of experience and a distinctive agile mindset support teams both in team building and in training specific procedures. Team leaders, product owners and developers are closely supported and enabled to fulfill their roles in agile methodology. Depending on the type of team work, we find the appropriate agile method — whether Scrum, Kanban or an organization-specific variant. Based on their experience, our coaches can adapt standard methods to the specifics of the customer organization without losing the benefits of the agile approach. Regular retrospectives and continuous optimization of procedures guarantee gradual progress and a high level of acceptance of the new methods. Mapping processes and project documentation in common tools for agile project implementation not only significantly reduces manual effort, but also significantly reduces the error rate and makes it possible to create specific metrics to measure progress and performance. These specific metrics are not only used to measure and present progress in product development, but also provide important information about the efficiency of the newly introduced processes and identify potential for optimization.
Benefits
An approach tailored exactly to the specifics of the customer's product development based on proven standardized agile procedures creates an optimal transition from classic to agile methodology and leads to a high level of acceptance within the teams. Efficient support through powerful tools and regular measurement of process maturity using mathematically based metrics lead to continuous improvement. The integration of agile teams into the SAFe framework combines the high flexibility of an agile process with the necessary organization-wide portfolio management of a large company.
