Agile common challenges
In this article, we will outline the Agile common challenges that many companies have identified. The most recent studies highlight that the adoption of agile approaches is improving project success rates. But it’s important to understand the key challenges of adopting agile.
Here are some of the most common barriers one can expect when implementing agile approaches.
Culture and experience
Company culture
Agile projects take a bottom-up adaptive approach. They are based on constant and cross-functional collaboration, self-organization, and servant leadership.
Team members work closely throughout the project in an open and collaborative environment. They frequently engage the customer and other key stakeholders. As a result, they promote transparency and create a common sense of purpose.
Agile teams make their own decisions on how to assign their work. The leader’s job is to focus on removing obstacles, providing support, and protecting the team from external interference.
Agile represents, as a result, a major change in company culture. The main problem is that it is far easier to change processes than it is to change the culture. Therefore, you can expect resistance when adopting agile.
To overcome agile common challenges, senior management must provide visible support. Additionally, the organization should ensure solid training across the organization. Agile coaching may also help.
Lack of agile experience and training
The reality is that many project teams do not have the experience, knowledge, and skills to adopt agile.
What can it be the solution?
Invest in solid training at both the delivery and management level. Additionally, consider hiring an agile coach to help develop agile competencies in your organization. Or, at least, get some agile coaching.
Engagement and support
Lack of management support
Senior management and team members are usually relatively enthusiastic about agile. Middle management (e.g., functional managers and resource managers), however, might feel uneasy and isolated. As a result, senior management must provide guidance. Like that, they may help middle management understand how they fit into the new agile organization.
The team is not willing to adopt agile
Team members may resist to agile to retain their position. They may also be resistant to maintaining their status or sense of control. Strong leadership, training, and coaching can help to address these challenges.
Inadequate product ownership
The Product Owner is one of the key players in agile projects. The Product Owner needs to have a clear picture of the product. Moreover, he or she must work collaboratively with the delivery team to communicate the product requirements properly. Project failure is eminent when the Product Owner is not sufficiently available, does not have domain expertise, is unable to transmit his or her understanding of the product, or does not support the agile approach.
Retrospectives and metrics
Retrospectives are not implemented
Some agile teams find it hard to put retrospectives in place at the end of each sprint. These lessons-learned exercises allow the team to identify what went well and what to improve.
Additionally, it may also identify improvement actions and recognize team members for their performance.
Retrospectives are a key part of “inspecting and adapting” the agile process.
Proper training and coaching should help to implement retrospectives.
Lack of metrics
There should be an ongoing cycle of standardizing, measuring, controlling, and improving. Many agile projects struggle with a lack of metrics. As such, it is difficult to measure and improve the performance of outputs and projects.
Proper training may help your organization set up adequate metrics aligned with an agile environment.
