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Collaboration and the negating of the “Will I be…..?” moments
What do I mean when I say collaboration? In the modern world of today’s workplace, the playing of buzzword bingo is a game enjoyed by many to add humour when they attend meetings. The similarities between words, the play on words that are used and the continual need to create new combinations of words or definitions to describe a certain business theme or activity never ceases to amaze me. Is…
Toward a More Rational and Less Ideological Approach to Testing
The Agile movement shifted the industry’s approach to testing software. Some of that shift was greatly needed. But some of it was deeply misguided, and has resulted in enormous dysfunction that is still present today. When we talk about testing, we are really talking about product validation, because testing is only one technique for validating that a product achieves its goals, or even works…
How you can implement agile when you work from home
Agile working methodologies are known to aid productivity in teams, improve efficiency and innovation. With an increase in remote working, it is still possible to use agile and replicate some of the processes to achieve similar results. Agile styles of working were originally designed for software development but due to their flexible, iterative approach, they are now commonly used in the…
The personal challenges of managers of remote workers – assumptions, unwritten rules and personal pride
We were recently working with a client to help them ‘adjust’ and embed their approach to remote working. After supporting them for a few weeks, we had a need to leave them to themselves for a week before returning. On day two of our absence, we got phone calls from some of the members of staff from that organisation, telling us that working remotely was causing them logistical problems because…
What Truly Agile Companies Do – and Why That’s More Important Than Ever
Agile frameworks don’t actually create agility. And that’s a problem, because agility is more important than ever. Consider the past five years: The pandemic. Work from home. Supply chain challenges. Geopolitical instability in Europe and Asia. The rise of crypto and the rise and fall of NFTs. And then AI. And all in just the past five years! This is not a phase: it is the new normal. …
Upskilling Agile Teams for AI: Training Programs and Resources to Help Teams Gain AI Competencies
The world of AI can be a tricky one to understand and inhabit. There’s so much jargon floating around that if your team is totally new to AI, it can feel like an uphill battle to figure out what’s required of you when it comes to comprehending and using this new technology. Luckily, there are tons of resources out there on the internet to help you, and many of them are completely free to access…
How to Make Your Real Estate Business Agile
Agile methodologies have been adapted by businesses from all kinds of industries, including technology, food, and ecommerce, as well as software development. We’ve already discussed how agile methodologies can benefit real estate businesses, but if you run a real estate company - or you’re looking to start one - then you might be wondering just how you can implement this method yourself. …
Agile working and working on what really matters
Readers of this site will be well versed in what ‘Agile Working’ or ‘New Ways of Working’ is all about. Essentially it is about breaking down the traditional barriers, adopting different management styles, thinking differently about workplace design and looking at effective approaches to improving collaboration and communication. Traditional working practices have more recently been coined as…
All set to go AGILE?
As your big transformation to AGILE working gets closer to that ‘go live’ date are you ready? You and your organisation have really spent time understanding what it means to become a more agile business. If all goes according to plan, then you will have a good fix on the improvements your customers will experience. You will have written your agile working HR policies and the training to bring…
Predictability in Agile – Forecasting Feature Delivery for Scrum Teams
In the world of delivering complex software development projects, the work can often be unpredictable in its nature. Agile frameworks, particularly Scrum, aim to provide organisations with self-organising, autonomous, and empowered teams to create products and solutions that deliver value for the business and its customers as predictably as possible. Yet there is always a general reticence for…
Agility On A Budget: 7 Tips For Growth-Focused Manufacturers
Growth is the lifeblood of achievement in the constantly changing field of manufacturing. But achieving it on a tight budget requires strategic thinking. It is not just about saving money. It is about making tactical and savvy decisions to boost your company forward. That's the only way to survive and thrive in a competitive landscape with more than 600,00 manufacturers in the US (source) and…
The Biggest Challenges Facing UK Businesses Right Now
UK businesses are operating in an increasingly complex environment defined by economic, political, and technological upheaval. To thrive in today's landscape, firms must navigate various pressing challenges. Here are some of the biggest issues facing UK enterprises right now. Ongoing Economic Uncertainty Brexitand the COVID-19 pandemic have created an economically tumultuous period. Recovery…
