Agile Outside IT
Are Agile and Scrum Limited to Technology Projects or Technology Industries?
22 April 2018
Shifting customer needs are common in today's marketplace. Businesses must be adaptive and responsive to change while delivering an exceptional customer experience to be competitive. Traditional development and delivery frameworks are often ineffective. In contrast, Scrum is a value-driven agile approach which incorporates adjustments based on regular and repeated customer and stakeholder feedback. And Scrum's built-in rapid response to change leads to substantial benefits such as fast time-to-market, higher satisfaction, and continuous improvement—which supports innovation and drives competitive advantage.
Agile and Scrum were once the sole domain of software development. However, the benefits and results have not gone unnoticed by others. Practices are being adopted by additional departments and industries. Examples follow.
- The State of Scrum Report(1) revealed that 21% of Scrum projects are run by departments outside of Technology such as Marketing, Finance, and Sales.
- An article published in The New York Times(2) noted agile's use in diverse industries—with examples ranging from a museum in Sydney, Australia, to an automobile dealership in Maine.
- A business brief(3) illustrated how varied businesses—including John Deere, NPR, and Mission Bell Winery—employed agile.
In summary, agile and Scrum are used broadly. For more information on agile/Scrum, pick up a copy of the award-winning book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions. For more information on the publication, and to connect:
- Digital press kit https://AgileScrumGuide.com
- Trailer https://vimeo.com/178858753
- Video channel https://vimeo.com/channels/AgileScrumGuide
- Amazon https://amzn.to/2fVA3lW
- Twitter https://twitter.com/AgileScrumGuide
- Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AgileScrumGuide/
- Instagram https://www.instagram.com/AgileScrumGuide/
- Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/AgileScrumGuide/
References:
(1) Scrum Alliance (2017). The State of Scrum Report. Westminster, CO: Scrum Alliance, Inc.
(2) Hardy, Q. (2016, November 25). "The New Workplace is Agile, and Nonstop. Can You Keep Up?" The New York Times, page B1.
(3) Rigby, D. K., Berez, S., Caimi, G., and Noble, A. (2016). Bain Brief: Agile Innovation. Boston, MA: Bain & Company.
© Copyright 2018 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.