1.
Please summarize the article on "Embracing Agile" by Rigby et al.
Methods of agile innovation have prominently increased the success rate for software
development over the past three decades. It has not only improved the speed and quality of
information technology and software, but also boosted the productivity and enthusiasm of IT
teams. Agile innovation methods are now reaching, spreading and improving the functions and
productivity of different industries and C-suite. But most of the executives underestimate its
worth and don’t know how to get benefitted from agile. They often undermine the usefulness and
the effectiveness of agile teams and follow such practices and principles in their organizations
that actually run counter to practices and principles of agile. The authors have studied the work
of some organizations that have effectively engaged in agile methods and employed them
successfully. On the basis of their studies, the authors have advised six critical and essential
practices that may bring the maximum potential out of agile methods.
1. Learn about agile and how it works
2. Understand its potential and when it is most appropriate
3. Start from small initiative and let the evangelists build it up and spread the technology
4. Allow teams that have effectively mastered the agile process to standardize their practices
5. Practice agile at the top
6. Destroy corporate hurdles that may be barriers to agile practices
The article gives a detailed insight into the workable techniques and effective strategies that may
be crafted for Embracing Agile. The authors have emphasized the revolutionary impact of agile
for information technology sector and highlighted the lessons that may be beneficial for every
business entity and for people working in any organization. In a dynamic business environment,
market conditions are changing rapidly and agile principles are widely acceptable and applicable
to enable any business entity to keep up with such environment. CEOs need to promote
prioritized programs instead of launching too many outdated projects. For effective leadership,
the leaders must concentrate on the agile innovation and its advised recommendations.
2. Building on the Wikispeed case, how does the Wikispeed approach differ from tradition
product development processes?
The Wikispeed case gives a valuable perspective on approaches of product development. Team
Wikispeed incorporated the Agile model and their development process is very different from
conventional and old practices. When others use the Waterfall model, Wikispeed uses Scrum that
incorporates agile methodologies. In Agile principles, the iteration is allowed in the development
process. Iteration is the recurrence of sequences to achieve the desired results, whereas, the
Waterfall sequence incorporates the contribution of enormous resources and efforts from the start
and following the path until the plan is completed.
Another difference between both the processes pits flexibility in contradiction of rigidity. The
agile approach is like cross-examining and investigative process where different things are tried
until the specifications of a product is believed to be appropriate. This approach is advantageous
because it gives the flexibility of altering the design as per product’s requirements, such as the
design of a car in this case. On the other hand, the specifications of Waterfall model are fixed
and the product design gets finalized even before the process is started. So there is no flexibility
to change the design during the process, even if the circumstances get changed halfway during
the process. Hence, the production under Waterfall method becomes costly affair due to its
inadaptability, especially in case of fall in sales, change in customer preferences, or rapid
fluctuations in industry environment.
Another distinctive factor between production process of Wikispeed team and former
conventional approaches is the organization of line of production. Wikispeed follows a
cooperative structure where responsibility is divided evenly among the team members, whereas
conventional approaches of production follows the command and control model where managers
give commands to team members.
3. What would be elements of the Wikispeed approach that could be applied to traditional
manufacturing firms?
A critical element for successful implementation of Agile requires knowing the aspects that in a
given scenario, when agile practices can be effective and when it cannot work. The fields of
traditional production firms are not dynamic for trying out new ideas such as iteration. However,
these firms can learn enormous lessons from Wikispeed production approaches. An important
transgression of multinationals is the use of existing product to plan market segments. This
strategy demonstrates the removal of existing features and produces a low quality product to be
served in a less prosperous market. The main takeaway from Wikispeed case is the need to shift
accountability of a business from the manager to the customers in order to satisfy customer’s
needs. Another takeaway from Wikispeed approach is to divide the responsibility across the team
members and allow teams to use their expertise to improvise where needed and create practical
solutions. Conventional manufacturer should eliminate rigidity and embrace novel ideas. An
effective business strategy is critical for any organizational operation as it defines its success or
failure. Team Wikispeed’s approach shows the importance of following a customer oriented and
flexible plan. Even if the manufacturing companies are traditional, still they can borrow some
important and useful lessons from Agile to be prosperous and efficient.
