We're currently working at a FTSE100 Corporation and, 9 weeks
in, we've entertained a few senior executives and executive board
members. They've dropped by for a walk through our
informative workspace with a
running explanation of how we're working, culminating in a
demonstration of the working code so far.
When the CTO visited he threw away protocol and sat in the
bullpen to engage in some
simulated
pair-programming . When the COO
visited he asked many insightful questions and I think he was
pleased to hear about our Product Stream concept that was allowing
us to work as one with the Business. When the CFO and the CEO
visited, the CEO was very interested in our application of Lean
thinking. The CFO really liked our
big visible charts showing how we're spending
our 7-figure budget (burn rate, cumulative spend, return on
investment per iteration, projected total spend, categorised
expenditure, etc), but his most telling remark followed our
iteration showcase (where story
owners demonstrate the functionality delivered in the iteration and
the team fields questions from the audience). He said:
"This is the first time I've visited a team where everyone clearly knows exactly what's going on in the project."This is the first corporation where I've experienced a groundswell of vocal and active support for an agile approach to software product development at the very top of the organisation. It's down to the enthusiasm and drive of the department CTO and the Head of the Online Business Unit, some internal marketing, and our ability to make commitments and deliver predictably and reliably. Long may it continue, as this is just the beginning of this roller-coaster ride.
1 Comment
Very exciting! I focus almost entirely on small companies because of the cultural inertia of larger outfits. Glad to hear you've found a receptive environment.
Please keep us posted as the project progresses!