How do you adapt Agile practices now that the world has gone largely remote — without compromising your products?
Today, Agile is the preferred mindset for many software development companies. But like so many other work styles, the methodology has encountered numerous challenges now that workers and companies have been thrust into a remote work environment.
Agile depends on collaboration and independent problem solving. Aimed at meeting the needs of the end user, the approach, considered a mindset by those who adopt it, asks employees to work together to solve problems. Although they still have managerial vision and oversight, they are largely self-organized. The objective is to continually improve products to meet customer satisfaction, the first item of the Agile Manifesto, which is supported by 12 fundamental principles.
The benefits of using Agile are evident for many teams, but given the current disruptions, there is one question that becomes inevitable: how do you adapt Agile practices now that the world has become largely remote – without compromising your products?
Challenge #1: In-person methodologies do not translate to remote environments
Many teams are discovering that agile methodologies are not working in the newly adopted remote environment. There is no longer access to a physical scrum board, for example. Not only can the transition be disruptive for employees who are used to working a certain way, it can also disrupt flow.
The Solution: Review the Rules or Consider Alternatives
Make sure your teams understand the rules. If it's been a while since they've been reviewed, they may need an update – especially with a new scenario to consider. Be fully transparent about what you expect from Agile teams and how they can adapt to meet those standards. Remember to keep employees informed about procedures and any significant operational changes.
This can mean over-communicating details and efforts to ensure all of your team members are on the same page and comfortable with what they need to do.
Another way to adapt is to work with external teams to modify your approach and solve problems. If you outsource specific projects, you may find it considerably easier to adjust to a different environment and solve problems much more efficiently.
Challenge #2: Lack of personal collaboration
Collaboration is the hallmark of a successful agile team. This is harder when you're not working together face to face. With Agile, tasks rely on working together in sprints – short, structured periods of completing requirements – an approach that breaks down when companies move to remote environments.
Work culture is also disrupted when there is no longer a physical environment for collaboration. There is no in-person communication, which can affect the professional relationship and ability to receive and deliver feedback quickly. In fact, face-to-face collaboration is one of the core principles of the Agile Manifesto.
The solution: offer remote tools and lots of support
This may mean adding more structure to previously casual collaborations. Encourage your team members to support each other, offer support as a company, and troubleshoot each other when issues arise.
Consider providing collaboration tools like Slack, Zoom, whiteboards, and internal communications software to facilitate stronger contact between employees.
Challenge #3: Loss of productivity
Productivity can be difficult for people who work remotely. Distractions abound: children attending school at home, nearby construction, neighbors playing loud music, and so on.
This is problematic in Agile, which relies on productivity to successfully meet project requirements. When working alone rather than in teams, employees may succumb to distractions or not feel like they are being held accountable.
The Solution: Respect Team Members, but Hold Them Accountable
Now is the time to offer flexibility to your team members. You probably don't know all the challenges your employees are facing, so give them as much freedom as possible during this difficult time.
At the same time, you shouldn't lower expectations for work products. While you must keep your standards of work ethic and delivery high, you will need to accept different methods to create the required results.
Challenge #4: Maintain supervision
How exactly do you manage remote agile teams? Generally speaking, leadership is a little more fluid when it comes to mindset. And when you're not working together in person, the lines between manager and team member get a little more blurred. So how do you maintain oversight of employees working in different locations?
The solution: check in and focus more on delivery
Check in with your employees frequently. This is different from micromanagement – which you should avoid – because you're not asking how they're completing tasks and what they're doing every day. Instead, you see how things are going and how your team members are managing their responsibilities. Ask them if there are other ways you can support them.
Be mindful of your approach. You don't want to look like a foreman. After all, Agile is about collaboration and trust. Present yourself as another resource that will help you all work together to achieve a common goal.
Challenge #5: Fewer opportunities for personal connection and communication
Many people are experiencing loneliness as a result of pandemic regulations. This is true in the case of agile teams, which typically experience face-to-face communication on a daily basis. In a remote environment, team members may feel a lack of support and an overall drop in group morale.
Even the little things – team lunches, coffee breaks with a coworker, happy hours, and so on – are missing in this environment. And these casual activities can significantly boost overall office culture.
The solution: adopt structured communication and offer opportunities for socialization
One way to replace traditional face-to-face relationships is to establish regular team meetings and collaborative environments . You can, for example, have regular meetings. While they will need to be more structured than the more spontaneous communication your employees are used to, they will allow you to replicate the dynamics you had in the office and allow team members to feel more comfortable with each other.
It can also be helpful to have less formal team meetings. These could be Zoom happy hours, reading the same book together, or sharing personal facts and events.
As the world adapts to a new way of working, it's important to keep in mind the challenges that teams will encounter. Agile principles include collaboration and personal communication, so this mindset can be especially difficult during the pandemic. But it is possible to make the transition, following these guidelines and expectations. Remember to be flexible during tumultuous times – your employees will thank you.
