Agile Business Change Blog Thoughts on Agile Strategic Business Change and Agile Delivery

07

JUL

Governance is Essential

07 JUL 2011 | Posted in agile governance | Author Rob Smith | 2 Comments

In the last few weeks I’ve met with a number of organisations that have reported similar problems in the implementation of Agile. Typical examples include: lack of control over solutions, timescales, cost and risk; teams working as silos; no standard Agile process; and no standard way of monitoring/reporting on work.

I believe that most if not all of these are related to Team in a Room mentality i.e. the assumption that a focused Agile team working with an on-site customer can achieve its objectives in isolation. This approach can and frequently does work, however it can also fail, sometimes spectacularly.

The solution to the issue is, as I have said before, appropriate governance. The good news is that I’m now beginning to sense that there is a recognition of this within the Agile community as it matures. If Agile is to flourish in complex environments, and particularly in Government, then a broad recognition of the need for Governance, and practical success stories will be invaluable.

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See also:

• Implementing Basic Governance