Understand the 12 key principles of Agile project management. Explore how to apply these principles to enhance customer satisfaction, collaboration, and more.

Our checklist will help you to asses your readiness to adopt agile and how much you know about it.

Agile Readiness Checklist

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Understanding the 12 Agile Project Management Principles

The face of business has been shifting seismically over the past few decades and the pace of change in the modern world is constant and unpredictable. Sometimes your organisation faces challenging situations that it needs to adapt to and prepare for. 

In this article we will look into the ‘VUCA’ framework, a tool to help us understand challenging business environments and provide useful insights for how to prepare and act decisively when things get difficult.  

## What is VUCA?

Military planners used the VUCA framework to describe unfamiliar security environments that exist. 

![volatility uncertainty complexity ambiguity](https://inpositiv.com/uploads/VUCA_1af29bfba2.png)

### VUCA stands for:

**V - Volatility**: The pace of change is rapid and unpredictable, especially for the worse. As volatile changes impact the global markets, organisations need to be agile and responsive, having strategies in place to manage risk. 

**U - Uncertainty** - The present is unclear and the future is uncertain, understanding certain challenges and having a strategy to reduce the impact of uncertain situations is key to reducing adverse impacts of product sales.

**C - Complex**: Complexity is the number of factors that must be considered, their variety, and the relationships between them. It can be difficult to practice rational problem-solving in a complex environment due to several interdependencies. In short, the more complex an environment is, the harder information is to analyse. 

**A - Ambiguous:** Ambiguity refers to a lack of clarity about how to interpret something. Ambiguity occurs in the workplace when information is incomplete, contradictory, or too inaccurate to reach informed conclusions. In short, the more ambiguous the world is, the harder it is to interpret. 
 
## How can you manage VUCA situations?

We can use and analyse the elements of VUCA to better mitigate the impacts of challenging situations businesses find themselves in. 

### How do I overcome volatility?

**React to volatility with vision**

Volatility can be overcome with a strong corporate vision that is implemented consistently and includes everyone in the company. Create a strong statement of company values and develop a clear shared vision for the future

### How do I overcome uncertainty?

**React to uncertainty with understanding **

Uncertainty can be overcome by listening to and gleaning as much as possible from your company’s stakeholders, including customers, staff, and partners. Invest in the analysing and interpreting of business and competitive intelligence so that you don’t fall behind. 

### How do I overcome complexity?

**React to complexity with courage**

Complexity can be overcome by being brave enough to make quick decisions, despite associated risks. Courage has the potential to reveal new opportunities for success. Develop teams and promote collaboration to build teams that can work effectively in fast-paced, unpredictable environments. 

### How do I overcome ambiguity?

**React to ambiguity with adaptability**

Ambiguity can be overcome by changing your plan of action at a moment’s notice to accommodate contradictory dynamics. Being adaptable can help your business become stronger and more resilient in the face of incomplete information, giving you a long-term competitive advantage. 

As the world is becoming rapidly more uncertain and difficult to predict, understanding how to adapt to VUCA situations is vital in managing risk and ensuring your organisation can flourish. In order to be successful in a VUCA world, leaders must be increasingly agile and emotionally prepared to manage uncertainty and risk. 

[Reach us out](https://inpositiv.com/services/digital-agility) for expert help today!

The VUCA framework is a valuable tool to analyse and manage unfamiliar situations that arise in an increasingly difficult global business environment. This blog post breaks down the components of VUCA, suggesting how to overcome the range of diverse challenges organisations face. 

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How ‘VUCA’ framework, a tool to help us understand challenging business environments and provide useful insights for how to prepare and act decisively when things get difficult.  

How to Handle Uncertain Business Challenges With VUCA framework

VUCA Framework: How to Handle Uncertain Business Challenges

When undertaking an agile software development or [digital transformation project](https://inpositiv.com/insights/digital-agility-transforming-business), some of the most important aspects are your parameters for completion. What preconditions need to be met? What bites in the backlog should we be focusing on? What is the quality of the product that stakeholders expect from the project output to ensure a finished and complete product?

When people interact with complex systems, these ideas can get a bit confusing. 

Hence why, in agile [scrum teams](https://inpositiv.com/insights/sprint-teamwork-roles-responsibilities) the concepts of the definition of done (DoD) and definition of ready (DoR) become essential components, ensuring that there is a consensus on what tasks the team can start working on and whether the result can be considered complete or not.  

But what is a DoD and a DoR and how do you implement them to ensure that you know when your agile digital transformation has been effectively completed?

## Scrum and Backlog

Before diving into the DoD and DoR parameters in detail. It is first important to get a grasp of the big picture of an agile scrum team, the concept of a backlog and user stories. 

At the product level, as well as the sprint level, a backlog refers to a project’s ‘to do list’, or requirements repository. All items that are deemed as ‘in scope’ for the project are ordered in the backlog, meaning that the higher the position that a task takes up in the backlog, the more important that task is. This order is decided by the product owner, driven by business value after consultation with the development team. 

Items are added to [the backlog](https://inpositiv.com/insights/scrum-framework-and-artefacts-explained) in the form of ‘user stories’, or short descriptions of a desired feature told from the perspective of the person who requires the capability.  

A sprint is a time-boxed period whereby an agile scrum team works to complete a set amount of high priority items from the sprint backlog in order to turn them into a product increment. It is important that these defined user stories are ‘ready’ 

## Definition of Ready (DoR)

A DoR should define the criteria that a specific [user story](https://inpositiv.com/insights/user-stories-example-and-template) must meet before being considered for inclusion into a sprint. It should also include the essential set of preconditions that need to be met, allowing the next step in the value creation process to happen effectively. 

By observing and following a ‘definition of ready’, the chances of teammates becoming frustrated with a backlog they don’t fully understand and cannot effectively follow through with are significantly reduced. 

A ‘ready’ item in the backlog of a digital transformation needs to be clear, actionable and feasible. 
●	Clear items suggest that all scrum team members have a shared understanding of what the task entails. 
●	An item is testable if there is a way to effectively measure its functionality and determine if its functionality will work as expected. 
●	A user story can be considered feasible if it can be completed in a single sprint, if this is not possible the task must be further broken down. 

![team working on creating user friendly product](https://inpositiv.com/uploads/Group_6900_9a794d10b2.jpg)

## Definition of Done (DoD)

DoR is primarily focused on user story and backlog level characteristics. DoD, on the other hand, is focused on the sprint level. The purpose of a well-implemented DoD is to make it as crystal clear as possible as to when the work is completed, representing acceptance criteria for a sprint or release. 

The DoD represents an agreement between the [development team and product owner](https://inpositiv.com/insights/sprint-teamwork-roles-responsibilities) on the work that needs to be done for each user story. This ensures that everyone on the team knows exactly what is expected of everything the team is to deliver, promoting further transparency and quality from the product and organisation. 

Failure to meet these criteria by the end of the sprint means that it shouldn’t be released or presented at the sprint review and should instead be returned to the product backlog for further consideration. 

Things that are commonly addressed in the DoD include: 
●	Operating requirements and level of integration (what version of Linux/android/ios/browser) 
●	Level of documentation required 
●	The quality expectations for the product (does it require basic functionality for demo proposes or a fully bulletproof application) 
●	Security expectations for the product (does the product require security to be vetted on all levels from code reviews to network security configuration)
●	Scalability 

DoR and DoD are two of the most important principles for scrum teams to consider when conducting a digital transformation, denoting when a user story is fleshed out enough to be tackled whilst defining the criteria for the success of the user stories.

Without a well defined DoR and DoD, there is a lack of transparency and logic regarding what to start working on and the standards to which things should be completed, leading to a disorganised project that may well not match the expectations of your client. 

For more insights into how to [make digital transformations work for your company](https://inpositiv.com/services/digital-agility), follow our [LinkedIn page](https://www.linkedin.com/company/inpositiv/)! 


Parameters of completion are essential components in any successful Scrum team. This blog post clarifies the definition of done and the definition of ready so you can ensure your agile projects are clear, transparent and organised. 

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How the Definition of done (DoD) and Definition of Ready (DoR) help agile teams know when to start and finish tasks, increasing transparency and quality.

Definition of Done vs. Definition of Ready: Clear Guidelines for Agile Teams

What is the definition of done and the definition of ready?

Agile consulting is a process that helps organisations transform their traditional work approaches into Agile methodologies. The objective is to create a more adaptable, flexible, and collaborative work environment that enables faster delivery of products or services. [Agile methodologies](https://inpositiv.com/insights/what-is-agile-methodology-and-how-does-it-work) focus on iterative development, continuous integration, and cross-functional collaboration. By implementing agile practices, companies are better equipped to respond to changing market demands, enhance customer satisfaction, and achieve higher levels of productivity and efficiency.

In this article, we will explore the benefits of Agile transformation consultancy and how it can transform companies to thrive in today's fast-paced business environment. We will delve into the key benefits of Agile, and highlight our key services that we provide for companies.

## Benefits of Agile Transformation

Navigating the rapidly shifting currents of today's digital landscape requires an adaptive mindset and nimble strategies. Some of the benefits are:

### Faster time to market

In the fast-paced world of business, speed is often of the essence. With Agile, organisations can quickly adapt to changing market conditions, ensuring products and services reach customers swiftly. But it’s not just about pace. Adopting Agile means refining processes, removing bottlenecks, and ensuring that your team is consistently delivering value in the most efficient manner. It's about having the ability to pivot when necessary, ensuring products are both timely and relevant.

### Improved product quality

Adopting Agile is synonymous with quality enhancement. By integrating agile practices, methodologies, and frameworks, development teams are equipped with tools and techniques that prioritise the user. It’s a dynamic approach, where continuous feedback loops and iterative development practices ensure that the end product aligns seamlessly with user needs and expectations, delivering solutions that are both robust and reliable.

### Ability to innovate

An Agile environment is a breeding ground for innovation. It fosters a culture that encourages ideation, experimentation, and continuous learning. With Agile, teams are not restricted by stringent guidelines but are encouraged to explore, test, and refine new ideas. This ensures that businesses remain relevant, competitive, and at the cutting-edge of industry innovations.

### Engaged employees

An often-underestimated benefit of Agile is its impact on team morale and engagement. When working within Agile frameworks, employees find greater clarity in their roles, enjoy enhanced collaboration, and feel a sense of ownership and purpose. The very nature of Agile, with its emphasis on cross-functional collaboration and open communication, ensures that team members are more invested, motivated, and driven towards achieving shared objectives.

### Happier customers

Agile is inherently customer-centric. It’s built on the foundation of understanding customer needs, soliciting feedback, and implementing changes based on this feedback. By working closely with customers and stakeholders, businesses can ensure that they’re not just meeting but exceeding customer expectations. This not only results in products and services that resonate with the target audience but fosters a relationship of trust and loyalty.

![An infographic image of 5 people working](/uploads/Desktop_23_2853c25031.jpg)

### Increased ROI

At its core, **Agile is about delivering maximum value**. By streamlining processes, enhancing product quality, and ensuring timely deliveries, businesses can witness a significant increase in returns. Agile practices, when implemented correctly, lead to better resource management, reduced overheads, and higher profits. It’s a strategic approach that aligns business operations with goals, ensuring that every move contributes positively to the bottom line.

## Our Agile Consulting Services

### Agile Consultancy Services

There's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to Agile. Recognising this, we've crafted our consultancy services to address the unique needs that organisations encounter at different levels:

- **Team Level**: Every Agile journey begins at the grassroots - with individual teams. We dive deep into the essence of Agile, helping teams implement methodologies such as Scrum, ensuring that roles are clearly defined and that the essence of Agile principles are imbibed in daily activities. It's all about establishing a foundation that delivers value quickly and effectively.

- **Teams of Teams Level**: As organisations scale, so does complexity. This is where our consultancy stands out. We address the challenges of coordinating multiple teams, ensuring they work in harmony. Our expert Agile coaches guide teams, fostering collaboration, and ensuring that the larger organisational objectives are in sight.

- **Enterprise Level**: Embracing agility across an entire organisation is a mammoth task. But, with our consultancy services, it's achievable. We focus on implementing [Scaled Agile Framework](https://scaledagile.com/what-is-safe/), ensuring that different teams and departments work in unison. From ensuring a consistent Agile mindset to streamlining processes for better time-to-market, we ensure that your entire organisation transforms to achieve true business agility.

### Agile Coaching Services

- **Individual Coaching**: Transforming into an Agile organisation often starts at the top. We provide bespoke coaching services for individuals, primarily managers, acquainting them with the agile way. Whether it's a deep dive into roles like [Scrum Master or Product Owner](https://inpositiv.com/insights/agile-team-roles), our coaching ensures leaders are well-equipped to drive Agile initiatives.
![hero_6b9fca238b.png](/uploads/hero_6b9fca238b_3bba1d1937.png)
- **Team Coaching**: Implementing methodologies like [Scrum](https://inpositiv.com/insights/how-scrum-methodology-enhances-collaboration) at a team level requires a shift in mindset and operations. Our Agile coaches guide teams through this transition, helping them define roles, streamline processes, and enhance collaboration. We don’t just coach; we empower teams to deliver value.

- **Enterprise Coaching**: Large-scale Agile adoption, like implementing [Scaled Agile Framework](), requires an understanding of both individual team dynamics and broader organisational goals. We coach teams to function together, emphasising listening, collaborating, and aligning their efforts for maximum impact.

### Agile Training Courses

In the rapidly evolving landscape of agile, continuous learning is paramount. While we don’t intend to establish an academy, we provide tailored training modules to help individuals prepare and excel in certification exams, ensuring that your teams are not just Agile in name but in practice.

In a world where change is the only constant, our Agile consultancy services ensure you're always ahead of the curve. Whether you're initiating your Agile journey or looking to refine existing processes, remember that we're here, championing your transformation every step of the way.


## Why work with us? 

At inPositiv, our expertise spans a multitude of sectors, including retail, product development, logistics, and beyond. We are not confined to a single industry, nor do we subscribe to the notion of specialising exclusively for profit a common stereotype associated with the finance sector in Switzerland.

Our passion is for diversity and innovation across industries that strive for genuine value creation. With a wealth of experience under our belt, we are eager to collaborate with industries that bring forth real-world challenges, opportunities for significant impact, and teams enriched by diverse backgrounds and unique perspectives.

We firmly believe in the versatility of Agile methodologies. Far from being limited to IT, Agile principles are applicable and beneficial across all sectors. It's about instilling a culture of continuous improvement, fostering collaboration, and enhancing adaptability values that are indispensable in any industry. We are in search of partners who resonate with this ethos, who are poised to embrace transformative change and drive forward-thinking innovation, regardless of their industry domain.

Are you ready to elevate your business with Agile principles that transcend industry boundaries? [Connect with us](https://inpositiv.com/#contact), where innovation meets agility. Let's collaborate to solve complex challenges and create lasting value in your sector.[ Reach out to us today](https://inpositiv.com/#contact),



Transform your organization with our expert agile consulting services. Enjoy faster market times, improved product quality, and increased ROI. Learn more now!

Understanding the 12 Agile Project Management Principles

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