{"id":25902,"date":"2019-12-19T10:00:45","date_gmt":"2019-12-19T10:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alternativ.be\/?p=25902"},"modified":"2020-06-03T12:58:28","modified_gmt":"2020-06-03T12:58:28","slug":"a-day-in-the-life-of-an-agile-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alternativ.be\/en\/a-day-in-the-life-of-an-agile-team\/","title":{"rendered":"A Day in the Life of an Agile Team"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The industrial internet of things (IIoT) is a way\nfor makers to become more efficient, improve quality and control costs. Kim\u2019s\nIIoT team is the engine behind turning those ideas into reality. They create\nplatforms that allow Steelcase to collect facility data around the world and\ndisplay it visually to help people make better decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kim\u2019s team is made up of IT and business partners\nlike industrial engineers. Over the last two-and-a-half years, they\u2019ve been\nfollowing agile principles to create better business results, faster. And, the\nlessons they\u2019re learning from agile are being applied to teams well beyond the\nworld of IT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order to keep up with their fast-paced style of work, Kim\u2019s team needs to be able to move seamlessly from activity to activity throughout the day, all while staying in flow. Their new team-based workspace designed to support agile helps remove barriers to their progress. In fact, when Steelcase IT teams moved in about a year ago, they increased the amount they got done by 36%. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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8:00 AM \u2013 Starting the Day<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Kim\u2019s team starts every day together in the team studio \u2014 checking in with one another and discussing what\u2019s on their plate for the day. The close proximity to teammates makes it easy to get questions answered without scheduling meetings or waiting for email responses. Sometimes she retreats to a workstation in the back of the studio to focus, yet remain within earshot of the team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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9:00 AM \u2013 Daily Stand-Up<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

They like to gather on their Front Porch for their daily stand-up. This informal spot adjacent to the studio is also owned by the team. Relaxed postures lend themselves to an open, informal conversation to discuss the day\u2019s game plan. Later in the day, they may return to the Front Porch to host business partners or leaders. It allows people to work closely with the team without feeling like they\u2019re intruding on the work happening inside the studio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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9:15 AM \u2013 Work Face-to-Face<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After the short stand-up, they usually have a block of time to work together \u2014 face-to-face in their studio. Presence and connection are central to the flow of work enabling real-time collaboration, building team cohesion and developing empathy and trust.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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10:30 AM \u2013 Customer Connection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Kim connects with an internal business partner from operations to review project criteria, hosting them in an enclosed meeting space just a few steps away from the studio. This area called the Business District includes spaces accessible to everyone. Large meeting rooms, shared enclaves and touchdown spots give Kim\u2019s team plenty of places that support privacy and focus for teams, pairs or individuals while being able to remain near their studio. The transparency of these spaces fosters awareness within and across teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

11:00 AM \u2013 Camp Here<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

During their conversation, Kim and her business partner agree \u2014 they will need someone from that business unit to work closely with Kim\u2019s team for the duration of the project. She guides them to the Flex Camp. These spaces are available to anyone \u2014 allowing the space to accommodate for change just like the agile practice does. People can \u201ccamp\u201d here for hours, or over a period of weeks, to be near the agile team, allowing for informal conversations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

12:00 PM \u2013 Caf\u00e9 Conversations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Kim uses part of her lunch break to connect with coworkers outside of her team. A central caf\u00e9 is a hub for connecting teams, creating new relationships and enriching networks. Running into colleagues on other teams exposes Kim to what\u2019s going on in the rest of the department and helps her learn about other teams\u2019 best practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1:00 PM \u2013 Project Planning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After lunch, it\u2019s back to the team studio where the team is planning for the next sprint cycle. They\u2019re surrounded by vertical whiteboards and a digital display, which helps them visualize and share their thinking while negotiating the plan for upcoming work. By being immersed in the content, it makes it easy to get up-to-speed quickly and support one another. Interdependencies are made visible, challenges identified and alternative approaches can be considered in advance as teams learn from one sprint to the next. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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2:00 PM \u2013 Break Down Barriers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Today has raised a few questions \u2014 Kim\u2019s team needs help eliminating some challenges in their work. The team heads over to the leadership area where leaders are present and accessible. Here, leaders use digital dashboards that scroll through agile teams\u2019 project summaries to foster awareness and visibility. Communication with leaders goes in both directions. Teams are empowered to share their progress and challenges so leaders can advocate for them. Leaders share their strategy in visible ways so the team can see how their work supports the business as a whole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2:30 PM \u2013 Re-Energize and Relax<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The intense nature of their work means Kim\u2019s team members need a place to get away \u2014 without going away. To do so, they often retreat to a spot aptly named the Garden. A break from the typical can help people approach problems in new ways. Individual Garden spaces let people connect to nature and focus away from the team. And collaborative Garden areas offer a spot to socialize and re-energize. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3:30 PM \u2013 Comfortable Collaboration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Refreshed and armed with a few new ideas \u2014 members of Kim\u2019s team collaborate with a colleague in Portland, Oregon using video-conferencing equipment in one of the shared, central pods. Since more traditional meetings like status updates and problem-solving sessions take place in the team studio, these rooms include relaxed settings and informal postures to create a comfortable vibe that encourages non-traditional meeting behaviors and enhances creative thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4:30 PM \u2013 Team Celebration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Before heading out for the day, Kim\u2019s team takes time for a team celebration \u2014 building trust and positive momentum. Their space lets them move from one activity to the next without disrupting the flow of work.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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What We\u2019re Learning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Our IT organization is well into its agile journey and now after a few short months of measurement in their new space, early data is available. We have purposefully looked at the intersection of process, culture and place to learn more about enabling a successful agile environment<\/a>. Measurements so far have come from a variety of sources: sensors, observations, interviews, workshops. In the spirit of agile, we have initial findings we would like to share. We will continue to measure and learn more as we mature our environment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are our early learnings :<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learning and Productivity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n