Agile at Scale

What is agile at scale? Agile at scale is a way of working—and thinking—that can take organizations from rigid to resilient. It’s more collaborative, more open, more creative, and more efficient than other models. Yet few companies have been able to implement enterprise agility.

It’s easy to see why. Similar to a digital transformation, achieving agile at scale requires companies to address their full operating model. They must embrace change. And they must support this agile transformation—completely and visibly—from the top.

It’s no simple undertaking. But now more than ever, companies need to extend enterprise agility deeper throughout their organization and culture. They can do it with the right agile-at-scale framework.

Taking agile beyond pilots and scattered initiatives requires deep changes in processes, habits, and even mindsets. It also requires careful timing and coordination. We work with clients at every step of their agile-at-scale journey.

• Understand the starting point. Our customized approach starts with understanding where an organization is. Proprietary tools, such as our agile maturity assessment and Ready, Willing, Able (RWA) Tool, help us gauge capabilities, competencies, and willingness to change—and benchmark against best-in-class peers. By understanding a client's readiness for enterprise agility, we can shape recommendations and strategies to fit their unique environment.
• Enable the organization. Enterprise agility requires catalysts to change and influence behavior. We provide a suite of resources—and support—for all levels of an organization. These include workshops to teach agile behaviors, immersion sessions for senior executives, and coaching, simulations, and mentoring for agile team members. We also provide tactics for change management and communications.
• Set up and execute agile pilots. When well implemented, agile at scale generates not only value but also lessons that help scale this new way of working. We work with organizations to select visible and relevant pilots, establish agile processes, and measure results—building dashboards to track value delivery, squad performance, defects, and work progress.
• Adapt the operating model. By feeding learnings into the operating model, we fine-tune methodologies and set the stage for agile transformation. We define how roles and responsibilities will shift, drawing on a database of more than 3,000 role charters that detail accountabilities across functions. We address all components of the operating model, including governance, culture, leadership and talent, and technological enablers. And we work with clients to communicate changes—reducing ambiguity, and tension, as they deploy agile at scale.
• Build an agile playbook. Transforming to an agile organization won’t happen overnight. By building on initial projects, customizing best practices to a client’s context and culture, and enabling ongoing coaching, workshops, and pulse checks, we create a roadmap for enterprise agility—and a path for sustainable change.

Our Agile-at-Scale Consulting Work

Our agile-at-scale clients operate in nearly every industry and region. We’re able to assist such a diverse roster because of our global reach and cross-industry experience in enterprise agility. Among our engagements: agile transformation in banking, aviation, and pharmaceuticals. As the following examples show, agile at scale isn’t just for software—or isolated pilots—anymore.

Our agile-at-scale consultants and industry experts partner with clients to rethink their operating model and culture, and embrace an agile transformation.