What was the transformation that took place at Valpak?

        The transformation in the whole information technology organization was begun and regrouped by Valpak by using the Agile Methodology or Kaban processes along with the delivery sprint cycles of two weeks. A very few amounts of pilot projects did try Agile methodology along with the mixed results. They regrouped the whole team of 40+ people and were doing the four-week sprint cycles which were proceeded but that counted two-week sprints because of two weeks for information gathering. Both the CIO and the president made it socialize to see what the state of the future look alike. The senior leadership of the organization did shortlist the concerns and all staff issues and began for trust-building in the entire organization during the meeting. After taking various attempts, they got many results but a lot of anxiety still be there at the time of the implementation of the agile model. The senior leadership team did motivate and said the “just let try to do it”, they did encourage the stated working on it. After the first failure of the initial pilot attempt, the senior leadership motivated the organization to do it instead of applying the same implementation method. They also have all of the teams to go further at the same time for the transformation that they had decided to Rip the band-aid off fast as Stephanie did describe. They also did raised investment on the training of strong Agile team development to get satisfying outcomes across the entire organizations, setting the deadlines of related tasks and brought the coaches from Agile for the help in the transformation. They did conduct tutorial classes for the improvements in the processes for the transformation. The business reviews portfolio of the organization and does also manage or handle the priorities in every quarter.

1.      What types of Agile methodologies were used at Valpak?

            The entire information technology was transitioned to the processes of kanban or the Agile scrum along with delivery cycles of the two-week sprints. The scaled framework based on the agile methodology was being approached by the overall level of an enterprise of Valpak. The proposed scaled framework of agile consists of three types of layers:

·         Layer of Portfolio

The layer of the portfolio is the most strategic and the highest ever layer in the scaled framework of Agile methodology that shows all of the works done by the organization where the programs of the proposed organizations are the done align to the particular strategy of the business of the company as well as the intents of the investment.

·         Layer of Program

All efforts of multiple teams of the organization that are largely engaged as well as aligned whenever the scaled framework of the Agile methodology requires, the development of the level of the complex enterprise put the efforts to create the value largely to serve desired needs of the enterprises and the stakeholders of the proposed organization.

·         Layer of Team

The foundation of the scaled framework of the agile methodology is formed by the layer of the team and where the fundamental design is, test activities building are also performed to fulfill the requirements of the development for every area in the business of the organization majorly. There two kinds of several processes of development in Valpak that are used in this layer.

2.      What is an "Architectural epic"?

            The recommended practice in the scaled framework of the agile methodology is a form of architectural kanban that had been implemented by the Valpak. The architecture identifies the particular need at the level of enterprise for planning and implementation consistently as well as well integration across the projects of and all the teams of the organization. The proposed approach is defined by the scaled framework of the agile methodology also consists to define architectural epics that are, the initiatives of the larger technologies which are essential to developing to the portfolio and its related solutions to provide support the future and current needs of the business. The architectural epic could also be included in the following points that are described by Leffingwell:

·         The technological integration will be required by the mergers and acquisitions.

·         Change in technology and infrastructure antiquation.

·         Scalability and the performance challenges of current solutions

·         Avoid the efforts of in duplication sense with respect to cost and drivers of the economy.

            The architectural epics are handled and capture in Valpak in the architecture of backlog as well as it is the architectural part of the architecture of the Kanban system. They did apply the several processes on it by using various maturity states until they did enter the implementation phase.

3.      What is portfolio Kanban and how was it implemented at Valpak?

        The portfolio of Kanban is the practice which is recommended in the scaled framework of the Agile methodology. Valpak implemented such practice in the scaled framework of agile methodology. The business of the business epics provides the kanban portfolio is the motive to give a methodology to plan, prioritize and manage it. It will bring the visibility to the future works and the specific work which is in the process that will assist to give facilitation to the flow of the project management as well as it could be a factor to achieve the enterprise. As Leffigwell described, the system of kanban is being used in the context which is mentioned below:

·         Design and form the strategies for the business initiative backlog that should be visible.

·         Represent a particular structure to make a decision and for analysis that will move this kind of initiatives to the implementation phase as well as it will processes visible.

·         Just set the milestones and proved the limitation on every task to ensure the teams that they are responsible for any kind of analysis as well as they don’t need to create expectations for the implementations.

·         Must provide the quantitative most important and transparent business decisions that will be based on economic decisions.

Implementation of Portfolio Kanban:

·         It should be highly visible according to the kanban board. Therefore, there are no WIP limits applied to the level of the portfolio because it is meaningless.

·         It held along with the weekly executive sponsors.

·         Definition of an epic:

o   >= 3 efforts of on the sprint

o   >= 3 coordination with teams of agile

o   Impact or market value, franchise

·         It divides the funnel into the current quarter, unplanned quarter and the next quarter, so that’s why every member of the team knows about what kind of the epics have planned and what kind of epics occur next.

4.      What were the big challenges that were addressed at Valpak?

There are many big challenges that were addressed and highlighted in the Valpak which are based on cultural and organizational aspects.

·         Team dependencies

·         Accountability at the Top

·         Company franchises

·         Management of stakeholders

·         The shift of agile culture

·         Formation of high skilled and performance teams

5.      What were the key success factors at Valpak?

·         Top-down support

            For taking the transformation based on agile mechanism and to support at all levels of the specific business, it was compulsory to the agile mid-set for the formation of the shift of the culture. As Stewart describes that fully bore agile methodology, we did go with it full-fledged, to dabble along with the agile mechanism to continue instead of. Once the CIO is declared in the organization, we will have to go with the agile methodologies where we should not look back. Our executive leadership of the entire organization provided the support to the team as well as they did help us to sell the products to the stakeholders including our outlet network.

·         Independent coach hiring

        We could be backfired at the time when attempting the strategy “do it by yourself”. So here we have to invest our few amounts of money to hire a coach of agile for just six months that will train the teams and provide the support all of the processes. Many companies highly appreciate any independent expert’s advice more than that employee who is a trustworthy member of the own staff of the company.

·         Each and every day continuous support

It was done kicked off for one big time to continue provision of the support services whenever the methodology based on agile principles with several companies.

·         Ownership of business or engagement of the senior management

Business ownership or the senior management did engage and commit to putting some efforts, that was the significant factor in the effort of success.

·         Results and Conclusion

A major shift in the approach of Valpak management has been enabled the process of agile principles development, using the empowerment and self-organization in the teams by themselves.

6.      What were the results and conclusions from the Valpak implementation of SAFe?

·         Do things efficiently and reduce effort.

·         You have not to give explanations on the plans of the larger projects.

·         Do not waste too much time to talk on the why it did miss a date or it did not set the expectation between the executive sponsor and the project team correctly.

·         Should play the role of peacemaker among the different groups of teams of and the businesses.

·         Should always make the strategic plans

·         Should also execute designed plans to grow the business.

·         Should take the partnership with other senior members of the team to provide a help them through the growing lines of the business.

·         Alignment and collaboration between the proposed business and information technology that did increase the visibility of results.

·         Software Quality measures, when you will increasingly apply the test cases. It will definitely increase the quality of the software as well as it could be integrated into the current module without getting defects and bugs or any kind of failures.

7.      What were the lessons learned from Valpak regarding the implementation?

            The implementation of the transformation of Valpak gives excellent approaches to the for the betterment in the companies. If you want to go further with agile methodology but you fail in attainment the desired outcome against this mechanism. For make your strategies better you should follow the Valpak strategies in agility. You should need to make your power portfolio for that purpose and the senior management leader of the company should also collaborate with the teams and heightened issues of the team's members and must have to resolve that kind of issues. For making the strong and impactful portfolio of the company, you should follow the layers such as a layer of the portfolio, layer of the program and the layer of the team. It might possible that many times you will face the failures in the implementations. There is no need to follow the typical methods of which are introduced by any team member. So you have to design and develop a set of various mechanisms or overcome this kind of issues. if one method will fail you to get desired outcomes, then you should not need to look back or perform such kind of method for that just go away from that method and you should follow the several mechanisms. You should also follow the scaled framework of agile method that could help to implement and you could be succeeded. For that purpose, you should raise investment on the coach of the agile method who is an expert. He will provide you tutorials for that for six months as well as he will handle the process of the agile methods because many companies give the preferences the opinions of such person who is independent and expert in his field more than that person who is trustworthy and also a team member of the organization.

8.      How would this approach be implemented at your company?

            This approach has been implemented at my company when I do face some kind of failure to gain the outputs from that. I have regrouped my team of the entire company including developers, programmers, testing department teams and quality assurance teams as well as I the senior leadership of the company. They all enlighten the key issues and some problems in agile methods and techniques. The senior management team of my company did bring some improvement in the processes against regarding issues. they have followed the Scaled agile framework and they did hire a coach who was expert in the agile methods that delivered lectures to teach my employee to develop extraordinary skills.

9.      What methodologies would be changing at your company to go to the SAFe type of methodology?

            I have made some changes in my company to according to scaled agile framework types of methodologies such as I have and my senior management team did work smartly and reduce our efforts on the complex parts of the structure. We have not to give explanations on the plans of the larger projects. We do not waste too much time to talk on the why it did miss a date or it did not set the expectation between the executive sponsor and the project team correctly. The managers of the company had played the role of peacemaker among the different groups of teams and businesses.

10.  Give an example of an "Architectural epic" that would be used at your company.

            We have made some changes in our technological environment such as the platforms, hardware and some assistant software which are very helpful at the workplace and offer the new service opportunities and new products. For example, we have introduces the Wix front ent builders which is very helpful to construct a website user panel as desired and need as well as it is a time-saving tool for my team members. In addition, we, me and my senior management teams screen out the neon skilled employee and filtered out. Those screened employees who are an average skilled need to be polished, we have trained them by providing them lecture and tutorials with the help of a highly qualified coach. In short in have made some changes and reduce the extra investment on my resources.

11.  How would portfolio Kanban be implemented at your company?

            I have made strategic business for the initiative backlog upcoming business epics that are clearly visible in the company as well as I have made a particular type of structure that helps in decision making and does analyze existing structure including that part which design phase has been completed and ready to go in the implementation phase.

12.  What do you think the biggest challenges you would face at your company if you were the consultant hired?

Team dependencies, we could not proceed with our works as long as our teammates are not there so we are fully dependent on our teammates. Company franchises.

The shift of agile culture, whenever we are to make some changes, for example, shifting waterfall or extreme programming to agile then it’s a big challenge for us.

Formation of high skilled and performance teams

13.  If it were to be successful at your company, what would the key success factors be?

·         Ownership of business or engagement of the senior management

·         Each and every day continuous support

·         Independent coach hiring

·         Top-down support