Valpak Case Study Summary
1. What was the transformation that took place at Valpak?
2. What types of Agile methodologies were used at Valpak?
3. What is an "Architectural epic"?
4. What is portfolio Kanban and how was it implemented at Valpak?
5. How did projects get implemented at Valpak since SAFe doesn't recognize projects?
6. What were the big challenges that were addressed at Valpak?
7. What were the key success factors at Valpak?
8. What were the results and conclusions from the Valpak implementation of SAFe?
9. What were the lessons learned from Valpak regarding the implementation?
Write a 500 word summary on the following questions that you would anticipate if the same kind of implementation was addressed at your company
10. How would this approach be implemented at your company?
11. What methodologies would be changing at your company to go to the SAFe type of methodology?
12. Give an example of an "Architectural epic" that would be used at your company.
13. How would portfolio Kanban be implemented at your company?
14. What do you think the biggest challenges you would face at your company if you were the consultant hired to implement the same types of processes that were addressed at Valpak?
15. If it were to be successful at your company, what would the key success factors be?
Read Chapter 19 Case Study- Valpak in The Project Manager’s Guide to Mastering Agile and answer the below questions in a submitted essay.
Write a 1500-word Case Study Analysis by answering the following questions:
1. What was the transformation that took place at Valpak?
The purpose behind Valpak to make change is to adjust to the requests by their customers. Prior to the change, Valpak was a conventional showcasing organization which has numerous contenders and run of the mill issues, for example, spontaneous work, missing due dates, bring down effectiveness group correspondence, and so forth. To enhance the working effectiveness, Valpak chose to apply coordinated in their day by day work. The exertion was make for the most part by their IT gathering, to tight the connection amongst partners and shoppers, they have embedded a two-week dash conveyance cycles, by embracing this in the IT gathering, the I T aggregate turns into a vital unit of the business and center esteem convey part in the organization. With the assistance of lithe chief and CIO (nimble official champion), they have understood the embedding of deft authority in the entire group, and effectively make the organization as an incredible case of "The Agile Enterprise". So it is the coordinated embedding makes the change happens at Valpak. What s more, the change occurred at the opportune time to take care of the demand which is caused by the innovation.
2. What types of Agile methodologies were used at Valpak?
For the situation contemplate, Valpak utilized Scrum as the major Agile procedure in their undertaking administration. In the IT gathering, Scrum was utilized for item advancement, and Valpak has 10 groups which are centered around fundamental parts of business. A more intuitive Kanban has been utilized as a part of their day by day work, Kanban is utilized to accomplished a productivity correspondence inside the group. Other than the fundamental from of Kanban, they additionally embrace progressed structural Kanban to enhance the relationship inside the group. There is no strategy that could be appropriate for all the undertaking administration, it is vital for the item proprietor and venture chief to pick the correct one to upgrade their initiative and encourage the Agile group. Valpak has received the privilege Agile strategy, in particular they have changed by their circumstance.
3. What is an "Architectural epic"?
A structural epic is an innovation activity that is important to propel portfolio arrangements in an eFort to help the associations current and future needs. They are investigated and caught in the Architectural Epic Kanban System to bring perceivability.
4. What is portfolio Kanban and how was it implemented at Valpak?
Portfolio Kanban is a generally utilized and suggested rehearse in SAFe. It is utilized for the arranging, organizing and overseeing of business legends. A couple of its motivations incorporate it are not restricted to the accompanying:
· Ensures full perceivability in the build-up/forthcoming sagas.
· Conveys structure to business investigation and choice which can move activities to execution. To give WIP limits that groups demonstration dependably and don't set desires that they are not ready to reach.
· Drives joint effort between major stakeholders.
Its execution of the Kanban Portfolio at Valpak was utilized to:
· Create a very unmistakable Kanban board with no WIP limits applied.
· Hold week by week Kanban standup gatherings with backers to address board developments of sagas and basic leadership.
· Esteem stream
5. How did projects get implemented at Valpak since SAFe doesn't recognize projects?
SAFe was actualized at Valpak from the base up with six(6) Scrum groups and three(3) Kanban groups in 2011. Street mapping and discharge administration was at was in the center layer of SAFe and Portfolio Kanban at the best layer. They likewise executed the Architectural Kanban routine with regards to SAFe.
6. What were the big challenges that were addressed at Valpak?
The greatest difficulties tended to at Valpak include:
· Managing cross – group conditions and stakeholders.
· Disconnect amongst officials and item proprietors brought confusion and conflict from the base up.
· Collaboration issues with item owners.
· Developing high performing groups.
· Absence of constant improvement.
· Absence of structure and association in building process.
· Absence of value testing. Issues with creating Agile Project pioneers.
7. What were the key success factors at Valpak?
· Top down help at all levels of the association.
· Procuring an autonomous mentor to prepare groups and bolster the procedure as opposed to endeavoring to do only it.
· Nonstop help towards change each day.
· Engagement and duty by senior administration.
8. What were the results and conclusions from the Valpak implementation of SAFe?
· The outcomes and conclusions from the Valpak execution of SAFe were as per the following:
· To put more concentrate on vital management.
· Empowered and self-arranging groups were urgent in the significant move Valpak's administration approach.
· Administration of IT assets has been simpler because of the move of engaged and self-sorting out groups. Noteworthy change so as to showcase because of shorter cycles.
· Two (2) weeks run cycles and more current/upgraded programming was influenced accessible to partners much To quickly.
· Increase in the arrangement and coordinated effort of organizations because of perceivability in processes.
· Improved profitability and spirit among group members.
· The usage of an esteem driven process empowers the conveyance of significant worth to clients at a more incessant rate.
· Increased receptiveness and straightforwardness of groups at a portfolio and design level. Groups know about what they will take a shot at and also different teams.
· Changes are actualized all the more rapidly.
· It is considerably less demanding to be responsive and adjust to new methodologies.
· Expanded accentuation on programming quality utilizing unit testing and clean coding and also ceaseless mix.
9. What were the lessons learned from Valpak regarding the implementation?
The lessons gained from Valpak with respect to execution are delineated below:
· Forming ventures around groups as opposed to shaping groups around the project.
· Planning group limit and building up a pace that is supportable pace.
· Utilizing run surveys and science fairs
Write a 500-word summary on the following questions that you would anticipate if the same kind of implementation was addressed at your company
10. How would this approach be implemented at your company?
This approach would be executed in a comparative configuration at my association. Since coordinated empowers separating work into littler lumps for conveyance in increases, it would be more relevant. The customary waterfall approach does not represent sudden changes so it would not be suitable in my association. Like Valpak we would execute portfolio Kanban also.
11. What methodologies would be changing at your company to go to the SAFe type of methodology?
We would execute the SAFe kind of procedure for the accompanying reasons:
· To energize littler, cross utilitarian teams.
· To have more incessant discharges
12. Give an example of an "Architectural epic" that would be used at your company.
Architectural Epics are driven by new item or administration openings, and changes in advancements that influence numerous items and administrations. these are the "engineering sagas" that traverse advancement groups – buyer PDA and PC point-application items, corporate server and door items, facilitated security as administration offerings and online stockpiling administrations worked by operations groups – and in addition a developing suite of web applications. Design overabundances, lines and examination work in process must be made unmistakable, making a mutual comprehension of present and future work and workload.
13. How would portfolio Kanban be implemented at your company?
Portfolio Kanban would be executed at my association by the following:
· Creating an exceptionally unmistakable Kanban board with no WIP limits connected to it.
· Holding week after week Kanban standup gatherings with supporters to address board developments of stories.
14. What do you think the biggest challenges you would face at your company if you were the consultant hired to implement the same types of processes that were addressed at Valpak?
Similarly, as with any type of rebuilding or change in forms inside an organization, protection is the main factor that can block its procedures. At my association, we are utilized to the waterfall system so consolidating Agile and SAFe structure would be a test in view of this reason. This rebuilding influences parts and a great many people at my association would not take this progress too well. I figure it would be my business to bring issues to light by giving preparing and talk about how the advantages exceed everything else. This may help move their concentration into something positive.
15. If it were to be successful at your company, what would the key success factors be?
The key components at my association if this strategy were to be executed would be as follows:
· Consistency of procedures over all levels. Solid help on an official level.
· The improvement of an "all in" way to deal with the execution of new processes.
· Increased one on one gatherings with staff and significant partners.