Abstract: Where to start when you want to take your global $200 million IT change portfolio Agile? This was the challenge facing AstraZeneca (AZ) at the end of 2014. Within an environment of looming patent cliffs and the need to boost scientific productivity, AstraZeneca was looking to make a step change in delivery performance.
The Agile approach AZ adopted focused heavily on organization and cultural change while using the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) to support the transition to Agile ways of working. Uniquely AZ also used SAFe to run the Agile Transformation. At the time, the transition was the largest Scaled Agile adoption of its kind within a heavily regulated environment.
In order for change to take root in an IT organization of over 5000 people we needed the transition to be 'caught not taught'. Agile adoption is different from Agile transformation - we wanted a change of mindset rather than simply a change in methodology. Agile transformation at AZ has to date been extremely successful, with teams reporting significantly faster time to value delivery, reduced team sizes and improved quality.
This session will look at several techniques which we used successfully to move the AZ enterprise from a cold start to a place where AZ business teams have 'caught the change' and are proactively seeking out the Agile Transformation team about 'Going Agile'.
Learning Outcomes:
- Agile can’t simply be adopted, how do you not just create cosmetic change but truly change organizational health?
- Can a ‘lab approach’ and using Agile to roll out Agile really work?
- Agile behaviors need to be ‘caught not taught’
