Over the last several years, agile methodologies have found a place in many of the most successful and adaptive organizations around. However, Agile is not just a single stringent framework. The principles and values of the Agile Manifesto have been reinterpreted and applied in a number of different ways, and there are even cases of it being combined with other methodologies such as PRINCE2.
That being said, there are certainly common hangups to utilizing agile methods, with one of the biggest being that they are most often applied by isolated delivery teams. Typically, the limited pool of employees who understand the benefits of agile methodologies will not receive the support they require from other departments. This, in turn, will hamper the realization of said benefits, a fact that can lead to huge wastes even in a tiny organization.
Many departments will staunchly hold to traditional approaches, perhaps because team members believe that their methods do not require any kind of change. Unfortunately, this is often simply not the case; whether you work in IT, Legal, Customer Service or any other department of a company, the impetus for change has never been stronger. Monumental advances in technology and communication over the last several years have created numerous opportunities for ‘business transformation’, with the advantages including:
- Keeping products and services in line with evolving customer expectations
- Optimizing the efficiency of day-to-day operations
- Boosting project completion rates
- Attracting top-notch talent (particularly when it comes to new skills)
- Entering new sectors, markets and locations
That being said, it is not just the advantages of transformation which should drive businesses to want to change; they should also keep in mind that if they do not adapt, less static competitors could begin to draw customers and clients away.
Providing businesses with greater ‘enterprise agility’, the ability to adapt and evolve an organization, is the purpose of ‘AgileSHIFT’, a framework recently released by AXELOS. It is designed to encourage agile thinking across all departments, creating a uniquely holistic approach that can maximize not only the efficiency of business transformation but also its overall value.
AgileSHIFT is not a traditional agile method, as it is not intended to be used solely by delivery and development teams. Instead, AgileSHIFT training is aimed at anyone who can benefit from or support a business in adopting agile ways of working, including employees with various skills, backgrounds and levels of seniority. This helps users to create a culture which supports holistic enterprise agility, equipping their organizations to adapt in the face of new opportunities and changing circumstances whenever necessary.
However, AgileSHIFT is still a relatively new framework. Businesses are eager to learn how it can benefit them, and whether it is worth investing in AgileSHIFT training. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the biggest benefits of using AgileSHIFT.
A holistically targeted approach to enterprise agility
What makes the AgileSHIFT methodology unique is that it approaches enterprise agility in a way that incorporates an entire organization’s ecosystem. Change-makers and influencers from multiple departments are taught the benefits of approaching and supporting the continuous integration of agile and lean methodologies, rather than just isolated individuals or teams.
With these benefits in mind, employees are far more willing and able to support each other in driving necessary changes. This, in turn, ensures that business transformation can proceed far more efficiently and effectively. Crucially, it can also help an entire organization to adapt to new circumstances or opportunities at the same time.
Comprehensive transformation can often make or break a company. Let’s use the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as an example. When this was introduced in May 2018, businesses were required to make significant and widespread changes. This included adapting policies and practices for Customer Service, Data Storage, Protection, Advertising, Terms and Conditions, and more. Failing to do this in time resulted in many companies getting hit with substantial fines, as well as significant blows to their reputations. They also needed to demonstrate that they were being proactive in making the necessary changes, which required them to formulate and instigate holistic strategies months in advance of the deadline.
Adapt to change opportunities more quickly
With all relevant departments and change-makers prepared to contribute towards enterprise agility, an organization can take advantage of opportunities far more quickly. This could include:
- Integrating new technology into key services
- Reorganizing internal structures in line with updated corporate frameworks
- Matching or surpassing the offerings of competitors
- Accommodating new clients and marketplaces
Using AgileSHIFT can also enable businesses to enjoy the results of enterprise transformation at a much faster rate. As with most agile methodologies, AgileSHIFT provides users with an iterative approach to management. Changes are made in smaller, incremental stages, which will yield results at a faster rate than projects which focus solely on large-scale goals. Allowing an organization to make tangible changes more quickly can be vital for keeping stakeholders on board, as well as preventing customers from looking elsewhere.
A generalized approach
The need for enterprise agility and adaptability is not confined to a single industry or location. After all, how many times in the last few decades has technology transformed multiple industries at once? Because of this widespread necessity, as well as the fact that new drivers for change are appearing constantly, a purely prescriptive framework would be limited in what it could offer and whom it could benefit.
AgileSHIFT is designed so that it can be adopted by any organization, regardless of industry, size, sector or location. It is the result of research from AXELOS’ global partners, who collaborated with a number of leading organizations, as well as both federal and local governments. It also offers insight from a variety of sectors, including retail, professional services and telecommunications.
For businesses which are apprehensive about committing to training in corporate frameworks, it is also worth pointing out that AgileSHIFT is not merely theory. Though it is still a relatively recent release, it has already been widely tested in locations across North America, Europe, APAC and the Middle East.
Greater transparency
Creating a culture of cooperation and embracing agile can empower employees to reassess their everyday practices. It is not uncommon to find that processes and relationships are weighed down by dysfunction when looking at departments which stick rigidly to traditional methodologies. They may well still get the job done, but with a corporate ecosystem that actively enables transformation, you will find that there are always opportunities to improve.
A key element of this transparency is AgileSHIFT’s holistic approach. Remember, AgileSHIFT can be taught to anyone in a position to influence change. As such, investing in AgileSHIFT training can suddenly provide an organization with a variety of different perspectives on when, why and how to pursue transformation.
Long term preparedness
One of the primary themes of AgileSHIFT is establishing a permanent culture of enterprise agility. As the last several years have shown, opportunities for change can appear constantly if you know how to look for them. Creating a stable change environment can put a company in a much better position to adapt to such opportunities in the future, a state commonly referred to as ‘stable dynamism’.
Part of this will involve the use of new skillsets, whether as a result of hiring the right talent or upskilling employees. In order to take full advantage of such skills, a company often needs to be capable of adapting to accommodate them. Take marketing as an example: would skills like SEO or social media management have been nearly as effective with winning companies if they had been unwilling to adapt their overall marketing frameworks?
Why study AgileSHIFT with Good e-Learning?
Investing in corporate training can be troublesome for a business. You could spend all day talking about the benefits of training, but it wouldn’t change the fact that the more time employees spend studying, the less they will have for crucial nine-to-five tasks. AgileSHIFT training can also be particularly awkward given that it is designed for multiple departments, which could potentially cause widespread delays.
Our AgileSHIFT training course is guaranteed to help students come to grips with the framework, regardless of their background or seniority. Not only do we provide practice questions to help students test their knowledge, but we also offer 24/7 tutor support to help them cement it.
Good e-Learning offers a practical and high-quality solution to traditional barriers for corporate training. Our award-winning e-course portfolio can be accessed on any digital devices, including mobile phones and tablets, making it easy for students to study at any time or anywhere. With months of course-access, it is also simple for students to fit their training into busy schedules.
