Agile Development Blog

“What can Agile really do for us as an organization?”

I work with a variety of clients in various stages of Agile adoption. When an evangelist from the Engineering organization has led the charge, the adoption theme is largely about just wanting to get out from under the mantle that waterfall’s unsustainable claims put upon the Engineering team.

Very soon, however, news floats up the organizational flagpole and now the question is asked, “But what can Agile really do for us as an organization?”

One nervous answer is, “Well, Agile cuts costs.” Oh really… How so?

That is often when I get called in. The Agile adoption is underway and it is now time to have the sit-down talk about, “Jean, does Agile really cut costs?”  This hovering question is all the more pertinent now.  We’re in a down economy. We’re having to look, not at just what costs too much, but frankly what can cut costs.

Turning to employees for suggestions on how to cut costs and create revenues

So, imagine that your organization has decided to turn to the employees to find out what you can do to save money.  You set out a “Suggestions” box,  seeking any and all ideas about how to generate revenues and cut costs.

As you rummage through the contents of the box, you pull out one suggestion “Agile Cuts Costs” signed,  “Concerned and Frustrated Employee.”

Hmmmm. So you’ve got at least one employee believing this. It’s time to check this out and find out if it is true.

One cost-cutting suggestion: Agile development

In a number of posts coming up, Ryan Martens and I want to investigate this with you. I’ve been thinking about all the conversations I’ve had with client executives who, with healthy skepticism, bring their doubts and questions to the table. They are not ready to chomp into a silver bullet. They want real-world evidence that Agile cuts costs.

So, I want us to do the same here in this blog: don’t just assume Agile is a silver bullet; evaluate whether it really does cut costs;  determine whether your Agile adoption is reaping you adequate cost savings; and, what to do if your Agile adoption is not cutting costs.