ACA Benefits | ACA Operating Model | ACA Roles | ACA Functions
Training and coaching are important aspects that play vital role in any transformation as these directly help drive mind set change. Initially Organizations could be dependent on external sources for Training, consultancy and coaching but gradually they should also build on their in-house competency for training and coaching. In-house Agile coaching office/academy, whatever be it called, is the long-term, cost-effective solution to training and coaching needs of the organization. This Agile coaching academy(ACA) is not only fruitful to help start fresh and in-experienced Agile teams but is equally effective in guiding experienced Agile Teams with their practical problems.
Every organization starts with Team level agile and eventually aspires to scale Agile to Organizational level. ACA helps in Organizational Agility by setting up self-organized, sustainable and dedicated Agile teams, helping Management with Agile strategy, right organizational structure and culture which is vital for Agile transformation journey. Let us look at the primary objectives of Agile coaching academy and benefit it offers.
Objective of ACA
- Develop positive mind set change- Build upon knowledge & competency consistently across length and breadth of the organization.
- Accelerate and improve product delivery flow across the organization both vertically (top to bottom) and horizontally (Across parallel teams).
- Enhance agile team performance by setting and re-setting teams as needed.
- Create sustainable agile capability that lasts long after teams are reset, key members leave team
- Reduce dependency over external agile consultants
- Scale agile to organizational level
ACA Benefits
- Low cost, in-house Agile coaching
- Better availability of on-demand Agile coaching across delivery orgs
- In-house Agile coaches stays for longer duration hence better commitment and knowledge/skill retention
- Better accountability of Agile coaches through ACA
- Rotation of Agile coaches across the company in different units – across org sharing of best practices and challenges
- Offers role progression path to Agile community
Suggested Operating Model
Experience Scrum Masters with some initial grooming can be future prospective Agile coaches. Let us look at the objective of Agile Coaching academy. Let us look at the suggested model of Agile coaching academy and its interaction with different teams and Communities of practices.
- Utilize existing experienced Scrum masters and Agile Coaches -Internal and Contractors (initially, as required)
- Existing experienced Scrum Master groomed for Agile coach role can work on Agile initiatives and also side by side coach new product teams and guide the budding agile coaches acting as scrum masters for the team.
- Based on the complexity and structure of the company there can be different level of coaches needed.
ACA ROLES
- Agile Enterprise Lead:
- Seasoned leader with experience in Agile transformation and lean Agile
- Develops Leaders and coaches, Lead Agile transformation, ACA and Agile Enablement teams
- Sets up Enterprise guidelines, Processes and defines Org level Metrics
- Agile Coach:
- Experienced Agile coach or experience Scrum masters groomed to be Agile coach
- Chief Scrum masters or Master Scrum masters
- Coach 2-4 teams for a products/programs.
- Functional knowledge of the group/area is additional advantage
- Develops and mentor teams, advises management
- Member of Agile Transformation Team
- Provides inputs on enterprise agile process and metrics guidelines.
- Agile Team Facilitator
- Fulfilled by Scrum Master or equivalent role on the team
- Facilitates practices and collaboration on one team.
- Functional knowledge is additional advantage [Back-To-Top]
ACA Functions
ACA can have different level of coaches which caters to the different needs of the Organization at different levels. Below diagram shows the interaction of different class of coaches with different level of Planning (Represents the level of Planning in Agile). Agile Enterprise lead participates at strategic level encompassing multiple delivery orgs with multiple portfolios and products requiring Portfolio planning at the highest level. Agile coach is someone who can coach teams from 1 or 2 products. Agile team facilitator primarily a Scrum Master or equivalent role, is a dedicated role, who can help 1 or 2 teams for a product.
Major high-level functions that ACA is accountable and responsible for are as follows:
- Maturity assessment at Org and Team level
- Coaching at different level (see diagram above showing level of interaction of coach and level of planning)
- Form and execute agile training strategy at all levels
- Agile staffing and hiring support (Interview and onboard Agile roles/skills)
- Sustain and develop internal coaching fraternity (continue to build and grow)
- Measure and help improve agile teams – Help them mature
