To run projects in an agile way, it is not necessary for the entire organization to work according to Scrum. What is essential, however, is that agile teams are allowed to self-organize. The organization provides the framework: the challenges Scrum teams are expected to solve, the budget, and the timeline. Within this framework, employees manage their work independently. Agile teams are well organized when everyone knows what to do and feels neither overburdened nor underchallenged. Because tasks are rebalanced daily, agile teams are able to work with a high degree of flexibility.
No fear of “Day X”: the dolphin approach
This flexibility goes hand in hand with a very high level of control, as results are discussed within the team at least once a day. Unlike traditional projects, companies receive frequent and transparent updates. Much like a dolphin, the team regularly surfaces before diving back into the next iteration. This approach is often far more reassuring than hoping a “submarine team” will deliver the desired results on a fixed delivery date. Each time the dolphin surfaces, it reorients itself. Deviations from the target become visible early and can be corrected quickly and efficiently.
Serving the entire organization: Definition of Done (DoD)
Disappointments and misunderstandings often arise because goals and quality criteria have not been clearly aligned. The Definition of Done (DoD) describes when a work result may be added to the increment. A concrete step toward the project goal is considered complete when it meets the quality standards required for the product. Organizational requirements may include specific security features or compliance with corporate identity guidelines. Whether a result meets the DoD is not solely decided by the Scrum team. The outcome must be a fully usable intermediate result. A purely technical feature is only a means to an end.
When do teams define the DoD?
It is not uncommon for teams to start a project without a defined DoD and to develop it over time. At the beginning, only the organization’s general requirements are known. With each iteration, additional requirements may emerge and are then incorporated into the Definition of Done. The more criteria the DoD contains, the more effort is required to complete tasks—and the slower the team may initially become. At the same time, product quality increases. In practice, teams often regain speed over time as collaboration improves and routines become established. Ideally, these effects balance each other out, resulting in a sustainable and reliable pace.
It is therefore important to expand the DoD only when truly necessary. Assumptions about requirements that are not actually needed waste valuable resources. While assumptions in development can be validated through experimentation, DoD elements should be added only based on proven insights. Since the Definition of Done is an organizational guideline, established methods can be used to define and maintain it. Organizations working with Holacracy, for example, have a powerful tool at their disposal in the form of the governance process.
No clear idea for your DoD—or far too many ideas? Get in touch with us. We are happy to advise you and offer tailored training sessions.