Bespoke Agile Transformation at Scale

ENGAGEMENT

The strategy office of a major healthcare payer and provider was increasingly concerned that its approach to project completion was falling behind its competitors. This lag was perceived as a threat to the organization’s ability to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving industry. To address these concerns, the organization sought to transform its business into an Agile at Scale company.

DayBlink Consulting was engaged to support this ambitious transformation. DayBlink Consulting’s role encompassed developing an agile strategy, identifying candidate agile teams, training teams on relevant agile roles and methodologies, and providing coaching to guide teams through the beginning of their agile journey.

PROBLEM

The client organization operated within a traditional hierarchical structure, which significantly hindered its ability to implement change quickly and effectively. This rigidity was exacerbated by the healthcare industry’s general reliance on command-and-control frameworks that prioritize safety and compliance over innovation. The org found it challenging to adapt to new market demands & disruptive tech. Furthermore, the political climate and regulatory landscape were also shifting, creating additional pressures on the organization to be more agile and responsive. Executives within the organization recognized that adopting an agile approach was essential to enable quick reactions to industry changes and to maintain a competitive edge. However, transitioning to an agile framework in a deeply entrenched hierarchical system posed significant challenges.

DayBlink Consulting began by developing a tailored agile strategy that addressed the specific needs and constraints of the organization. This involved identifying candidate agile teams and providing comprehensive training on agile roles and methodologies. The training was designed to equip teams with the necessary knowledge and skills to navigate the agile landscape effectively. Additionally, DayBlink Consulting provided ongoing coaching to guide these teams through the initial stages of their agile journey.

SOLUTION

DayBlink Consulting’s first step was to conduct a thorough assessment of the client’s current state. This assessment revealed the extent to which the hierarchical structure was impeding the organization’s agility and highlighted specific areas that required transformation. With these insights, DayBlink Consulting crafted a comprehensive plan to transition the organization to an agile framework while ensuring minimal disruption to ongoing projects. The agile transformation process involved several critical steps. DayBlink Consulting developed detailed operational plans to guide the agile transformation and collaborated with senior executives to define a phased rollout strategy. This strategic approach ensured that the transition to agile was systematic, manageable, and tailored to the organization’s unique needs.

DayBlink Consulting designed frameworks and new organizational models to support the client in managing this change. These models were essential for providing a clear structure and guidance on how to implement agile practices across different levels and departments within the organization.

DayBlink Consulting conducted extensive agile training sessions across various levels. These sessions were crucial for instilling an agile mindset and ensuring that all team members understood their roles within the agile framework. The training covered essential agile processes & roles, including Agile Coach, Product Manager, & Scrum Master. One of the key successes of this engagement was the implementation of agile tools such as Jira and Confluence. These tools facilitated better collaboration and transparency, which are essential components of an agile organization. They also enabled the teams to manage their work more efficiently and provided real-time visibility into project progress.

DayBlink Consulting identified candidate agile teams and trained over 500 resources on essential agile processes and roles. This large-scale training initiative ensured that a significant portion of the organization was equipped to operate within the agile framework.

RESULT

The coaching provided was instrumental in helping approximately 30 teams through their agile training. DayBlink Consulting’s team acted as interim Agile coaches where needed, providing hands-on mentoring and support. This approach ensured that the teams were not only trained but also had the guidance to apply agile principles effectively in their daily work.

The results of this engagement were significant. The client organization successfully transitioned to a scaled agile framework, enabling it to respond more quickly and effectively to industry changes. This transformation positioned the organization to stay competitive and innovative in a dynamic healthcare landscape.

In summary, DayBlink Consulting’s support in transforming a major healthcare payer and provider into an Agile at Scale company was a comprehensive and strategic effort. Through meticulous planning, extensive training, and ongoing coaching, DayBlink Consulting enabled the client to adopt an agile framework that enhanced its ability to adapt to market demands and maintain a competitive edge in the healthcare industry.

The successful transition to an agile framework not only improved the organization’s project completion times and overall efficiency but also fostered a cultural shift towards greater innovation and responsiveness. The long-term commitment and support provided by DayBlink Consulting ensured that the agile transformation was sustainable and that the organization could continue to benefit from agile practices in the future. This engagement serves as a testament to the power of agile methodologies in driving organizational change and achieving strategic objectives in a complex and dynamic industry.