Agile assessments are a formalized set of activities that bring together the people from various disciplines and functional units of an organization for a common purpose – achieving the goal of realizing the customer requirements. Once the definition of the “common goal” is agreed upon, the transformation process begins. In most cases, this transformation consists of integrating all previously implemented processes into a single, more specific framework. For an organization to define and realize its customer requirements, it must possess proper, well-defined, and well-scheduled agile assessments.
The standard tools for conducting agile assessments are the Scrum application suites. The Scrum Master develops these tools as part of his coursework at the Aktitech University. The principle goal of these tools is to provide a systematic approach to problem-solving through simple yet powerful tools such as the Scrum Builder. The main value of these tools is reducing the time needed to define the requirements for Agile implementation. The actual measurement of the potential savings realized by using these assessment tools depends on the team members’ inputs and analysis results.
Another tool used in agile assessments is the self-assessment process. This tool is based on the principle that each team member has an individual rating scale, which can be compared across teams to identify any gaps or inconsistencies. The process of rating the member’s performance is not only based on the current process but also on the previous processes that the member has undertaken in the organization. When these ratings are compared with the current process, a score can be determined to identify the gaps in the process.
Regular assessments are also a vital part of the agile improvement process. As the methodology suggests, regular checks and reviews should be conducted within the team to check for weaknesses and gaps. In addition, any improvements made to the system should be supported by an executive summary that defines the nature of the review and what the goals of the study are. If the review goals are not aligned with the organizational vision, this will have to be addressed before implementation. Ensuring that all team members understand the goals of the governance plan can help address issues early on before they adversely affect the system.
The use of an agile assessment tool is an excellent way to ensure that teams are well synchronized in their approach to improvement. A well-designed tool enables teams to see the problems that need to be solved as soon as possible, allowing them to address them in a manner that improves the current situation. When the team has a clearly defined scope, goal, and road map to follow, these tools become a great partner in improving the effectiveness of the organization.
