ICON Agility Services named a 2022 Top Workplace

Posted by Sawyer Conrady on January 12, 2023

July 8, 2022

ICON Agility Services was awarded a 2022 Top Workplaces honor by The St. Louis Post Dispatch and STLtoday. All winners were featured in a special section on Sunday, June 26, and online at STLtoday.com. The list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey that measures 15 culture drivers critical to the success of any organization. This award comes authentically from our team, they were given a voice to be heard, and we are honored and proud of the results.

We sat down and chatted with our recruitment department to share insight into our culture and recruitment process. In this brief interview, we learn what they look for when recruiting a new coach or team member, the steps to the hiring process, their opinions on why we made the Top Workplaces list, and why they love recruiting top talent for ICON.

Ed Barber

I have been with ICON for 23 years. There are many reasons for this, but the main reason, I think, is the people I get to work with. From the people in the home office that keep the company running and, most importantly, working with clients to identify my next opportunity to the awesome consultants they bring together for each client engagement. They treat me like a family member, not just a “resource.”

Question: Agile Transformation Coaches, on average, stay with ICON for 10+ years. Why do you think that is?

MB: Easy! We don’t view them as resources but as what they are. Talented human beings with unique skillsets! When I’m on the phone with someone, I know they just got it when they give me an “I remember this one time…” So if anybody hits me with that, I listen! I’ll start to notice if the story matches one of our client’s Transformation needs, and when I can begin to create a match, it’s a win-win situation for all parties involved! It’s not about the hours and how many days – it’s about elevating someone and helping them find something they love so they never have to work.

BL: When you work at ICON, you are more than a number. We see you as an individual with endless potential and want to help you succeed! When ICON demonstrates this people-oriented mentality, coaches don’t want to leave. We offer lasting relationships.

Question: What qualities do you look for when searching for a new Coach?

MB: I look for empathetic, optimistic, and enthusiastic people every time I take a call. We all have to play the game and be professional, but on the flip side, everyone needs a chance to be themselves. These characteristics are crucial for Transformation efforts. It creates a rich working culture and successful relationships.

BL: We look for outgoing, passionate, and people-oriented individuals.

Question: What is ICON’s Typical Recruitment Process?

Because we are a senior-level SAFe/Agile coaching firm, our team thoroughly assesses background, seniority, and experience. In addition, we complete several interviews to determine culture fit and past experiences that might fit within an ICON client’s transformational journey.

2022 Top Workplaces

  1. Contact for an initial conversation with our recruitment team begins with a submitted resume. Submissions come directly from the website, referrals from current ICON Coaches, or LinkedIn outreaches. Once the resume has been reviewed for relevant experience (typical ICON Transformation Coaches have 10+ years), a recruitment team member will reach out and initiate the first conversation. Applicants should expect a more “laid back” type of conversation – Mike and Blake want to learn about them and their passions and make sure they find the right fit for our client and the candidate.
  2. After the initial conversation, a vetting process and the first technical interview with an experienced ICON Coach will begin. The first technical interview will dive deeply into the candidate’s past roles and responsibilities. In addition, this interview is an opportunity for potential candidates to network with current ICON experts.
  3. The third interview will occur with the ICON client’s Lead Transformation Coach. When connected for this second round, the ICON Lead will share information based on the overall project, how mature in SAFe the client is, and the expectations for the role. In addition, they will get a sense of the candidate’s ability to adapt to the current climate.
  4. The final conversation will be between the account lead and the potential candidate (recruitment will continue to stay as active as possible). Through this discussion, we will establish the final Terms of Agreement.
  5. With the candidate’s approval, ICON will submit them to the client. Once submitted, the candidate will follow the procedures and policies of our client’s interview processes. ICON Agility will continue to act as the candidate’s advocate the entire step of the way!

Question: What brought you to ICON?

MB: My professional journey began as a school teacher, where I was passionate about creating communities of learners and good humans. In 2018, I interviewed with ICON Agility Services and became the recruitment lead. My passion as a teacher helps me present the best possible candidates for ICON’s clients.

BL: I have a passion for helping individuals grow. ICON is a leader in the world of Scaled Agile, but also in building relationships. I love building relationships and assisting individuals in growing their career paths. ICON allows me to help individuals grow as we grow together!

Question: What do you love the most about your job as an ICON recruiter?

MB: Recruiting at ICON has been nothing short of rewarding! Each day I meet people worldwide who bring unique skills to the table. ICON encourages me to empathize with each person and emphasize the importance of finding the perfect career path to fit their specific skill set. Finding the approach that works best for our coaches is essential to ICON. We have open discussions with each individual to ensure we meet their expectations. Through these conversations, we can determine how to work with one another, allowing all parties involved to align in the best ways possible for everyone to benefit! Open communication has significantly reduced our candidates’ stress levels. They feel they can take control of their life and know they will be able to make massive impacts on all of ICON’s clients. The team is always pleased to meet people where they are and be an advocate for them. This approach has grown our success and allows us to draw in top talent!

BL: I love meeting so many people worldwide, all with different stories, journeys, and paths. It’s such a blessing every day to get to know all the people I talk to and help them grow in their careers!


ICON Agility Services would like to thank our coaches and team members for making us a Top Workplace of 2022.

If you are interested in learning more about ICON Agility Services and joining our worldwide team of Agile Leaders, email Mike Bellinger or Blake Lawson at recruiting@iconagility.com for more information about our open opportunities.

In management science, there is a concept referred to as “conditioning your audience,” meaning that people tend to behave to the level of your expectations. As you send subtle, subconscious messages, your audience can become “trained” in a certain behavior. For example, if you treat someone like a child, then this person will likely begin acting like one. Without respectful but assertive dialog, you wind up “training” your leadership to walk all over you. They will keep asking you to do things, because you tend to say “Yes.” The better option is to engage and provide context. The results will surprise you.

Read More

Free ICON Maturity Assessment Tool for your SAFe® Transformation

Posted by Sawyer Conrady on January 12, 2023

Apr 15, 2019

Let’s consider a common request from Agile Transformation teams and PMO offices: Have you assessed the Agile maturity of your teams?

This seems like a reasonable ask—after all, the teams are the ones responsible for creating the shippable software every two weeks. But do team-based metrics tell the whole story?

Now consider this: Is it possible for teams (even high performing teams) to be limited by the Agility of their executives, stakeholders, managers, and shared services?
The answer is a resounding yes. The software development teams might be Agile, but if the business is still in project mentality with expectations of Big Bang delivery and no measurable outcomes for the value of their ideas…then, realistically, how far can a SAFe® transformation get?

Well, we’ve got good news: ICON has a tool that not only allows the teams to assess their own Agile maturity, but also the maturity of their SAFe ecosystem. With the right assessment at your disposal, you can easily evaluate the teams, the ART, and the SAFe transformation—all without complicated tools or expensive subscriptions.

Download ICON’s free Excel assessment, and we’ll walk through how to use it right now in this very blog post (although the assessment also includes an instructions tab). When we’re done, you’ll know exactly how to conduct an assessment that shows the maturity of both the team practices and the SAFe transformation. Ready? Let’s dive in.

***Keep in mind that this should be a lightweight tool, used to inform on the maturity of the SAFe transformation; not to compare team performance.

 

Step 1: Identify participants, including the Lean Portfolio Management Team and System Team

When you identify teams to participate, think beyond software development teams. Include the Lean Portfolio Management team, Program Team, System Team, and shared services teams.

Agile Release Train

Also decide if the transformation coaches will be asked to assess the teams. There is a separate column in the spreadsheet for the coach of each team.

Step 2: Determine how to gather Assessment Responses

Will you survey individuals or have facilitated team discussions? Read on to learn the benefits and best practices for each choice.

Team Discussion Facilitated by Scrum Master or Release Train Engineer

One of the benefits of team discussion is that people may discover things they were previously unaware of, and this newfound knowledge may inform their assessment.

If you choose a team discussion, set aside 1-2 hours of uninterrupted time in a location where the team members can speak freely. The Scrum Master, Release Train Engineer, or another team member may facilitate the discussion.

Don’t go down rat holes; keep the conversation moving to reach a consensus and make it a point to hear everyone’s voice. You may capture backlog items for improvement or risks to be escalated, but the primary purpose of the assessment is to take the temperature, not diagnose the problems.

Agile for All has an excellent description of how to use Fist-of-five voting to reach consensus.

Fist-of-Five Voting

If the team is distributed, use an online tool so that everyone can vote and then discuss and settle on a number. PointingPoker.com can be customized for numbers 1,2,3,4, and 5, and usually everyone can access it from a smartphone or computer.

Many online meeting tools such as WebExZoom and Skype also have polling features that can be setup in advance with the choices 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

Individual Survey Responses

If you decide to survey individuals, you will still aggregate their answers into one team response for each question on the assessment, so it is important to identify which team the respondent belongs to.

Tools like Google Forms or Survey Monkey may be used to send out the assessment, or you may copy A1:E26 from Health Check tab into a separate spreadsheet, and email it to your participants.

 

Step 3: Get everyone onboard with a SAFe® Maturity Assessment

Communicate the purpose of the assessment with the participants in advance so they can understand why it is important for them to participate.

Here is an example message that can be sent out in advance. Be sure to customize it for your organization and situation:

In an effort to understand the progress of our SAFe® transformation, we are asking several teams to participate in a short assessment. Some teams will complete the assessment as a group; others may do individual surveys and collate them into a team response.

We are on a transformation journey; we are stopping for a moment to check our compass and landmarks, to see where we are along the way, so we know how far we have com and how far we still need to travel. This will allow us to make any necessary course corrections.

The Agile Transformation Team wants to understand the reality of the transformation so we can provide practical and useful coaching to address our needs. We will be sharing the results with the teams who participate and <names of people who will get results>.

If you have questions, please contact <name of person to contact>.

Thank you in advance for your participation.

Step 4: Capture the Results

If the assessment is a facilitated discussion, the results can be entered into the team column of the Health Check tab of the spreadsheet.

If individuals are surveyed, the results of each team should be collated and the average response for each item should be recorded in the team column of the Health Check tab of the spreadsheet.The radar charts for the team tabs will automatically be updated as the numbers are filled in on the Health Check tab.

Health Check

 

The SAFe Transformation Coach for each team should put their responses in the Coach column of the Health Check tab of the spreadsheet.

Coaches tab

The Combined tab puts all of the team results on a single radar, and averages the coach’s responses into one response line.

Combined

 

Step 5: Review the Results for the Entire Agile Release Train

The results should be reviewed with the teams who participated and with the stakeholders who were previously identified. Below is an example of what the results might look like.

 

ICON Assessment tool for SAFe Transformation

 

The combined view may show that some teams are farther along on their transformation journey, or they may be quite similar. Results may depend on when the teams started, how much training and coaching they have received, whether they are co-located or distributed. The results show opportunities for growth and successes to be emulated to other parts of the organization.

Early in SAFe transformation journey, teams tend to think they are much farther along than their coaches think they are. Agile transformation is not unlike growing up—when we are young children, we know we have a lot to learn; when we are in our teens and 20s, we know everything; in our 30s and 40s, we realize we still have more to learn.

 

Step 6: Use Newfound Insights to Create Strategies for the Coaching Backlog

This assessment is not about how well your teams execute Scrum or Kanban, but a way to measure the maturity of the SAFe transformation. The assessment results should stimulate conversations about how to mature weak areas and ensure that strong areas continue to thrive and become part of the culture. These insights will become part of the coaching backlog.

Assessments without follow-on coaching produce little value; signing up for a SAFe Transformation is like joining a gym without a trainer to show you how to use the equipment. You can guess, but you’re probably not performing the exercises well enough to obtain the maximum value—or you might even hurt yourself. ICON’s experienced coaches can help you accelerate change and realize the promises of Agile and SAFe.

 

Other SAFe® Assessment Tools

This tool has been developed by our coaches through years of experience working with clients on SAFe transformations. We also customize assessments for our clients. Of course, there are other tools available which may also serve your needs. We also recommend SAFe® Metrics, which are freely available; and AgilityHealth® Radars are a paid option that ICON coaches are certified to facilitate.

If you are unsure about which tool is right for you, don’t hesitate to contact us. ICON specializes in meeting you where you are, gathering the full picture of your situation before offering guidance.

Written by Susan K. Strain

 

Susan is an Agile Transformation Coach who works with clients implementing Agile practices that span the enterprise. She coaches and trains Agile principles and methodologies, including Enterprise Business Agility Strategy, Scrum, Kanban, and the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe). She has experience with clients in a wide variety of industries including banking, financial, government, hospitality, insurance, investments, manufacturing, military, publishing, and retail.

 

Read More

SAFe® Benefits

Posted by Sawyer Conrady on January 12, 2023

Need help with Agile or SAFe? CLICK HERE to speak to an expert today!


SAFe Agile Improves Time to Market

There are several ways that organizations can accelerate their time to market. Some of these include:

  • Adopting agile methodologies, which can help teams to quickly and efficiently deliver high-quality products or services.

  • Investing in automation and other technologies that can help teams to work more efficiently and reduce the amount of time required to complete key tasks.

  • Collaborating with customers and other stakeholders to ensure that the team has a clear understanding of their needs and priorities, and can focus on delivering the most valuable features and functionality first.

  • Prioritizing speed and agility over perfection, and being willing to iterate and improve products and services over time.

  • Breaking large projects down into smaller, more manageable pieces and delivering them incrementally, which can help teams to stay focused and avoid getting bogged down in complex and time-consuming tasks.

  • Investing in training and development for team members, to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge they need to work efficiently and effectively.

Organizations that are looking to accelerate their time to market should focus on adopting agile methodologies, investing in technology and automation, and fostering collaboration and continuous improvement within their teams. By taking these steps, organizations can improve their speed and agility, and better meet the needs of their customers and stakeholders.


SAFe Agile Transformations improves NPS

Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a customer satisfaction measurement tool that is used to gauge the likelihood that a customer will recommend a company’s products or services to others. NPS is based on a simple question: “On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our company to a friend or colleague?” Customers who respond with a score of 9 or 10 are considered “promoters,” while those who respond with a score of 0 to 6 are considered “detractors,” and those who respond with a score of 7 or 8 are considered “passives.” The NPS is calculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters.

Agile companies can use NPS to measure customer satisfaction and identify areas for improvement. By regularly collecting and analyzing NPS data, agile companies can get a sense of how their customers feel about their products and services and where they may need to make adjustments. For example, if a company’s NPS is low, it may indicate that there are issues with the product or service that are causing dissatisfaction among customers. The company can then use this information to identify and address these issues, potentially through iterative changes and improvements to the product or service.

In addition, agile companies can use NPS data to help prioritize and guide their product development efforts. By understanding which aspects of their products or services are most important to their customers and receiving regular feedback on their performance, agile companies can make informed decisions about which features or capabilities to focus on in order to drive customer satisfaction.

NPS can be a valuable tool for agile companies looking to measure and improve customer satisfaction, and can help guide product development efforts and inform decision-making.


SAFe Agile eliminates 5 kinds of Waste

Agile methods can help to eliminate several common types of waste in companies. Some examples include:

1. Overproduction

This refers to the production of more products or services than are needed, which can result in excess inventory and higher storage costs. Agile methods, which focus on delivering small increments of value frequently, can help to reduce overproduction by only producing what is needed when it is needed.

2. Waiting

This refers to delays in the production process, such as waiting for approvals or for materials to be delivered. Agile methods, which prioritize continuous flow and quick delivery, can help to minimize waiting times and increase efficiency.

3. Defects

This refers to errors or defects in products or services that need to be corrected, which can be costly and time-consuming. Agile methods, which emphasize continuous improvement and the use of feedback loops, can help to identify and address defects more quickly and efficiently.

4. Overprocessing

This refers to the unnecessary use of resources or steps in the production process, which can increase costs and lead to inefficiencies. Agile methods, which focus on simplicity and value, can help to eliminate unnecessary steps and streamline the production process.

5. Underutilized talent

This refers to the failure to fully utilize the skills and expertise of employees, which can result in a lack of engagement and productivity. Agile methods, which prioritize teamwork and collaboration, can help to ensure that the skills and expertise of all team members are utilized and valued.


Eliminating these categories of waste increases productivity

By adopting agile, organizations can reduce or eliminate various forms of waste that can hinder their ability to deliver value and achieve their goals. Some examples of waste that agile can help solve include:

  • Overproduction.

    Agile helps teams focus on delivering small, incremental changes frequently, rather than trying to produce large amounts of work upfront. This can help teams avoid overproducing work that may not be needed or used, which can save time and resources and reduce waste.

  • Waiting.

    Agile emphasizes collaboration and communication, which can help teams avoid waiting for other teams or stakeholders to provide input or feedback. This can help teams move faster and avoid delays, which can reduce waste and improve efficiency.

  • Defects and rework.

    Agile encourages teams to iterate and improve their work continuously, which can help teams identify and fix defects or problems more quickly and efficiently. This can reduce the need for rework and help teams avoid wasting time and resources on fixing problems that could have been avoided.

  • Overprocessing.

    Agile encourages teams to focus on delivering value to the customer, rather than producing unnecessary or excessive documentation or paperwork. This can help teams avoid overprocessing and unnecessary bureaucracy, which can save time and reduce waste.

  • Wrong work.

      Teams can frequently be directed to work on someone’s pet project, fix a concern for an upset customer, slip in some bug fixes.  Without proper prioritization of work based on value, precious capacity can be applied to work that should have been lower priority.


4 Ways SAFe Agile increases revenue generation

There are several ways in which agile software development can potentially increase revenue generation:

1. Faster time-to-market

Agile development emphasizes rapid prototyping and iterative delivery, which can help organizations bring products and features to market faster than traditional development approaches. This can be particularly valuable in industries where there is strong competition and a need to quickly respond to changing customer needs and market conditions.

2. Improved customer satisfaction

Agile development emphasizes regular feedback and collaboration with customers, which can help organizations build products that better meet the needs and preferences of their target audience. This can lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty, which can translate into increased revenue.

3. Increased efficiency

Agile development can help organizations identify and address bottlenecks and inefficiencies in their development processes, which can lead to cost savings and increased productivity. This can ultimately contribute to increased revenue by enabling organizations to deliver more value to their customers in a shorter period of time.

4. Greater agility

Agile development enables organizations to be more responsive to changing market conditions and customer needs. This can help organizations better adapt to new opportunities and threats, and ultimately lead to increased revenue.


SAFe Agile Methods increase Accountability

Agile methods, such as Scrum and Lean, can increase accountability in several ways:

  • Regular check-ins and progress reviews:

    Agile methods typically include regular check-ins and progress reviews, such as daily stand-ups, sprint planning meetings, and retrospectives. These meetings provide an opportunity for team members to report on their progress and to identify any issues or challenges that may be impacting their ability to meet their goals. This can help to increase accountability by ensuring that team members are regularly communicating and tracking their progress.

  • Emphasis on individual and team ownership:

    Agile methods also place a strong emphasis on individual and team ownership of the work being completed. Team members are encouraged to take responsibility for the success of the project, and to identify and address any issues or challenges that may arise. This can help to increase accountability by ensuring that team members are actively engaged in the work and are committed to delivering high-quality results.

  • Use of metrics and data:

    Agile methods often make use of metrics and data to track progress and identify areas for improvement. This can help to increase accountability by providing a clear and objective measure of performance, and by enabling team members to track their progress and identify areas where they may need to focus their efforts.

Agile methods, like those shown in this section, can increase accountability by providing regular opportunities for team members to report on their progress, emphasizing individual and team ownership of the work, and using metrics and data to track performance and identify areas for improvement.


5 Ways implementing SAFe Agile leads to cost reduction?

Scaled agile frameworks, such as the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), can help organizations bring costs down in a number of ways. Some of these include:

1. Reducing waste and inefficiency

By adopting an agile approach, organizations can eliminate waste and inefficiency in their processes, which can help reduce costs.

2. Improving predictability and visibility

Scaled agile frameworks provide a clear framework for planning, executing, and tracking work, which can help organizations better predict costs and manage their budgets.

3. Reducing risk and uncertainty

Agile methods help organizations better manage risk and uncertainty, which can help reduce the costs associated with unexpected events.

4. Accelerating time-to-market

Scaled agile frameworks can help organizations bring products and services to market faster, which can help reduce costs by allowing them to generate revenue sooner.

5. Improving quality and customer satisfaction

Agile methods help organizations deliver high-quality products and services that meet customer needs, which can help reduce costs by reducing the need for rework and improving customer satisfaction.


The Best Agile Companies achieve these things…

Agile companies often report a number of benefits and successful outcomes as a result of using agile methods and practices. Some examples of these benefits include:

  • Increased customer satisfaction: Agile companies tend to be more responsive to customer needs, which can lead to higher levels of customer satisfaction.

  • Faster time to market: Agile approaches prioritize the delivery of working software, which can help organizations bring products and services to market more quickly.

  • Improved quality: Agile methods often emphasize continuous testing and feedback, which can help identify and fix defects early in the development process, leading to higher quality products.

  • Increased collaboration and transparency: Agile approaches encourage collaboration and open communication, which can improve team cohesion and increase transparency within an organization.

  • Greater adaptability and flexibility: Agile methods allow organizations to be more responsive to change, which can be beneficial in rapidly changing markets or environments.

  • Higher team morale and motivation: Agile approaches often focus on empowering teams and giving them autonomy, which can lead to higher levels of job satisfaction and motivation among team members.

  • Improved predictability and visibility: Agile methods can provide better visibility into the development process, helping organizations to better predict when certain features or capabilities will be delivered.


Leverage SAFe Agile to accelerate decision making

Agile development is a method of software development that emphasizes rapid prototyping and iterative delivery, and it can help accelerate decision making in a few different ways:

  • Regular feedback and collaboration:

    Agile emphasizes regular communication and collaboration with stakeholders, including customers and team members. This can help ensure that decisions are based on current information and insights, and that any changes or adjustments are made quickly.

  • Emphasis on experimentation:

    Agile encourages teams to embrace a culture of experimentation and rapid prototyping, which can help organizations quickly test and validate ideas and hypotheses. This can help teams make more informed decisions faster.

  • Flexibility:

    Agile approaches are designed to be flexible and adaptable, which can help teams quickly respond to changes in customer needs or market conditions. This can enable teams to make decisions more quickly and effectively in the face of uncertainty.

  • Smaller, incremental steps:

    Agile approaches encourage teams to break down large projects into smaller chunks, or “sprints,” which can help teams make progress and make decisions more quickly.

The key to accelerating decision making with agile is to embrace a culture of rapid prototyping, experimentation, and collaboration, and to be flexible and adaptable in the face of changing circumstances.


5 Indicators of a successful SAFe Agile transformation

Agile transformation is a process that requires a lot of hard work, dedication, and commitment. It is a process of changing the way your organization works and operates, moving away from traditional methods of working and towards new and innovative ways of working. This can be a daunting and challenging process, but it can also be incredibly rewarding. When it comes to knowing whether or not your agile transformation is successful, there are a few key indicators that you should look out for. 

Here are some of the ways that you can tell if your agile transformation is successful: 

1. Increased Productivity

One of the main goals of an agile transformation is to increase productivity. If you are seeing increased productivity levels in your organization, this is an indicator that your transformation is being successful.

2. Improved Collaboration

Improved collaboration is another key indicator of a successful agile transformation. If you are seeing an increase in cross-team collaboration, this is a good sign that your transformation is working. 

3. Increased Employee Engagement

An agile transformation should also lead to an increase in employee engagement. If you are seeing an increase in employee engagement, this means that your employees are enjoying the new way of working and are actively engaged in the process.

4. Reduced Costs

An agile transformation should also lead to reduced costs. If you are seeing a decrease in costs associated with your organization’s operations, this is an indicator that your agile transformation is successful. 

5. Increased Customer Satisfaction

Finally, an agile transformation should also lead to an increase in customer satisfaction. If you are seeing an increase in customer satisfaction, this means that your customers are happy with the new way of working and are more likely to continue using your services.

These are just a few of the ways that you can tell if your agile transformation is successful. Keep an eye out for these indicators and make sure you are taking the necessary steps to ensure that your transformation is successful.


8 Companies who’ve successfully implemented SAFe

As organizations move towards larger, more complex projects, they need to find ways to scale up their existing Agile process. Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) is one of the most popular frameworks used to scale Agile across large organizations. It enables teams to collaborate and share resources more effectively, while also improving visibility and control over releases. 

In this section, we’ll look at 8 companies who have successfully implemented SAFe. 

1. Microsoft

Microsoft is one of the biggest names in technology, and they’ve been using SAFe since 2013. Microsoft uses SAFe to manage their teams and projects, and they have seen significant improvements in their release velocity, quality, and visibility. 

2. Target

Target is one of the largest retailers in the US, and they’ve been using SAFe since 2017. Target has seen a 30% increase in productivity and a 20% reduction in cycle time since implementing SAFe. 

3. Amazon

Amazon is one of the world’s largest ecommerce companies, and they’ve been using SAFe since 2016. Amazon has seen a 70% increase in team productivity and a 30% reduction in cycle time since implementing SAFe. 

4. Apple

Apple is one of the world’s most innovative companies, and they’ve been using SAFe since 2017. Apple has seen a 50% increase in release velocity and a 40% reduction in cycle time since implementing SAFe. 

5. Yahoo

Yahoo is one of the world’s largest internet companies, and they’ve been using SAFe since 2015. Yahoo has seen a 40% increase in team productivity and a 20% reduction in cycle time since implementing SAFe. 

6. Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin is one of the world’s largest defense contractors, and they’ve been using SAFe since 2016. Lockheed Martin has seen a 30% increase in team productivity and a 25% reduction in cycle time since implementing SAFe.

 7. SAP

SAP is one of the world’s largest software companies, and they’ve been using SAFe since 2013. SAP has seen a 40% increase in release velocity and a 30% reduction in cycle time since implementing SAFe. 

8. Oracle

Oracle is one of the world’s largest database companies, and they’ve been using SAFe since 2016. Oracle has seen a 50% increase in team productivity and a 35% reduction in cycle time since implementing SAFe

These 8 companies are just a few examples of companies who have successfully implemented SAFe. SAFe is a powerful framework that can help organizations scale their Agile process, and it has proven to be successful for many different types of organizations. If you’re looking for a way to scale your Agile process, SAFe is definitely worth considering.


A success story for SAFe Agile at Scale – John Deere

John Deere credits its success with agile in part to its implementation of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe). SAFe is a framework for scaling agile practices to large organizations and is designed to help organizations achieve agility at scale.

By implementing SAFe, John Deere has been able to apply agile principles and practices across its organization and achieve agility at scale. This has helped the company to improve efficiency, reduce lead times, and increase customer satisfaction.

In addition, John Deere has used SAFe to foster collaboration and teamwork across its organization and to improve communication and coordination. This has helped the company to align its efforts towards common goals and to deliver value to customers more efficiently and effectively.

John Deere’s implementation of SAFe has played a significant role in its success with agile and has helped the company to achieve agility at scale.


Companies who’ve failed to implement Business Agility with SAFe

Business agility refers to an organization’s ability to adapt and respond quickly and effectively to changing circumstances in order to deliver value to customers and stakeholders. There are many examples of companies that have struggled to achieve business agility, either due to organizational culture, rigid processes, or other factors. Here are a few examples:

  • Blockbuster:

    Blockbuster was once a dominant player in the video rental industry, but it struggled to adapt to the rise of streaming and online video services, and ultimately went bankrupt in 2013.

  • Kodak:

    Kodak was a leader in the film photography industry, but it struggled to adapt to the rise of digital photography and eventually filed for bankruptcy in 2012.

  • Blackberry:

    Blackberry was once a dominant player in the smartphone market, but it struggled to adapt to the rise of smartphones with touch screens and was eventually overtaken by competitors such as Apple and Samsung.

  • Sears:

    Sears was once a dominant retailer, but it struggled to adapt to the rise of online shopping and changes in consumer preferences, and filed for bankruptcy in 2018.

The examples above demonstrate the importance of business agility in an increasingly competitive and fast-changing business environment. Companies that are unable to adapt and respond quickly and effectively to changing circumstances are at risk of being overtaken by competitors.


How Does SAFe Agile Propel Digital Transformation?

Digital transformation is the process of leveraging digital technologies to create new, or modify existing, business processes and customer experiences. It is a fundamental shift in how organizations use technology to compete in the digital economy. To achieve digital transformation, organizations must be agile and continuously innovate. This means rethinking their organizational structures and business models, their products and services, and their customer and employee experiences. 

The Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) is an organizational framework that enables organizations to achieve agility, speed, and innovation. It is a set of principles, practices, and tools that help organizations deliver value faster and more efficiently in the digital economy. With SAFe, organizations can scale agile practices, align teams, and apply lean principles across the entire organization.

SAFe is designed to help organizations achieve digital transformation by increasing agility and speed, while minimizing risk. It enables organizations to rapidly respond to customer needs and market changes, and provides a platform for continuous innovation. By providing a common language, structure, and process, SAFe helps organizations achieve a common understanding of the organization’s goals and objectives. This in turn enables teams to work together in a more cohesive manner, to better coordinate across divisions, and to deliver value faster. 

SAFe also helps organizations identify and prioritize initiatives that can help them reach their goals. It provides guidance on how to break down large projects into smaller chunks, enabling teams to focus on the highest-value tasks first. This helps teams deliver value more quickly, and reduces the risk of failing to deliver the full value of a project. 

Finally, SAFe can help organizations maximize the value of their existing technology investments. It provides guidance on how to integrate existing systems with new technologies and services, and how to use data to inform decision-making and drive innovation. 

By leveraging the principles of SAFe, organizations can accelerate their digital transformation. SAFe provides organizations with a framework for coordinating teams, managing projects, and delivering value faster. It helps organizations identify and prioritize initiatives that will help them reach their goals, and provides guidance on how to maximize the value of their existing technology investments. With SAFe, organizations can achieve agility, speed, and innovation, and propel their digital transformation forward.


6 reasons agile is becoming popular for business teams

Agile has been a popular software development methodology for years, but it’s now gaining traction in the business world as well. Agile is becoming popular for business teams because it offers a number of advantages that can help them work better together. Here are six reasons why agile is becoming popular for business teams.

1. Flexibility

Agile allows teams to adapt quickly to changes in their environment, which can be particularly useful when dealing with volatile markets or customer needs. It also encourages teams to think outside the box and come up with creative solutions to business problems. 

2. Improved Communication

Agile promotes close collaboration between team members and encourages them to share their ideas. This helps teams stay on the same page, which is essential for successful business operations. 

3. Visibility

Agile provides teams with greater visibility into their progress, which helps them stay on track. The team can easily see how far along they are in achieving their goals and make adjustments to their strategy if necessary. 

4. Efficiency

Agile is designed to maximize efficiency by eliminating unnecessary steps and focusing on the most important tasks first. This helps teams get more done in less time. 

5. Focus

Agile encourages teams to focus on the most valuable tasks and avoid getting sidetracked by less important tasks. This helps teams stay on track and reach their goals faster. 

6. Quality

Agile emphasizes quality over quantity, which helps teams deliver better results. By focusing on quality, teams can ensure that their work is up to the highest standards. These are just a few of the reasons why agile is becoming popular for business teams. Agile provides teams with the tools they need to collaborate effectively, stay on track and deliver results. By embracing agile, business teams can improve their performance and achieve greater success.


SAFe® Agile Success in the Utilities Industry

There are several examples of agile success in the utilities industry:

  • National Grid:

    National Grid, a utility company in the UK, implemented agile practices in its operations and maintenance team in order to improve efficiency and effectiveness. By adopting agile principles and practices, the team was able to reduce downtime, improve communication and collaboration, and deliver value to customers more quickly.

  • PG&E:

    PG&E, a utility company in California, implemented agile practices in its customer care and billing department in order to improve efficiency and customer satisfaction. By adopting agile principles and practices, the department was able to reduce cycle times, improve quality, and increase customer satisfaction.

  • DTE Energy:

    DTE Energy, a utility company in Michigan, implemented agile practices in its IT department in order to improve efficiency and deliver value to customers more quickly. By adopting agile principles and practices, the IT department was able to reduce lead times, improve quality, and increase customer satisfaction.


SAFe® Agile Success in Government

There are several examples of agile success in government:

  • United States Digital Service (USDS):

    The USDS is a government agency that uses agile principles and practices to improve the delivery of government services. By adopting agile, the USDS has been able to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its projects and deliver value to citizens more quickly.

  • UK Government Digital Service (GDS):

    The GDS is a government agency in the UK that uses agile principles and practices to improve the delivery of government services. By adopting agile, the GDS has been able to reduce lead times, improve quality, and increase customer satisfaction.

  • Australian Government Digital Transformation Agency (DTA):

    The DTA is a government agency in Australia that uses agile principles and practices to improve the delivery of government services. By adopting agile, the DTA has been able to reduce lead times, improve quality, and increase customer satisfaction.

These examples demonstrate how agile can be successfully applied in government to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of projects and deliver value to citizens more quickly.


SAFe® Agile Success in Retail

There are several examples of agile success in the retail industry:

  • Zara:

    Zara, a fashion retailer, has used agile principles and practices to improve its supply chain and enable faster delivery of new products to customers. By adopting agile, Zara has been able to reduce lead times, improve quality, and increase customer satisfaction.

  • Target:

    Target, a retail chain in the US, has used agile principles and practices to improve its online shopping experience. By adopting agile, Target has been able to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its online operations and deliver a better shopping experience to customers.

  • Amazon:

    Amazon, an e-commerce retailer, has used agile principles and practices to improve its operations and deliver value to customers more quickly. By adopting agile, Amazon has been able to reduce lead times, improve quality, and increase customer satisfaction.

These examples demonstrate how agile can be successfully applied in the retail industry to improve efficiency, reduce lead times, and increase customer satisfaction.


SAFe Agile is influencing the future of Agriculture

Agile concepts are being applied to the agriculture industry in a number of ways:

  • Agile farming:

    Agile farming is an approach that uses agile principles and practices to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of farming operations. This may involve adopting agile practices such as continuous delivery and continuous improvement to optimize crop production and reduce waste.

  • Agile supply chain management:

    Agile principles and practices can be applied to supply chain management in the agriculture industry to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the supply chain. This may involve adopting agile practices such as customer collaboration and continuous delivery to optimize the flow of materials and reduce lead times.

  • Agile product development:

    Agile principles and practices can be applied to product development in the agriculture industry to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the product development process. This may involve adopting agile practices such as iteration and continuous improvement to quickly develop and test new products and meet changing customer needs.

Agile concepts are being applied to the agriculture industry in a variety of ways to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of farming operations, supply chain management, and product development.


SAFe® Agile resonates with Millennials

Agile resonates with millennials for a variety of reasons. Some of the main factors that may contribute to agile’s appeal to millennials include:

  • Focus on customer needs:

    Agile emphasizes the importance of delivering value to customers and meeting their needs, which aligns with millennials’ values and priorities.

  • Collaborative and inclusive approach:

    Agile promotes collaboration and inclusivity, which may be particularly appealing to millennials who value diversity and teamwork.

  • Emphasis on continuous learning:

    Agile emphasizes continuous learning and improvement, which aligns with millennials’ desire for personal and professional growth.

  • Flexibility:

    Agile provides flexibility and autonomy, which may be particularly appealing to millennials who value work-life balance and the ability to work in different locations and on different projects.

Agile’s focus on customer needs, collaborative and inclusive approach, emphasis on continuous learning, and flexibility may all contribute to its appeal to millennials.


Why SAFe is the leading agile framework

SAFe has gained popularity in recent years because it provides a structured and flexible approach for coordinating and aligning the work of multiple Agile teams.

There are a number of factors that have contributed to SAFe’s emergence as a leader in the field of Agile development. One factor is that SAFe provides a comprehensive framework for implementing Agile at scale, which includes guidance on key areas such as team organization, program execution, portfolio management and Lean-Agile leadership. Additionally, SAFe has a strong focus on continuous improvement and has a well-defined process for incorporating feedback and learning into its practices.

SAFe has a strong community of practitioners and a robust ecosystem of tools, training, and support resources, which has helped to make it a widely recognized and respected approach to scaling Agile. These factors, along with the growing demand for effective approaches to scaling Agile development in large organizations, have contributed to SAFe’s emergence as the leader in this field.


How you know your SAFe Transformation is Working

As Agile continues to evolve and grow, the need for more robust and advanced frameworks to support it has become increasingly clear. One such framework, SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework), has become one of the most popular and widely adopted frameworks for managing and scaling Agile. The SAFe framework can help organizations more effectively manage and scale their Agile projects, but how can you know when your SAFe transformation is working? The first indicator of success when implementing a SAFe transformation is an overall improvement in the organization’s ability to deliver value to its customers. SAFe’s focus on cross-functional collaboration and small, often autonomous teams helps to ensure that projects are completed in a timely and effective manner. When teams are working together effectively, there should be a noticeable increase in the speed of delivery for customer-facing projects. Another important indicator of success is the increased visibility of the Agile process throughout the organization. With the introduction of SAFe, teams now work together to complete their work in an integrated fashion, creating an environment of collaboration and shared accountability. As a result, it should be easier to track progress, identify issues, and make decisions that affect the entire organization. Finally, a successful SAFe transformation should also be reflected in the organization’s financials. By streamlining and improving the delivery of value to customers, SAFe can help to reduce costs and improve revenue. Additionally, the increased visibility of the Agile process throughout the organization should lead to increased customer satisfaction, resulting in more loyal customers and higher customer retention rates. When a SAFe transformation is effective, it should result in a noticeable improvement in the organization’s ability to deliver value to its customers, increased visibility of the Agile process throughout the organization, and improved financial performance. If you’ve implemented SAFe in your organization and are seeing these results, then you’re likely on the right track to successful Agile transformation.


What does SAFe offer that other frameworks miss?

The Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) is a framework for scaling agile practices and principles to support the development of complex systems. It offers several benefits and features that distinguish it from other agile frameworks:

  • Holistic approach:

    SAFe takes a holistic approach to scaling agile, addressing the needs of the enterprise, portfolio, and team levels. This allows it to address the challenges of scaling agile in a comprehensive way, rather than focusing on a specific aspect of the process.

  • Customization:

    SAFe is designed to be customizable and adaptable to the specific needs of an organization. It provides a set of tools and practices that can be tailored to fit the organization’s culture and goals.

  • Support for multiple teams:

    SAFe is designed to support the coordination and collaboration of multiple teams working on a single project or product. It provides tools and practices for managing work across teams and aligning efforts towards a common goal.

  • Integration with other frameworks: SAFe is designed to be compatible with other agile frameworks, such as Scrum, Lean, and Kanban. This allows organizations to leverage the strengths of multiple frameworks to create a customized approach that meets their specific needs.

  • Enterprise focus:

    SAFe is specifically designed to address the challenges of scaling agile at the enterprise level. It provides guidance on how to align development efforts with the overall goals and strategy of the organization.

Read More

7 Ways to Overcome the Obstacles of Adopting SAFe®

Posted by Sawyer Conrady on January 3, 2023

Dec 13, 2022

The best way to overcome obstacles of adopting the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) is to approach the adoption process in a systematic and disciplined manner. This typically involves the following steps:

  1. Identify the key stakeholders and decision makers who need to be involved in the adoption process, and make sure that they are on board with the decision to adopt SAFe.
  2. Create a clear and compelling vision for how SAFe will benefit the organization, and communicate this vision to all stakeholders in a way that resonates with their needs and concerns.
  3. Develop a detailed plan for implementing SAFe, including a timeline, a budget, and a list of specific tasks and activities that need to be completed.
  4. Identify any potential obstacles or challenges that may arise during the adoption process, and develop strategies for addressing and overcoming these challenges.
  5. Provide training and support to help individuals and teams adopt SAFe and become proficient in using its principles and practices.
  6. Monitor progress closely, and make adjustments to the implementation plan as needed to ensure that the adoption of SAFe remains on track.
  7. Integrate experienced SAFe coaches into your team to quickly identify and correct any gaps in skills and efficiently guide teams and organizations through the process of implementing SAFe, providing expertise and support to ensure that the framework is properly applied and that the desired outcomes are achieved.

Overall, the key to overcoming obstacles to adopting SAFe is to approach the process with a sense of purpose, commitment, and collaboration, and to be willing to adapt and adjust as needed to ensure success.

Written by Katie Snelson , Director of Sales and Recruiting

ICON partners with clients in their Business and IT Transformations to produce collaborative outcomes that have proven vital in many industries. Since 1992, our highly experienced coaches and practitioners have been collaborating with companies to solve their most complex challenges using SAFe® methodology, Business Agility best practices, advanced OKRs, DevSecOps at the team level, and the Lean-Agile mindset

Read More

Agile Recruiters Look For These Key Things In Resumes

Posted by Sawyer Conrady on January 3, 2023

Nov 21, 2022

Making a resume can be stressful! You may ask yourself “What should I show? What are important objectives and critical results that a company recruiter wants to see?” There are certainly things that I look for in resumes and like to see emphasized. Always remember, resumes aren’t everything, but they are a way to open a recruiter’s eyes and get the ball rolling with a potential partner. So, here are some of the key things to highlight that can lead to the creation of a strong resume.

Showcase Qualified Knowledge and Experience

First off, when you are making a resume, make sure that you have qualified knowledge and experience in the role that you are applying for. With the majority of experience, agile recruiters do not want to see you reiterate the job description of a role – we want to see you talk about your unique experiences and how your experiences have led to strong contributions to your impact at an engagement.

When making a professional resume, make sure that it is written in the third person and uses the proper tenses based on the elaboration of an engagement. For example, if you are writing about a role you did from 2010 to 2013, this is going to be written in the past tense about the impact you made in that opportunity. Also, when writing about the impact you made on an opportunity, do not write about what the organization did – directly get to the point of what impact you made.

If you are a technical coach or a consultant, showing your hands-on experience with your skills set is paramount. Your specific skill set and knowledge of agile tools is one of the most important ways to show impactful assets that would drive and help in a new organizational transformation.

Tailor Versions of your Resume for Each Agile Role

Applying for more than one agile role can take more time and organization. You might ask yourself “How do I show all my experience and knowledge if I can play many roles in an Agile & SAFe® environment?” A simple way to highlight all of your roles and experiences is to have different versions of your resume. Consider dedicating time to dividing your experience to better develop your opportunities. For example: if you are a SAFe Team Coach and you have the skills and enjoyment of being a Senior Scrum Master, you should have one resume that represents your “Senior Scrum Master” skills and experience and another version of your resume that represents “SAFe Team Coach” skills and experience. Swiss Army Knife Coaches need to be able to show that they have “been there, done that” within different versions of their resume.

Send Your Resume to ICON

I hope that these tricks and rule of thumbs that I have provided can help you get a better grasp on what highlights your resume. Like I said earlier, resumes aren’t everything, but they are a great representation of you and should reflect the first impression you wish to convey.

If you have what it takes to be an ICON Coach, please send your resume to Blake Lawson at Blake.Lawson@iconagility.com and I would be more than happy to talk with you about your resume!

Written by Blake Lawson , Recruiter

ICON partners with clients in their Business and IT Transformations to produce collaborative outcomes that have proven vital in many industries. Since 1992, our highly experienced coaches and practitioners have been collaborating with companies to solve their most complex challenges using SAFe® methodology, Business Agility best practices, advanced OKRs, DevSecOps at the team level, and the Lean-Agile mindset

Read More

Answer the client’s primary question: What value am I receiving in return for my check?

Posted by Sawyer Conrady on January 3, 2023

Nov 18, 2022

During every engagement someone on the client’s side wants to know “what are we getting for all this money we are paying?” The question is a legitimate one. The money paid is crystal clear. There is a desire to measure the value delivered from this investment. Let me also note that there are several aspects to the answer. In this article I will just address one aspect – the business value delivered by the agile teams.

Let’s define value

I would like to start by defining “value.” The dictionary defines value as “the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something.” So, value inherently involves the perception of a person or persons. Some companies put an emphasis on revenue while others like non-profits place an emphasis on charitable action for the cause. As agile coaches, we have the potential to work with both kinds of clients. The value definition belongs to the client. If a client doesn’t have a clear definition of value, they are often left unable to see the value they are receiving based on what we are helping them accomplish. In this case, it’s important that we help clients define value at the very beginning of our partnership.

Measuring value

SAFe® addresses this problem in a straightforward way – it says there are two primary outputs to a successful PI Planning event. The first is a program board and the second is committed PI objectives. The PI objectives are what provide us with what we need to drive the business to a clear understanding of what is valuable to them. In brief, the features prioritized in a PI Planning session are submitted to the agile teams and the teams determine what portion of them can be accomplished during the PI. As the teams are working through that process, they create PI objectives which provide a feedback loop to the business to confirm the agile teams have a common understanding of what is being requested through the features. As the business reviews the PI objectives, they designate the value (between one and ten) that those PI objectives represent in terms of business value. At the end of the PI, the PI objectives are reviewed and the business grades the actual business values obtained through the work completed during the PI by the teams.

Delivering value “predictably”

From PI to PI, this business value delivered is tracked through the mechanism of predictability metric. The overall result is to provide visibility of enterprise values and volume of value being delivered to everyone. The business can now see both sides of the equation – what they are paying and what value is being delivered.

Written by Jim Camden

 

Jim has over 35 years of helping large and small companies solve painful problems in technical and organizational areas. His early career was in software for large and complex mission-critical systems. He was a developer, designer, architect, and business analyst. Jim has been intrigued by the human side of technology success for the last 20 years, which led him to Agile and SAFe. He is motivated by observing successful SAFe Transformations in organizations that benefit in tangible ways from their efforts. As a coach, he has seen the organizations he works with gain clarity on what matters and what doesn’t, and then concentrate on the former. These principles are so powerful that they work when adopted in any organization—in every sub-group, in any industry, at every level, whether co-located or distributed—despite the current level of Agile maturity within the organization and regardless of the current structure. The key is to have a coach that can make them real to you and your people.

 

Read More

Why Companies Invest in a Scaled Agile Transformation

Posted by Sawyer Conrady on January 3, 2023

Nov 11, 2022

Read More

5 Qualifications Recruiters Look For In Agile Talent

Posted by Sawyer Conrady on January 3, 2023

Nov 4, 2022

Have you ever gone into an interview over-analyzing your strengths and weaknesses? The feeling that makes you ask yourself “What do I need to showcase to set myself apart from other agile talent?”

Typically, interviews can be nerve racking. They are full of rapid fire questions, including the old school burning question “where do you see yourself in 5 years?” As a recruiter, I firmly dislike cliche interview questions like this because they do not lead to answers that tell me more about my candidate. I want to get to know my candidates. I want to get to know you.

I came to ICON Agility Services because it is a people-focused culture. We help each other succeed and we value having each other’s back. In kind, I’d like to help you prepare for your next Agile interview. To help get you on the road to success, I will help you make a game plan from my own experience. Recruiters look for many different factors that set you above other Agile Talent. I’ve always been told that recruiters are the gate-keepers to a company, so I thought it would be helpful to provide you with a cheatsheet of the qualities I look for in my candidates.

Top 5 qualifications recruiters
look for when hiring Agile Talent

1. Experience

First things first, you need to show that you are actually qualified for the role you are interested in. When a recruiter asks you “Tell me about your background and your prior work experiences” emphasize any instance or situation where you have hands-on experience with the role you would like to get.

For example: If I am looking for Release Train Engineer (RTE) opportunities, agile professionals that emphasize how many ARTs and PI Plannings they have been a part of will go a long way.

OR: If there are Scrum Master opportunities that need to be filled, those who demonstrate their experience bringing teams together, impediments overcome, and ways you’ve influenced the team’s agile mindset will automatically position themselves for qualification. With this in mind, show the recruiter that you have practical hands on experience that would make you a strong candidate.

2. Presentability

Bottom line: being presentable is such an important factor when going into an interview. You’d be wrong for thinking that being presentable is a given. Speak clearly, confidently, and directly when being asked questions. Keep away from providing long winded answers that might lose the attention of the interviewer. Additionally, show that you are flexible and a “go-getter” that likes to make a true impact. Most importantly, on any video calls get on camera and wear something nice!

3. Consultative

In the agile world, it’s critical to be a consultative influencer. Most companies do not want a role player, they want an impact maker. Consultative is the ability to demonstrate your skills/strengths while coaching others to create real results. Interviewers will look for this unique skill, so demonstrate your ability and your consultative nature within your allotted interview time. Any company could use agile talent who can provide that kind of support for agile transformation.

4. Coachability

You might be thinking “What? A coach being coached?” Accepting feedback from others, even as a coach, promotes the mindset of continuous improvement – even a component of the SAFe® mindset. Make sure your “attitude” or “ego” does not prevent you from continuously growing as an agile professional. Being able to work with others and listen to feedback makes you a better teammate and aligns with what Agile encourages.

5. Ambitiousness

Many recruiters are looking for mentors and continuous learners. Show that you can be “a rockstar!” Set yourself apart from the rest unapologetically. You are someone that goes above and beyond to drive an organization’s transformation forward. So, tell them that! Don’t be afraid to be a disruptor. An organization’s digital transformation relies on employees who want to be a difference maker.

Want to work with us?  Apply here!

ICON combines industry best practices and processes with real world experience to deliver pragmatic customer solutions in a rapidly changing marketplace. But we can’t do it alone.

I’m excited to learn more about what you are looking for as the next step in your career (just make sure to use the 5 Qualifiers I just told you about). Apply at the above link, learn more about opportunities to further your professional agile career, or reach out to me directly at Blake.Lawson@iconagility.com.

Written by Blake Lawson , Recruiter

ICON partners with clients in their Business and IT Transformations to produce collaborative outcomes that have proven vital in many industries. Since 1992, our highly experienced coaches and practitioners have been collaborating with companies to solve their most complex challenges using SAFe® methodology, Business Agility best practices, advanced OKRs, DevSecOps at the team level, and the Lean-Agile mindset

Read More

Top 6 Benefits of Working with an Agile Coach

Posted by Sawyer Conrady on January 3, 2023

Nov 2, 2022

Read More

Release Train Engineer (RTE): What you need to know

Posted by Sawyer Conrady on January 3, 2023

Oct 26, 2022

Read More