Frameworkless Agility: 6 Things that can help adapt and evolve your Agile Framework

At the Agile Coach Summit in Chicago I open up the floor to all attendees for help developing the concept: “Frameworkless Agility”. Within the context of Agile Adoption, we began to explore what it would look like without SAFe, LeSS, Scrum, etc. We began writing down all kinds of questions: What does Agile mean to you?What problem are we trying to solve? What behaviors do we want? Why are we doing Agile?

What is Frameworkless Agility?

Frameworkless Agility is about focusing on the essentials of Agile beyond the constraints of frameworks.

Why Frameworkless Agility?

Frameworkless Agility is about people, finding purpose and enabling Agility by leveraging various Lean-Agile frameworks, principles and methods. The best instance of Agile is the one that can solve your particular problem, within your context. “Frameworkless Agility” supports practices that can be quickly streamlined, optimized and changed. Combining practices from different frameworks can increase the changes for success of your Agile Adoption.

To make this post fun I created a FUNNY slogan:

“FrameworkLeSS Agility” is SAFe to use on the Enterprise with Scrum, is ExPtreme, CLean, can be used in Open Spaces, supports strong agile leadershipand value-driven business growth.

As you research for the right model to bring Agility to your organization, make sure to enlist the help of an Agile expert who can help your organization be Agile.

You are not alone, let me know whatI can do to help.

Bellow the 6 steps captured during the ACS. I’m hoping these steps can get your started on a path for a successful adoption and implementation of Agile.

-Start learning and teaching the principles and values 

-Try understanding what the principles and values mean to you

-Don’t ignore the factors that influence the outcomes

-Don’t attach to a framework

-Ask why don’t you want X? (X = Scrum, SAFe, etc.)

-Why X did not work? (X = Scrum, SAFe, etc.)

Special thanks to: Chris, Ingrid, Ben, Faye and all other collaborators who outline these things. I will be sharing more on these ideas during my upcoming talk @AgileDayChicago this Friday. What does Frameworkless Agility mean to you? Tweet: #frameworklessagility @3ptstoBeAgile or send me an email to: 3ptstoBeAgile.com@gmail.com.

References:

Going Beyond Agility with Antifragility – Feb 09, 2015 by Ben Linders on

Building Antifragile Relationships and Teams – November 3, 2014 by Jake Calabrese

“Push Right” From Agile to Antifragile – Aug 18, 2015 by Roland McLain-Smith

Frameworkless Agility Talk – 9/16 – Agile Coaching Summit Chicago, 2017