What is Agility? The definition of the agile organization
TweeterPosted by jc-Qualitystreet on 2011/02/08
The question arises regularly… so here’s my own definition of agility:
« Agility is the ability of an organization to create value and to continuously delight the customer, while promoting and responding to change in its environment »
This broader definition completes a recent quote of my fellow french blogger Claude Aubry* on Twitter, and adds to Jim Highsmith’s definition ( »Agility is the ability to both create and respond to change in order to profit in a turbulent business environment » 2002) or Craig Larman’s definition (« Rapid and flexible response to change » 2004). While I found these good definitions very inspiring, I was missing something…
I was missing the CLIENT, the primary goal and core foundation of an organization, the means to align employees to a common vision and the key differentiator against competitors. Indeed, in today’s world of complexity and competition, the challenge is not only to deliver value early but mostly to continuously delight his primary customer.
This is the only viable purpose to be successful in the long term. For this, the agile organization must be both proactive, active and reactive, supported both by lean, agile and user eXperience practices.
Of course « being agile » is also a mindset based on core values: communication, feedback, courage, simplicity, respect and the four from the Agile Manifesto.
* « L’Agilité est la capacité d’une organisation à créer de la valeur, tout en s’adaptant -à temps- aux changements dans son environnement » 2010
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Bangalaurent said,
« continuously delight his primary customer » …
it is perfectly aligned with what is promoted by Stephen DENNING in his great book « Leader’s guide to Radical Management ». Lot of things used to agilists, but ‘translated’ in a wording accurate for business/corporate executives.
cf Mike Cohn’s review : http://blog.mountaingoatsoftware.com/new-book-from-steve-denning-on-agile-at-the-company-level
The seven principles of radical management are:
1. Delighting Clients
2. Self-Organizing Teams
3. Client-Driven Iterations
4. Delivering Value to Clients in Each Iteration
5. Radical Transparency
6. Continuous Self-Improvement
7. Interactive Communication