Why agile enterprise solutions are key to winning

In software development, agile methodology focuses on the delivery of individual software parts rather than the entire package. It's ideal for teams that are working on common goals, but with different functional expertise. Companies using agile solutions can feel confident about their end-product since they've performed extensive testing in various ways throughout the design and development process. 

Agile enterprise solutions help companies to collaborate with consumers and the client organizations. What is different, however, is that they don't just buy an end-product, but also play a part in the planning and execution processes. 

The solutions value a pragmatic-mindset and a flexible approach. Considering that change is inevitable, enterprise organizations can use a distinct flavor of agile to continue winning in the marketplace. 

Read on to learn why agile enterprise solutions are the key to winning. 

Agile Encourages Adaptability

Agile isn't a new concept. It's been growing in popularity since 2001, when it was published in the Manifesto for Agile Software Development. However, COVID-19 and the increasing digitization emphasized the need for companies to adopt Agile at the business level. 

Agile enterprise solutions focus on the change of cultural, structural, and management approaches to remain competitive in challenging and unstable situations. They help enterprises identify internal and external dependencies so they practice risk management. This helps them adapt quicker to change and identify ways to tackle tough situations. 

To see how the new more unstable business environment calls for new kinds of ways to manage risk and foster agile sense- and decision-making, check out the description of the “Complex domain” in the Cynefin framework.

Need for Speed

Many business leaders don't recognize the trends that are shaping societies, industries, and economies. These include the rapid digitization, constant introduction of disruptive technologies, and the need for work-life balance. The fast-changing business environments call for a collaborative stakeholder engagement model and an agile approach to business competition and development

Agile means that companies can deliver beta-products faster because of flexible resource allocation and frequent testing. This often means quick problem addressing, little bottlenecks, and greater adaptability to change. Agile promotes early product releases and regular follow-up releases. Once teams become more disciplined and predictable, it's easier to establish quantitative metrics and to improve the delivery cycle. 

Increased Employee Engagement

Many enterprises struggle to find millennial talent, which is essential in competing with the rapid innovation and changes taking place in the marketplace. In addition, enterprises must nurture existing talent to develop loyalty and new skills. Agile enterprise solutions allow employees to enrich their work experience and grow beyond their job duties.

Better employee engagement scores also attract better applicants and motivate existing ones to try extra responsibilities, learn new skills, and to improve their work performance. Agile teams are more loyal and motivated towards meeting the company's goals. This helps reduce the costs of acquisition and to improve performance of the company.

Improved Collaboration

Stakeholders and teams are at the heart of an enterprise organization. Business managers must structure their teams in cross-functional, persistent, and high-performing teams to improve their ability to deliver outcomes in a predictable, fast-paced, and repeatable manner. 

Executives should encourage every individual to take ownership of their work, collaborate with others, solve problems, and interact effectively. In addition, clients must get involved in the project details to ensure high-quality results. With increased transparency, feedback integration, and quality-control features, businesses can gain more control over ongoing projects. 

Customer Satisfaction

Unlike traditional frameworks, where the customer is only involved in the planning process, in agile, the customer takes part in the decision-making process. This influences the execution phase, affecting flexibility and adaptability. Involving customers enhances retention, and by making changes according to their feedback, enterprises can deliver value to the customer and ensure that the final product truly meets the requirements.

Agile solutions allow businesses to fast-track development processes and launch products early. Product developers can capitalize on the first-mover advantage to win the consumer's trust. The development process with regular communication also reduces the chances of failure. 

Improved Project Predictability

In agile, every stakeholder takes part in the production process because of daily reporting and advanced reporting tools. This increases project visibility. Executives can handle issues as they occur, predict risks, and create effective mitigation plans. They also have better control and ensure quality throughout the implementation phase. 

Agile enterprise solutions present more improved ways to predict risks and to ensure projects run smoothly. Enterprises can build models that can quickly and effectively recognize themself in both volatile and ambiguous environments. 

Increased Flexibility

When agile enterprise solutions are fully implemented, teams can work in smaller groups and get constant feedback from project managers. Changes occur during the development process, making it faster and less costly to complete a project compared to other project management methodologies. 

Superior Quality Product

One definition of high quality is: Meeting or exceeding the customers’ expectations. Agile helps reach just that.

Agile companies also divide projects into manageable and flexible sprints that allow teams to implement changes on short notice. Since testing is integrated into every part of the execution phase, the overall quality of the end-product will be higher.

In addition, since the client is informed throughout the development process, they can ask for changes whenever they desire. Agile approach helps create an iterative process where teams keep learning and improving, and where the client can request for changes anytime. This makes meeting or exceeding customers’ expectations easier.

Enhanced Financial Performance

With increased customer satisfaction, employee engagement, and overall group performance, enterprises will surely improve their financial performance. Agile enterprise solutions consider the needs of the clients and the capabilities of teams. Therefore, they remain at their optimal performance, while allowing the employees to grow into professionals. 

Early product releases and faster deliveries can give agile enterprises a competitive advantage in the market, attracting more clients and generating more revenue in the long-term. Retraining talent reduces the cost of talent acquisition, increasing the overall financial performance. 

Better Project Visibility

In agile enterprises, everyone is actively involved in the project. Employees have real-time access to information concerning any project. Project managers, stakeholders, and team players can visualize what's happening and make concrete plans regarding product launching, updates, and testing. This encourages employee involvement throughout the processes. 

Conclusion

Although agile transformation takes time, it's the best opportunity for enterprises to continue winning in the global market. Transforming a traditional business approach model to an agile one can help increase the flexibility, collaboration, and organization of the enterprise, allowing it to thrive in the fast-changing environments. Join our community at Coventures to learn more about how we can help your business thrive.