Unlocking the power of Agile principles is about so much more than implementing a software development methodology; it requires a cultural shift across teams and organisations.
At Box UK our Agile consultants have helped numerous organisations make this shift, having delivered software development and transformation consultancy to clients across a diverse set of industries, from a sporting governing body through logistics and automotive firms to universities and membership institutions.
As practitioners of Agile software development ourselves we truly understand the real-world issues relating to the application of Agile concepts, and know how to practically resolve them while safeguarding flexibility, quality and commercial results. This makes us us ideally placed to support you throughout your Agile journey – guiding you every step of the way for a smooth transition that delivers real benefits.
"On seeing the output from the first series of sprints, we've shared details of the project across BCS as a model of Agile processes working to achieve great results quickly."
Whether you already use elements of Agile project methodologies and are looking to strengthen your skills, or have come to the approach to support your wider digital transformation strategy objectives, our consultants will begin by assessing your current setup. This allows us to understand what changes need to be made to ensure you get the most out of the approach – looking at the critically important cultural considerations as well as issues surrounding process, team formation and organisational structure.
Any insights we uncover are fed into clearly documented plans that will put you on the path to Agile victory. We know that one size doesn’t fit all, so your transformation plan will be unique to you – combining elements from disparate methodologies and supported with collaborative workshops and mentoring sessions from our Agile consultants.
We also offer Agile coaching sessions, taking place on a one-to-one basis or for groups of up to 12 people. During these sessions we’ll share with your team key Agile principles, highlighting the approach’s features and benefits. And since theory can only get you so far, we also fill the session full of practical Agile tips, tailored to your requirements, that you can put into practice as soon as the course is finished.
To stay competitive, it’s critical for automotive manufacturers to ensure their software engineering practices remain at the cutting-edge.
Our technical and business consultants have helped Jaguar Land Rover do just that, by delivering prioritised recommendations to support their diagnostics team in a move towards Agile methods of working, which not only help safeguard the velocity, quality and predictability of releases, but also enable the organisation to react more rapidly to new trends and opportunities.
When Risk Decisions asked Box UK to help enhance the performance of their risk management tool, we not only delivered designs that did just this, but also introduced them to new ways of working that would help ensure long-term success.
Through regular ‘surgeries’ the client was able to embrace Agile techniques that encouraged iterative review and testing, providing an efficient and effective way to resolve problems encountered as the new tool began to take shape and supporting a more user-centred approach.
Digital Project of the Year
Agile Consultancy of the Year
The successful adoption of Agile principles requires more than just the installation of a software development methodology, and a scattershot approach can lead to uncoordinated team-working, operational disconnects, siloes and unnecessary risk. Agile transformation therefore touches upon all aspects of an organisation, from project delivery to underlying business processes, communications and people management.
For organisations seeking to unlock the benefits of the approach – which include greater responsiveness, quicker time-to-market and increased innovation – undertaking a programme of Agile transformation helps ensure Agile concepts are fully embedded into the fabric of their culture, and that these are aligned with the diverse needs and expectations of business stakeholders.
Agile transformation programmes begin with a review of your current business situation, use contexts, areas of focus and pain points. Working with specialist Agile consultants you’ll then collaboratively define a roadmap of work to optimise your existing ways of working and introduce new processes focused on iteration, collaboration and feedback. Agile transformation is also a long-term initiative, incorporating regular review points to measure success and identify areas for further incremental improvement.
Organisations from across a wide range of sectors can benefit from Agile transformation, alongside those focused on agile software development (where the approach originated). Your Agile transformation consultancy should focus on the specific requirements of your industry and business, to ensure any recommendations are tailored to deliver maximum value and impact.
Agile consulting is a key element of the agile transformation process, providing you with a roadmap to guide you on your journey towards driving an Agile delivery approach, and instilling long-term cultural change. In addition to Agile transformation consultancy, Agile consulting services can be tailored to focus on specific areas of your business or processes, covering areas such as Agile software development consulting, new team set-up and distributed working, and targeted goals such as improving efficiency, increasing visibility and fostering greater communication and collaboration.
Agile consultancy engagements encompass assessment, implementation and coaching activities, drawing on a wide range of tools and techniques to equip your team with the knowledge and skills they need to work more efficiently and effectively. Your Agile consultants will help you define a tailored programme of work based on your specific drivers, helping support long-term improvement and change.
Agile consultants will work with your organisation at a strategic level, defining a transformation roadmap that can encompass many activities that may include Agile coaching sessions. Where required, these sessions may be undertaken by an Agile consultant as part of their wider programme, or may be delivered by a separate Agile coach.
Agile coaching sessions are typically a mix of training on Agile’s most important principles and techniques, and consultation that helps contextualise these within your particular environment and provide actionable, personalised advice. Your Agile consultant or coach may incorporate both traditional and conversational training methods, alongside practical exercises that provide hands-on experience and generate valuable “light-bulb” moments.
Agile coaching is a valuable tactical tool in your wider Agile consultancy engagement or Agile transformation journey, particularly if your teams are new to Agile project methodologies or you are bringing together disparate teams with different ways of working.
While Scrum and Agile share many of the same principles and values, they are not quite the same thing.
Agile is an approach to project management based around the concepts of iteration, collaboration and feedback, which can be applied to a wide range of deliverables, industries and business processes.
Scrum is a specific process framework for delivering projects in an Agile way, which can be applied to software development projects or more widely, but remains focused on delivering working products at the end of every sprint of work.
Your Agile transformation or consultancy engagement may draw from a range of project methodologies including Scrum, depending on your specific requirements and goals.