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Agile principles are one of the critical drivers of the software market that helps it to innovate, learn, and adapt rapidly. Agile's idea emerged when it was started as a set of principles for software development to write and release code iteratively. This lowers the waiting time to remove the functionality, which was from months (years sometimes). Today the term "Agile" is synonymous with many software development solutions such as iteration development, frequent releases, focusing on customers, and collaboration through a cross-functional team. Agile always prioritizes test-and-learn methods over detailed planning. Agile Methodology has been one of the most implemented product development methodologies in many domains such as banking, construction, software industry, education, etc. as it offers benefits that many traditional software practices fail to provide. Agile has transformed many small-scaled companies to larger companies by its approach of continuously improving the product, thinking about customer satisfaction, and significantly enhancing the return of investment of the organization.

For many start-ups, it is less challenging to implement Agile and transform the organization into an Agile environment. However, when it comes to more prominent organizations, it becomes a challenge. Larger organizations that have already adapted to other software methodology types will take more time and effort to transform into an Agile environment. Many companies hire Agile coaches, send their employees for Agile training, or hire consultants to rewrite their operations manuals. However, they still doubt whether Agile is suitable for their company and have many questions and challenges that they have to face. Making a note about the challenges that may come along the way while implementing Agile and discussing the ways to overcome beforehand could prove a crucial step in deciding the success or failure of Agile. This article mostly focuses on the various challenges that companies face while implementing Agile.

Here are a few challenges that companies face while Implementing Agile:

1. Over expectations from Agile

Before a company has decided to implement Agile in their company, it is essential to clearly understand why they are strictly implementing Agile. There has to be a purpose defined. Some purposes could be creating value for the customer, reducing time to market, more collaboration etc. The organization has to list out all the reasons and expectations that they expect Agile to change. Agile is a Project Management methodology that prioritizes the delivery of the product more than the paperwork. The company has to first list all the problems they face with their old software methodology and compare it with the Agile Methodology. If the Agile Methodology could solve the issues arising from the previous software methodology, then implementing Agile would be an excellent idea. However, in many cases, companies have unrealistic expectations from Agile, which leads to failure in the implementation of Agile in their organization. Suppose a company has many deep-rooted problems such as inability to sustain quality developers in the organization, or if the sales team of the company has made excessive promises but fails to keep up to it; these kinds of problems are the organization's internal problems that cannot be solved by implementing Agile Methodology. Hence, when a company expects Agile to become the remedy for all its problems, it would become a frustration and challenge while implementing Agile.

2. Resisting Change

Resistance to the change by the organization's internal system is one of the biggest challenges that come in the way of many companies. This initial resistance could be thought of as inertia, where the employee does not want to change their ways of working. As the companies' employees are accustomed to the habits and patterns of working in the traditional software methodologies, they become resistant to any change that is offered to them. Suppose a Project Manager has been taking a one-hour long meeting about the product requirements with the Developer, where they discuss all the essential aspects of the project; the Project Manager feels relieved and has been accustomed to this method of working. However, if the Project Manager is suddenly asked to change their way of developing the product by conducting daily stand-ups by 15 minutes and developing product updates in sprints, it becomes a challenge for them, which they may resist and lead to the failure of Agile Implementation.

3. Traces of Old Methodologies remain

As the saying goes, "Old habits die hard", the employees and the organization's management may take time to understand Agile Methodology. This may be a little similar to the resistance to change. However, it is not entirely the same. In opposition, people are unwilling to change their way of working and adopt the Agile way of working. Here, since most people have done with the traditional software for a longer time, it makes them form a habit of their old work methods. The employees may accept the Agile Methodology, but they try to incorporate their ancient practices during the development of the product. The employees may take more time than expected to formulate a Product Backlog as they wait for the client to finalize all the items similar to their older Methodology. Sometimes, employees use the Scrum Events to track the product's status rather than to look at the learnings and teachings that they have to implement in their next sprint.

4. Excess concentration on Artifacts and Events

As soon as the Agile Methodology is implemented, companies focus on training the employees about the various frameworks such as Scrum, XP, Kanban, etc. They carry on various events to make the team understand the way Scrum and Kanban works. The employees give more focus on learning to develop the products on these frameworks. These frameworks pave a way in which Agile can be applied. Hence, employees are only focused on building products by adding Artifacts and joining ceremonies/events. During this process, employees tend to forget Agile's real value and principles, which is customer value over processes and documentation. Agile Methodology is supposed to change the environment of the organization and bring changes in employees and operations. Hence, if the employees only focus on the Artifacts and the Events, it would just be a change from an Old Methodology to Agile Methodology with no real benefits such as customer value, early time to market etc.

5. Not Investing the talent in the people

Implementing Agile would take up many employees to collaborate efficiently with each other. Many people would have diverse amounts of talents that need to be sharpened to get the best potential. Companies fail to invest in the people's skills, which does not let them achieve their best. This ultimately leads to the company's downfall as they only think of generating revenue from product development but do not invest enough in their employees so that they can contribute efficiently. The employees should be trained to the fullest and should have a learning mindset to grow in their career and simultaneously make the company grow in terms of many parameters such as the return of investment and business value.

6. Not having a long term vision for Agile

Many companies get into implementing Agile small pockets and pilot them in small organizations. But during the planning of Implementation, they do not strategize the aftermath or long term goals for implementing Agile and how the company would move forward if the small pockets of Implementation are successful. They do not plan on expanding Agile to more prominent organizations and fail to envision the problems that they may face during Agile Implementation to larger businesses. Hence, not having a long term vision for Agile Implementation would be one of the significant challenges organizations face.

7. Not implementing Iteration and experimentation as the core value of the company

Many companies may have changed into Scrum or Lean Frameworks and work efficiently in these Agile Methodologies, but their mindset stays rigid and still practices old methods in the new framework. They do not imply the core Agile methods, values, and techniques while developing the product and not practicing iteration and experimentation in their development. Companies do not focus on minimizing processes and changing mindsets and behaviors but only focus on product development using an old perspective but a new framework, failing to implement iteration and experimentation as core concepts of the Agile transformation.

8. Difficulty in evaluating Agile Implementation

One of the difficult challenges that companies face is evaluating the success of Agile Methodology. Many companies have the parameters to measure the success of Agile Methodologies, such as counting the number of companies that have transformed into Agile recently and how many projects are following the new methodology. Companies should ideally measure the number of customer escalations internally before and after implementation and evaluate how implementing Agile has helped them achieve their initial goals.

9. Making Customers Understand Agile Implementation

Agile Implementation in a large organization would be a massive transformation for the employee and the customers. If the customers are well-versed with Agile Methodology, it will make the work of the company easier. However, if the customer does not understand what changes would take place in the company and what benefits they will reap from this Implementation, the customer may be hesitant in continuing with the company and investing in it. Hence, making the customers understand all the changes that they will be facing beforehand and making them understand all the benefits would make it easier for the Agile Implementation for the organization.

Conclusion

Challenges are always faced whenever an organization steps up and implements Agile as its way of working. The companies may have many external and internal challenges that have to be tackled to successfully implement Agile and get benefited from the various Agile frameworks. The external challenges are explaining to the customers, building products relevant to the market, market fluctuations, etc. More importantly, it is the internal challenges such as resistance to change inside the organizations, an unstable core management team for Agile transformation, and not investing in the talents in the people that the organizations will face and should be ready to overcome success in Agile Implementation.

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