Traditionally, agile methodologies have been applied to the field of software development and IT, but they are no longer limited to these areas. Now, companies can integrate design to development, adapt varied processes and much more, setting the path for innovation to happen more quickly.
In this sense, applying agile methodologies onto teams dedicated to innovation is highly recommended. And this is what we want to show you in this article. Keep reading to comprehend why agile methodologies are so useful in innovation efforts and how they can make work simpler and more efficient!
What are agile methodologies?
The origin of the concept of Agile Methodology is from 1930, when the physicist and statistician called Walter Shewhart, from Bell Labs, started to implement improvement cycles to his product and process. He taught this incremental and iterative development methodology to W. Edwards Deming who then used it and made it popular in Japan in the following years after the Second World War.
Later, Deming was hired by Toyota and trained hundreds of his managers until he developed a unique type of Lean Manufacturing – an inspiring reference in the business world and in innovation management.
Following the course of history, agile methodologies were greatly accepted in project management regarding software development, where innovation strategies have been systematically developed throughout the last 20 years, and have also been tested and applied as “Agile”. Among these methodologies, we can highlight: Scrum, Kanban, Lean Startups, Dev.Ops and Continuous Deployment.
Why should you apply agile methodologies in innovation contexts?
Currently, the concept has evolved to the point of us calling them ‘Agile Innovation’. This term defends the use of agile methods as a bridge for improving innovation processes in any business environment.
Agile innovation means adaptation and prosperity that are relentless and continuous. Inevitably, the most successful innovators are those who reframe the market, forcing it to adapt to them and, thus, expelling competitors. This can seem merely rhetorical, but an agile methodology is needed precisely for that: getting out of discourse and dealing with changes in incremental stages.
When innovation teams start using agile methodologies, they start exercising – in a conscious and strategic manner, with agility and focus – multiple deliveries, quick tests involving users and continuous improvement in processes.
In short, an agile approach in an innovation effort means being at a continuous state of re-evaluating, solving impediments quickly and with little resources through experimentation. It is the same as rejecting the “from up to bottom” thinking, and placing responsibility onto a self-organized team that has a high level of autonomy.
How can you insert agile methodologies into innovation teams?
See now how some agile methodologies can be useful in teams that are focused on innovation.
Scrum
In Scrum, a list of requirements is created and prioritized by the project leader (Scrum Master). The team works, then, in sprints – periods of time, which are normally of one or two weeks.
During this period, it is hoped that the team will develop the project (product, service or process) so that the greatest number of requirements is met. In the end, the project has to be fully working.
There are other aspects in the process, such as daily meetings in which professionals explain what they have already done, what they will do and any other issues. The Scrum Master is responsible for approaching the possible obstacles that can come up in the process.
Lean
We can summarize Lean as an integrated process point of view, from end to end, which combines concepts of elimination of waste, management of just-in-time stocking, internal quality and employee engagement – based on the culture of problem solving.
Lean brings structure and predictability to innovation and it accents the distinction between generating ideas and developing them. Both of these processes share a common goal: meeting the customers’ needs in a cost-effective way. This method also helps you qualify researchers and reduce uncertainty within the innovation process.
Kanban
Instead of working in sprints with a limited amount of time, as in Scrum, some innovation managers prefer Kanban. This tool is based onto the Toyota Manufacturing System and onto the concept of flow. Essentially, it is a visual system that manages work while it flows in a process. This way it makes it easier for the team to view the process flow and the real work going through it.
The goal of Kanban is to identify possible bottlenecks in the process and to correct them in a timely manner so that activities can flow at an ideal speed and with controlled costs. Among other benefits, using Kanban in innovation teams guarantees multitasks are eliminated. This increases the capacity to learn and a quick correction of errors.
Can you now see the importance of using agile methodologies in innovation teams? They are key entrepreneurs who want to make innovation continuous and more efficient in their processes.
If you liked what you learned, keep reading our blog posts and check out an interview we made with the adman, Paulo Renato Oliveira, about digital entrepreneurship!
