Introduction of Scrum to Improve Team Collaboration

The response to this challenge was the introduction of Scrum. Before adopting the agile approach, the teams faced the problem of coordinating their numerous and complex tasks using a traditional waterfall model.

The difficulty of the traditional coordination model was particularly characterized by a lack of transparency, communication barriers, as well as insufficient flexibility and unclear short- and long-term goals.

• Lack of transparency: Information on progress and responsibilities was difficult to access and unevenly distributed.
• Communication barriers: The flow of information between teams was limited, leading to misunderstandings and delays.
• Insufficient flexibility: Adjustments to new requirements or priorities were only possible with considerable effort.
• Unclear goal definitions: Short- and long-term goals were often not adequately communicated or aligned.

All of these problems could be addressed through coordination using an agile method, particularly Scrum. Accordingly, these were the main aspects we aimed to tackle with the introduction of the agile approach.

Ultimately, the philosophy of iterative and incremental task coordination brought significant added value to the teams in the form of increased efficiency, improved collaboration and communication, and the establishment of shared goals.

Together, we achieved excellent results through a process of continuous improvement, with contributions from the client-side teams as well as the input and coordination from LionGate in the role of agile coach and Scrum Master.

In the first step, the teams were presented with the value of the approach and the principles of agile working were explained. This was supported by successful examples and best practices from digital companies (e.g., Amazon). In this way, enthusiasm and motivation were sparked within the team for the consistent establishment of agile working.

Part of the project involved providing the client with a suitable tool and training and educating the team members. For this purpose, one of the LionGate consultants took on the role of Scrum Master and guided the process by being part of the team to support Scrum ceremonies, answer questions, and provide any kind of support related to the way of working.

In addition, coaching of the team as well as the leadership team was an essential component to empower the employees. In particular, the topic of “Agile Leadership” was defined as one of the main objectives and addressed in various coaching sessions and workshops.

During the first few months, the foundation was laid for the teams to independently organize their daily work with Scrum. This included fostering an agile mindset, conducting Scrum ceremonies, writing user stories, and running sprints.

After this successful enablement phase, we moved into the next phase, in which LionGate continues to support the client with expertise and experience to continuously monitor and optimize the process.

Through the introduction of Scrum, the teams achieved significantly improved collaboration both within and across teams. Work was clearly aligned with company objectives, making priorities and focus much more transparent. At the same time, a comprehensive overview of progress and dependencies was created, making it easier for all stakeholders to track progress and work together more efficiently.