Overview
We recently ran an Agile assessment using Comparatively Agility’s platform to see how we stack up against others in the industry. The results? Some great wins, a few challenges, and plenty of insights to help us improve.
Where we’re killing it 🎉
Our team showed some major strengths compared to the industry benchmark:
- Team morale is high (Score: 5.0): People are happier and more engaged than before.
- Productivity boost (Score: 5.0): We’re shipping features faster and with better efficiency.
- Higher-quality products (Score: 5.0): Our output is getter better in terms of stability and reliability.
- Retros that actually work (Score: 5.0): Our retrospective meetings lead to real improvements.
- Stable prioritization (Score” 4.24): Management keeps priorities steady during sprints, so we stay focused.
Where we need to level up ⚡
Even with all the wins, there’s always room for growth:
- Automated testing (Score: 3.0): We still rely on too much manual testing, slowing us down.
- TDD (Test-Driven Development) (Score: 3.5): Not enough adoption across the board, which could hurt long-term quality.
- Pair programming (Score: 3.5): While encouraged, it’s not widely practiced, meaning we miss out on knowledge sharing.
- Compensation & Teamwork (Score: 3.67): While rewards and recognition promote collaboration, there is still room to align incentives with team-based success.
Actionable steps to improve 🚀
These are the action items recommended by the assessment. They may or may not be applicable to our team.
Boosting Automated Testing
- Build a solid suite of unit and acceptance tests.
- Integrate automated tests into our CI/CD pipeline.
- Define clear test success criteria to keep builds high-quality.
- Monitor test results regularly and refine as needed.
Integrating TDD into development
- Set clear TDD guidelines (when, how and best practices).
- Use pair programming to reinforce writing tests first.
- Track test coverage and make sure we’re improving.
Getting pair programming to catch on
- Schedule structured pair programming sessions.
- Use remote tools like VS Code Live Share for easy collaboration.
- Rotate pairs regularly for cross-team learning.
- Gather feedback to fine-tune the approach.
Aligning compensation with team success
- Reward collaboration, not just individual contributions.
- Use team-based performance metrics in reviews.
- Recognize and celebrate team wins.
- Regularly review how compensation structures impact teamwork.
Wrapping Up 🎯
This agile assessment gave us some solid takeaways on what’s working and what needs tweaking. By focusing on automation, TDD, pair programming, and better team incentives, we’re aiming for even better outcomes in future sprints.
How’s your agile journey going? What challenges are you tackling? Let’s swap ideas in the comments! 👇