Agile-based methodologies have become the gold standard for driving innovation, adaptability, and efficiency. Yet, for many organizations, the transition to agile comes with its own set of challenges, particularly when it comes to governing projects and providing transparency visibility in this dynamic environment.

Navigating governance and ensuring transparency in an agile environment presents a significant challenge. It is also the most common request we get when it comes to top challenges in an agile environment or one undergoing a move to more agile ways of working.

You see the thing is Agile-based methodologies prioritize adaptability and responsiveness, often resulting in dynamic project landscapes that can be challenging to govern effectively. However, addressing this challenge requires a strategic approach that aligns with the principles of agility while ensuring transparency and accountability.

Learning from our past

In traditional project management approaches, governance often revolves around enforcing rigid processes, controls, and documentation to ensure compliance with organizational standards and regulations. This “what” of governance tends to prioritize adherence to predefined rules and procedures, sometimes at the expense of adaptability and responsiveness to change. Also the ‘what’ element is never unique, governance is after all just governance.

However, in an agile environment, governance needs to take a different approach. Agile values individuals and interactions over processes and tools, favoring flexibility, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Therefore, instead of trying to impose traditional governance practices onto agile projects, organizations should focus on integrating agile principles into their governance frameworks.

Leading from the front

As a project manager or executive, you may find yourself grappling with the complexities of agile governance and transparency. The challenges you face may not be unique, but the context, maturity level of your organization, and your approach to addressing them certainly are.

So, let’s dive into some of the key challenges and explore strategies for overcoming them:

1. Dynamic Nature of Agile: One of the fundamental principles of agile is its flexibility and responsiveness to change. While this is undoubtedly a strength, it can also pose challenges when it comes to governance. Traditional governance frameworks may struggle to keep pace with the rapid iterations and evolving priorities inherent in agile projects.

Solution: Embrace adaptive governance models that prioritize collaboration, iteration, and continuous improvement. Instead of rigid processes and controls, focus on empowering teams to self-organize, make decisions, and course-correct as needed. Implement lightweight governance mechanisms that provide enough structure to ensure accountability and alignment without stifling agility.

2. Lack of Visibility: In agile environments, traditional project management artifacts such as Gantt charts and detailed project plans may give way to more lightweight tools like Kanban boards and burndown charts. While these tools provide valuable insights into the progress of individual teams, they may not offer a holistic view of the entire project portfolio.

Solution: Invest in agile project management tools and dashboards that provide real-time visibility into project status, progress, and key metrics at both the team and portfolio levels. Leverage automation and integration to consolidate data from multiple sources and provide stakeholders with a comprehensive view of the project landscape. Additionally, prioritize transparency and open communication to ensure that stakeholders are kept informed and engaged throughout the project lifecycle.

3. Maturity and Culture Shift: Adopting agile methodologies requires a cultural shift within the organization, as well as a certain level of maturity in terms of agile practices and principles. Resistance to change, lack of buy-in from leadership, and ingrained habits from traditional project management approaches can hinder the successful implementation of agile governance.

Solution: Foster a culture of agility and experimentation by providing training, coaching, and support to all stakeholders, from executives to individual team members. Lead by example and champion agile values such as collaboration, adaptability, and continuous improvement. Encourage cross-functional collaboration and knowledge sharing to accelerate the adoption of agile practices and cultivate a shared understanding of governance expectations.

4. Balancing Autonomy and Alignment: Agile teams thrive on autonomy and empowerment, but this can sometimes lead to fragmentation and inconsistency across projects. Balancing the need for autonomy with the requirement for alignment and standardization can be a delicate balancing act.

Solution: Establish clear guidelines, standards, and principles that provide a framework for agile teams to operate within while still allowing for flexibility and creativity. Define common metrics, definitions of done, and governance checkpoints that ensure consistency and alignment across projects. Foster a culture of collaboration and shared ownership, where teams are encouraged to learn from each other and leverage best practices to drive continuous improvement.

Bringing it altogether

Tackling all these challenges can be helped by implementing robust governance frameworks that are flexible enough to accommodate the iterative nature of agile projects. This involves establishing clear guidelines and processes that support agile practices while also ensuring adherence to organizational standards and objectives. By striking the right balance between flexibility and control, organizations can foster an environment where agility thrives without compromising governance. One example of this is how the ‘AMO Way®’ is used in organisations to drive this.

It also relies on transparency which is another key aspect of governing in an agile environment. Agile-based methodologies emphasize open communication and collaboration, which can enhance transparency within teams. Leveraging tools and techniques such as regular status updates, visual management boards, and transparent reporting mechanisms can provide stakeholders with visibility into project progress and decision-making processes. Additionally, fostering a culture of transparency where team members feel empowered to share challenges, successes, and insights can further enhance governance practices in an agile setting.

Furthermore, leveraging technology can play a crucial role in enhancing governance and transparency in agile environments. The AMO Way® is technology agnostic, that is it adaptable to whichever technology choice you have made for your specific environment. Project management tools equipped with features such as real-time reporting, automated notifications, and customizable dashboards can streamline governance processes and provide stakeholders with up-to-date insights into project activities. Integrating these tools with agile practices can facilitate seamless collaboration and decision-making while ensuring transparency across the organization.

Governing and providing transparency visibility in an agile environment is undoubtedly a complex challenge. However, by implementing flexible governance frameworks, promoting transparency, and leveraging technology effectively, organizations can overcome this challenge and harness the full potential of agility while ensuring alignment with organizational objectives.

Focus on the ‘how’ not just the ‘what’

This shift in mindset requires a focus on the “how” of governance – how decisions are made, how information flows, how risks are managed, and how stakeholders are engaged. It involves embracing agile values such as transparency, empowerment, and iteration to foster a governance model that supports, rather than impedes, agile delivery.

For example, instead of rigidly defining project plans and milestones upfront, agile governance may prioritize regular checkpoints and reviews where teams can demonstrate progress, discuss challenges, and adapt their approach as needed. Similarly, instead of relying solely on formal documentation for governance, agile governance may emphasize lightweight, just-in-time documentation that evolves alongside the project.

By focusing on the “how” of governance in this way, organizations can create a governance model that aligns with the principles of agility, enabling teams to deliver value more effectively and efficiently. It’s about embedding agile values and practices into every aspect of governance, from decision-making processes to communication channels, to ensure that governance supports, rather than hinders, agile delivery.

In essence, it’s not about trying to fit the square peg of governance into the round hole of agile. Instead, it’s about reshaping governance to fit the agile mold, embracing the principles of agility to enable more effective governance practices.

“It’s about putting the agile into governance, not the governance into agile”

By focusing on the “how” of governance, organizations can truly put the agile into governance, creating a framework that empowers teams to deliver value in a dynamic and rapidly changing environment.

Our approach

When we developed the AMO Way®, it resulted from the constant waste and duplication I was seeing in organisations around governance across projects, programs and portfolios. Since then (2016), I have conducted nonstop research and client experiments and have found the missing pieces necessary to drive the organisational change without losing sight of the necessary governance.

Our model is designed with you in mind – methodology agnostic, academically backed, and time-tested to produce tangible results. From the initial stages to the outcome, our model seamlessly integrates and drives the change you need for success.

The AMO Way®, our adaptive change and governance model, revolutionises the way an organisation governs and drives change by offering a flexible, context-aware approach that draws inspiration from both traditional and agile-based methodologies. Our experience working in complex environments fuels our commitment to providing organisations with a governance model that adapts to their unique challenges and fosters sustained success.

Final thoughts

Governing and providing transparency visibility in an agile environment may present challenges, but these challenges can be overcome with the right mindset, approach, and tools. Embrace agility as a guiding principle, prioritize transparency and collaboration, and empower teams to take ownership of their work. By doing so, you’ll not only navigate the complexities of agile governance more effectively but also unlock the full potential of agile methodologies to drive innovation and success within your organization.

Let’s work together

If you’re a forward-thinking executive looking to work innovatively and drive lasting change, let’s connect as our model has proven results, award-winning outcomes, and a highly adaptive model that seamlessly integrates with your organisation.

Want to find out more about how AMO can help your team uplift its change management capability? Have a look here (https://agilemanagementoffice.com/consult/) to learn more about how our team can help yours reach their full potential. Or get in touch with our team today to enquire further on contact@agilemanagementoffice.com