Case studies

One of the main goals for LV= GI has been the need to accelerate the pace of getting their products to market. It was essential for them to get in front of opportunities, be proactive and stay ahead of the curve. To survive in a hugely competitive marketplace, they must also keep moving in the right direction to remain a front runner.

In August 2017, Skandia began their transformation to a Scaled Agile way of working using SAFe® with the support of Ivar Jacobson International (IJI). Prior to the programme, Skandia's work culture was very much a centralized, plan driven over analytical approach. Since the introduction of the Scaled Agile Framework from IJI, they have changed to a 'let’s get going', experiment, trim and adjust approach that has impacted the entire business in very positive ways.

Better quality and better predictability of delivery The entire product division talking the same language using the same concepts More responsive delivery with the ability to demo features to clients as the teams are developing them

Reduced time to identify inter-dependencies and deliverables from months to days Able to prioritize IT operations alongside business goals Learned to develop effectively as a team

In this article I base my observations and opinions on my experience of applying the Use Case 2.0 Practice and Behavior Driven Development’s Gherkin language, within an online products division of a major US Bank that is undergoing an Agile transformation. “I’m not dead yet,” Is a classic line from the movies that Monty Python fans will instantly recognize. I start with this because I could win a lot of money betting on the response from Agile practitioners when I tell them I am using Use Cases in an Agile environment to great benefit. “Use Cases? They’re dead and buried!” “That’s RUP! (Rational Unified Process). They aren’t agile.” “What are you thinking? Use Cases are dinosaurs.” “You should know better, Bernie.” Rarely, I get a response from an experienced coach who will not poke fun, but seek the powerful questions such as, “Now why do you think that’s a good idea?”, and a valuable conversation ensues.

Now moving into its third year since introducing the Scaled Agile Framework, the dbPalace team at Deutsche Bank is well beyond the roll-out and introduction phase and results have been significant – from a 35% increase in product delivery to a 50% reduction in defect leakage to faster on-boarding of new businesses – the team has achieved significant results winning multiple industry awards. Listen to the interview.

Increased efficiency with teams aligned and working together Greater creativity as teams are empowered to make decisions Management aligned and supportive of agile teams