S13.E21-24: AN AGILEAN APPROACH TO TOUGH MARKETS: WHAT IS AGILE, WHAT IS LEAN, WHAT IS AGILEAN WITH WILLIAM EASTMAN (AGR2.002, AGR2.003)

Today we begin the process of the strategic mindset for building processes.

You need to identify your why before focusing on the how.

This is the foundation of the business upon which all of the future structure will be built.

If your intention is to build the business once and not be forced to tear it down because it no longer fits the current business demands - we must start here.

Segment 1
All business's are founded on a few core concepts, some related to their specific technology like retail and others related to running the business. We offer 2 foundational concepts of any business - agile and lean.

INTRODUCTION​
It is hard to pin these two concepts down; are they philosophies, are the rules, are they technics? I am not sure which is the best description, what I do know these two rules, concepts, techniques are indispensable for starting growing, and exiting a business.

OBJECTIVES
I have three objectives for today's show. First is to introduce AGILE as a tool when the end result is unknown and speed is required.

Second is to introduce LEAN as a tool when the end result is known and controlling cost is required.

The third objective is obvious - what happens when you combine these two approach's to create a hybrid - AGILEAN.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Agile Cycle

• Create the Story
• Discovery Process
• Series of Sprints
• Real Time Improvements
• Deployment or Release

Lean Cycle

• Define Value
• Map Value Stream
• Create Process Flow
• Establish Pull
• Sigma ? (Level of Quality)

Segment 2
​An Agliean startup - what does that mean?

OBJECTIVE
Understand the process of blending agile and lean into a simple process.
​
Agile = Building of Your What and Embedding Speed & Momentum into the Business

• Focus on a Narrow Objective - agile allows for scope creep because you don't have all of the answers at the start, but you cannot let the objective expand - just the details;
• Act with Urgency - you don't have much time between concept and selling, get your business open in the least amount of time possible without comprising due diligence;
• Keep everything Small - number of people on a team, duration of that team, what you are trying to accomplish at each step.

Lean = Building of Your How and Embedding Simplicity & Adaptive

• Having a Process - create a product development process first;
• Working Smarter - the critical question is not "can this product/service be built at the required price point?", rather (1) "should it be built at all?" and (2) "can we build a sustainable business around it?";
• Develop the Minimal Product (Service) Possible - identify the customer problem that needs solving and then build the minimal product (service) possible, get it into customers hands and learn the upgrades from usage;

Combined Agilean Process - PDBTIR

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

1. Plan
   1. Storyboard
   2. Identify & Schedule the Steps
   3. Identify Team Members & Roles
   4. Identify Tools
2. Design - Alignment Meetings
   1. Create Teams, Specify Roles, Train on Tools
   2. Define Value - QFD (Quality Function Deployment)
   3. Determine Number of Projects - Lean or Agile
   4. Sequence SPRINTS
3. Build - Calibration Huddles
   1. Execute the SPRINTS
   2. Test during the SPRINT, during the build
4. Test - Retrospective Meetings
   1. Soft Launch Test - real people under controlled conditions
   2. Hard Launch - real people under normal conditions
5. Improve
   1. Does the Deliverable meet Performance Expectations?
   2. Is the Deliverable Intuitive and User Friendly?
   3. How does the Total Experience compare to the competition?
   4. Finalize Improvements & Generalize
6. Release