Agility outside of IT Archive

Agile departments 21. March 2021

Agile Requirements Engineering (RE)

Requirements management or requirements engineering describes “the engineering definition of the requirements for a system; in system analysis related to computer-aided (computer system) business information systems, in software engineering to software products. ” (Gabler Wirtschaftslexikon) A management discipline that, as agile requirements engineering, is always in demand wherever complex systems are developed in processes that are strongly based on division of labor. One of the main tasks of requirements engineering is first of all to use the representation to determine the respective requirements profile – also known as requirements analysis. These determined requirements are also documented. In this context, agile requirements engineering requires that knowledge be actively imparted to the team. When checking and coordinating the requirements, the RE must plausibly and conclusively prove the correctness of the requirements. As the last core activity, Chris Rupp and the SOPHISTs (2014, p. 14) describe the administration of requirements. Parts of the…

Agile departments 21. March 2021

Agile controlling, scrum and beyond budgeting

The Gabler Wirtschaftslexikon defines controlling as: “… sub-area of the corporate management system, the main task of which is the planning, management and control of all corporate areas.” In the context of an agile company, however, controlling has to reinvent itself to a certain extent. In this article, I would like to give a small preview of which approaches already exist and which questions still need to be clarified in the future. Role of controlling The presentation by Roman et al. (2014, p. 47) clarifies the new role of the agile Controlling. The discipline no longer acts in isolation as a single unit, but acts closely with management. This means that agile controlling in modern, agile companies is not only responsible for precise, customer-oriented reports, but also takes on coordination, moderation and decision-making role that is more oriented towards traditional management than before. Boundaries are softening and the different roles…

Agile departments 21. March 2021

Agile controlling, scrum and beyond budgeting

The Gabler Wirtschaftslexikon defines controlling as: “… sub-area of the corporate management system, the main task of which is the planning, management and control of all corporate areas.” In the context of an agile company, however, controlling has to reinvent itself to a certain extent. In this article, I would like to give a small preview of which approaches already exist and which questions still need to be clarified in the future. Role of controlling The presentation by Roman et al. (2014, p. 47) clarifies the new role of the agile Controlling. The discipline no longer acts in isolation as a single unit, but acts closely with management. This means that agile controlling in modern, agile companies is not only responsible for precise, customer-oriented reports, but also takes on coordination, moderation and decision-making role that is more oriented towards traditional management than before. Boundaries are softening and the different roles…

Agile departments 21. March 2021

Agile test and Scrum

In research, software tests are the area that is closest to IT development. The area of software development is also increasingly defined by the Scrum principle, which of course has an impact on testing as a management discipline. In this article I would like to describe in detail what these effects look like and go into this in more depth in my research. Baumgartner et al. (2013, p. 3) show in the figure above that Scrum one process for all roles Are defined. In the picture you can see how this one process combines the roles of the project manager, requirements engineer and tester. “Test” as a discipline no longer exists in isolation from Scrum. Rather, like the other roles, the tester becomes part of the overall agile process. In the representation of Baumgartner et al. (2013, p. 101) we see how the role of the new, agile tester is…

Agile departments 21. March 2021

Agile test and Scrum

In research, software tests are the area that is closest to IT development. The area of software development is also increasingly defined by the Scrum principle, which of course has an impact on testing as a management discipline. In this article I would like to describe in detail what these effects look like and go into this in more depth in my research. Baumgartner et al. (2013, p. 3) show in the figure above that Scrum one process for all roles Are defined. In the picture you can see how this one process combines the roles of the project manager, requirements engineer and tester. “Test” as a discipline no longer exists in isolation from Scrum. Rather, like the other roles, the tester becomes part of the overall agile process. In the representation of Baumgartner et al. (2013, p. 101) we see how the role of the new, agile tester is…

Agile departments 21. March 2021

Agile sales and agile sales

Agility is widespread in software development. But how can the term “agility”, which is also described in business terms with flexibility, be transferred to sales? Let’s take a look at the definition of sales first. The Gabler Wirtschaftslexikon says: “Sales mainly includes the sale of goods; distribution of goods (logistics, marketing logistics), control of the sales force organization and maintenance of the relationships between a manufacturer and retailers or, in the case of direct sales (direct sales), to the end customer. Newer approaches emphasize the great importance of customer management in the context of sales. It should be noted, however, that sales departments in companies often focus on existing customers without the flexibility to tackle new projects and ideas within the department. Often with fatal consequences: If a major customer breaks away, this often means economic difficulties for the entire company. If sales, instead of managing the existing customer base,…

Agile departments 21. March 2021

Agile production in Industry 4.0

Production is “the process of the targeted combination of production factors (input) and their transformation into products (products, output)” (Gabler Wirtschaftslexikon). So far, so good – but how do you turn standardized production into agile production? Ultimately, increasing market volatility and growing uncertainty force manufacturing companies to steadily assimilate their own production concepts to changing conditions. Industry 4.0 is intended to represent the fourth industrial revolution: Smart, digitally networked systems ensure automated production. But it’s not just cyber-physical systems which “upgrade” the still largely existing Industry 3.0. AGILE production and new business models Kaufmann (2015, p. 12) shows an initial trend with regard to agile models: The focus with this approach is not exclusively on intelligently communicating machines, but on a fundamental adaptation or even realignment of the (existing) business models. Above all, adapted products and shorter delivery times are taking a step towards agility. The main focus is on…

Agile departments 21. March 2021

Agile management

Agile methods such as Scrum create paradigm shifts in companies and thus revolutionize their own corporate culture. Own beliefs and behaviors, such as ” that’s how you do it “are questioned. At the same time, the door is created for more transparent structures in which employees can contribute more. Accordingly, classic positions are transformed into modern roles in agile companies. Management plays a key role in the successful installation of agile methods. So that executives who have received little attention to date with regard to the introduction of agile methods do not stand in the way of such a revolution, modern managers need a clearly drawn, new picture of their own future role within agile entrepreneurs. The modern manager The figure from Appelo (2010, p. 370) shows the modern, agile manager as a being with many eyes. In order to act successfully, the manager directs his or her own focus…

Agile departments 21. March 2021

Agile product development and agile research

In the context of rapid technological change, especially in the field of automation and information technology, as well as the ever increasing networking of man and machine, the Industry 4.0 before major socially relevant challenges. Challenges that can only be met with innovative, agile methods. Specifically: On the one hand, the development phases for new products must be kept as short as possible, on the other hand, there must be a high degree of permeability for feedback, which, in combination with agile research and development, can quickly respond to any necessary changes in the market and society. Lean startup As early as 2011, Eric Ries showed in the illustration above that precise future planning for a product is no longer possible. Rather, today’s times require a quick release of the respective product in order to be able to collect data after the market launch that can flow into the further…

Agile departments 21. March 2021

Agile Finance and Agile FinTech

Almost every German has a bank account. In the meantime, you can “almost” even (almost) delete it, since even homeless people are no longer allowed to open a basic current account by law. The reason is obvious: without a current account, we are not part of this society. Rent, taxes, credits – cash is nothing today. Anyone who carries large amounts of cash is either a drug dealer or an arms dealer, or maybe some red light boss. Of course, this claim is not true, but it is already clear: the bank account and its deposit money have already won the crusade! In the digital age, however, the good old checking account and the general business model of the established banks are facing several new battles. For example: Deposit vs. Blockchain – Creative FinTechs can be a kind of interface between the New World and the Old World and make…