5 Minutes of : Agile Agile Teams Stages - presents in a few words the SHU - HA - RI Concept of Agile Team Skills Evolution

1. 5 Minutes of : AGILE
Agile Teams Stages:
The “SHU - HA - Ri” Concept
Viorel BUCUR
Lean / Agile Management Consultant
& Organizational Coach

2. Team Proficiency Stages
● TEAMS pass through multiple stages of proficiency in their evolution
(It can be applied for teams in all fields: Software Development / Human Resources / Commercial, Top Management /
Middle Management etc)
● The Japanese martial arts concept - learning to mastery stages
○ SHU - “protect” / “obey” - traditional wisdom (learning fundamentals)
○ HA - “detach” / “digress” - breaking with traditions
RI - “leave” / “separate” - transcendence

3. “SHU - HA - RI” Agile Concept
● SHU - “Follow the rule”
○ the team implements the techniques :
■ without modifications
■ without attempting to understand the rationale behind them
● HA - “Break the rule”
○ the team understand the techniques and spends time reflecting on the practice
○ the team can now teach other teams
● RI - “Be the rule”
○ the team only follows the principles
○ but there are no more traditional techniques
○ it all becomes natural
○ the team can now adapt or modify the techniques for higher productivity

4. Why SHU - HA - RI ?
● SHU - HA - RI
○ is a continuous path to evolution
○ it needs consultancy and coaching
○ makes visible the stage where a team stands at a certain time
○ allows creation of a customized action plan in order to make the team evolve
towards the next stage
● To Whom the Shu-Ha-Ri concept apply
○ To the Team as a whole
○ To each team member individually
○ Even to the Agile Coach
● The student becomes a teacher and a teacher becomes a student.

5. Contact Info:
Viorel BUCUR
Lean / Agile Management Consultant
& Organizational Coach
LinkedIn Contact