When size doesn't matter discusses adopting agile practices in large enterprises. While scaling agile is difficult for large, distributed teams, the case study organization Zira found success by: 1) Thinking of agile as a tool, not a solution, to address underlying cultural issues. 2) Taking a product-oriented rather than project-oriented approach and starting with lightweight designs. 3) Improving interactions between business and IT and redefining managerial roles. 4) Communicating effectively and colocating teams when possible.

1. When size doesn't
matter
A case study on adopting agile in large enterprises
HOTEL EUROPE, October 21st

3. ZIRA
Leading vendor of innovative BSS solutions for customer, revenue and
risk management
• 50+ telecommunication operators
• 22 countries
• 150.000 up to 80 million subscribers
• Over 2.5 billion transactions per day
100+ employees and Award-winning solutions
Distinctive leadership within the entire Business Support System
framework

4. Why Change? Why go Agile?
Predictable Costs and Schedule
While reviewing the Sprints the cost is predictable and limited to the amount of
work that can be performed by the team.
It improves decision making and the priority of features that is need for additional iterations.
Transparency and Predictable Delivery
Agile provides a unique opportunity for clients
to be involved during the project review sessions for new feature which is attractive.
Better Flexibility
Quickly adapt to customer‘s changing needs. Clients being able to change the scope of the
project, giving you the competitive edge in the evergrowing industry.
The product is continuously morphing to meet the changing needs of users.
Faster Deployment
Faster delivery to end-users, as continuous improvements go on simultaneously.

5. Does Size Really Matter?
• Team size DOES affect performance of Agile Teams
• Scaling Agile in larger companies is
exponentially more difficult
• >9 and any group splits into teams
• Trouble of teams being geographically distributed,
not having face to face interaction
• The more overlap you have with different teams
the harder it gets to follow a strict AGILE approach.

6. Creativity
Companies from
industrial revolution
Less creative freedom

7. The Old Fashioned Way
„I think we should
actually consider....”
„Stop playing, let me tell
you how it was in my
day...”

8. Tools & Testing
Testing is just an afterthought
that happens after the coding is
done
Outdated tools and technologies

9. Difficulties with Agile
Lack of Communication
Lack of Trust
Lack of Planning

10. Waterfall vs Agile
Large, lumbering companies that are traditionally more conservative mindset than start-ups
and have a lot more money on the line cannot possibly afford to mess up their transition to
agile.

11. Customer problems
„...why cannot I get the
feature now??”
Ignoring the customer

12. Usual Agile Training

13. How did we manage?
Damir Bajrektarovic
HOTEL EUROPE, October 21st

14. Thinking of Agile as a TOOL
• Install it everywhere and it will solve everything.
• If the ecosystem is unhealthy, it will continue to be
unhealthy at any scale.

15. Our Personal Experience
Take a product-oriented,
not project-oriented,
approach to building
ADT Teams
Start with
„Light” Designs

16. Our Personal Experience
Improve interactions between Business and IT

17. Our Personal Experience
Redefine managerial
roles and responsibilities
Key Points:
1. Comunicate
2. Comunicate
3. Comunicate!!!

18. Our Personal Experience
All in one place is a must

19. Scale by People not Project
Team Size Does Matter
Two Pizza Team
Military Approach

20. Scale by People not Project
Team Size Does Matter

21. How to Manage
Testing iteratively over
not fully completed
features
Adequate training for
QA personnel
Self Organising Team

22. State Of Mind
Dont measure new
menthodologies by
old standards
"We know that agile is first
about
‘how you think’ and then about
'what you do,'" Agile Alliance

23. Agile in Other Placese

24. Room For Growth
Agile Still Has Room For Growth

25. Room For Growth
Enterprise Agility
Is Increasing
Organizations Can
Achieve More

26. THANK YOU!