We interviewed two of the top experts on the Agile culture in Italy, Andrea Provaglio and Paolo Sammicheli. Taking as a starting point for some of the themes they exposed during the talk of the first Meetup in Venice, the two coaches had in front of our camera an interesting conversation touching some ‘hot’ topics concerning Agile and Scrum.
AGILE E SCRUM FOR HARDWARE
Paolo Sammicheli, a scrum hardware expert, explained how Scrum method – originally created as a software framework – can be applied with excellent results even in areas of the hardware production. The hardware production process always starts from an initial design phase during which the product is thought, discussed and the workers try to predict the possible outcome the physical construction of the object will have. In this sense, hardware and software are not so different.
This is visible through the case study of the Gripen E warplane design and construction by SAAB, which is considered the best airplane in terms of value-for-money relationship. It was built by applying the scrum method throughout the different phases of the work process. One of the interesting aspects of this method was the application of scaling – large scale scrum (leSS) – that is, a very short meeting system that is followed by involving all corporate figures. Every day for a hour all the issues relevant to the work process are communicated and taken into account by those who can actually solve them.
ANDREA PROVAGLIO: AGILITY AND LEADERSHIP
Andrea Provaglio, who has been working closely with Interlogica’s teams, to enable the passage to a new Agile work model, for the last two years, defines as “second wave of Agile” this expansion of agile culture from the narrow IT context towards other sectors. It explains, in fact, how this principle of agility can be extended to everything that has to do with complex systems, such as people or the market. Provaglio, then, emphasizes the importance of the workplace context not only for the work process itself, but also for the way in which employees relate with each other.
He also tells how, in his work with companies, he tries to stimulate greater self-awareness at all levels of the company, which can lead to the realization of small leadership actions from everyone in the company, and not just business managers. This does not mean that all are leaders, but in certain situations, everyone has gained the confidence to implement an act of leadership.
To be updated on the upcoming Agile meetups in Venice, subscribe here or to our newsletter.
