Best-Fit Process Assessment for Hospitality Technology Project

About the Client

An IT services company engaged us to provide agile coaching agile coaching services for their hospitality client. The client aimed to create both web and mobile versions of their platform, requiring seamless coordination across teams. The IT services company faced critical challenges in managing changing requirements, aligning with the client’s priorities, and ensuring efficient delivery timelines.

Problem Statement

The IT services company faced several key challenges in managing their hospitality client’s project:

• Frequent Requirement Changes: The client’s requirements were unclear and often changed due to incomplete information, leading to delays and rework.
• Lack of Structured Backlog Management: The absence of a defined hierarchy from portfolio backlog to program and sprint backlog created inefficiencies.
• Limited Stakeholder Visibility: Both the client and leadership lacked clarity on the project’s progress and the pace of delivery.
• Inefficient Sprint Planning: Internal teams struggled to resolve dependencies and prepare for upcoming sprints, causing delays and misaligned deliveries.

Solution Offered: Agile Coaching and SAFe Implementation in Stealth Mode

We designed and executed a 5-month engagement to address these challenges by introducing agile best practices and a SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) approach.

Phase 1: Establishing the Foundation with WBS and Backlog Management

• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS):
  • Created a structured hierarchy:
    • Epics: High-level objectives aligned with the client’s business goals (e.g., "Develop Web Platform," "Create Mobile Platform").
    • Features: Functional components required to fulfill the epics (e.g., "User Registration Module," "Payment Gateway Integration").
    • User Stories: Detailed requirements under each feature, defined to be actionable and achievable within a sprint (e.g., "As a user, I want to reset my password to regain account access").
  • Aligned the WBS with portfolio-level goals, enabling clear traceability to program and sprint backlogs.
• Portfolio Backlog to Sprint Backlog:
  • Defined a portfolio backlog, detailing high-level business requirements for both web and mobile platforms.
  • Translated the portfolio backlog into a program backlog, focusing on feature-level priorities.
  • Implemented a clear process to groom the sprint backlog, ensuring readiness for sprint planning.

Phase 2: Workshops and Agile Practices

• Mind Mapping and Prioritization Workshops:
  • Conducted workshops to help the IT services team and client stakeholders brainstorm and prioritize requirements.
  • Outcome: Improved clarity on critical features and reduced last-minute changes.
• Backlog Grooming Ceremony:
  • Introduced regular backlog grooming sessions to refine and reprioritize requirements based on client feedback.
  • Outcome: Reduced ambiguity and ensured backlog items were well-defined and aligned with sprint goals.
• Sprint Planning in Advance:
  • Implemented a practice of sprint planning in Sprint N-1 for Sprint N, allowing time to resolve dependencies and issues.
  • Outcome: Improved team preparedness and minimized disruptions during active sprints.

Phase 3: Tool Implementation and Visibility

• JIRA Implementation:
  • Deployed JIRA to manage backlogs, track progress, and provide real-time visibility.
  • Created dashboards for stakeholders to monitor sprint progress, dependencies, and upcoming work.
  • Outcome: Enhanced transparency for leadership, clients, and teams.
• Visibility and Communication:
  • Established clear reporting mechanisms using JIRA dashboards to showcase progress and bottlenecks.
  • Outcome: Improved confidence among stakeholders and leadership on project pace and direction.

Best Practices Incorporated

• SAFe Framework (Stealth Mode):
  • Leveraged SAFe practices, such as PI (Program Increment) planning and iterative releases, without formal implementation to avoid overwhelming teams.
  • Outcome: Allowed scalability and alignment across teams while maintaining a lightweight approach.
• Agile Ceremonies and Processes:
  • Introduced standard agile ceremonies, including backlog grooming, sprint planning, and retrospectives.
  • Encouraged iterative delivery to provide incremental value to the client.

Benefits Achieved

• Improved Clarity and Prioritization: Mind mapping and prioritization workshops helped the IT services company and client align on key deliverables and reduce rework.
• Efficient Sprint Planning: Advanced sprint planning enabled teams to resolve issues proactively, ensuring smoother sprint execution.
• Enhanced Visibility: JIRA dashboards provided leadership and stakeholders with real-time insights into progress and upcoming tasks.
• Reduced Ambiguity: Backlog grooming sessions ensured that sprint backlogs were well-defined and actionable, reducing delays caused by unclear requirements.
• Accelerated Delivery: Agile practices and Safe principles improved the pace of delivery for both web and mobile platforms.

Exciting Takeaway: Visibility and Proactive Planning

The combination of JIRA implementation and proactive sprint planning transformed project visibility for stakeholders and empowered teams to stay ahead of potential issues. This not only improved delivery timelines but also built trust between the IT services company and the client.

Conclusion

This case study demonstrates how agile coaching, combined with structured workshops and best practices, enabled an IT services company to manage complex requirements and deliver both web and mobile platforms efficiently for their hospitality client. By incorporating SAFe practices and leveraging tools like JIRA, the organization achieved improved collaboration, visibility, and delivery speed.

Struggling with managing client requirements or delivering large-scale projects? Let us help you implement agile practices tailored to your needs. Contact us today to start your transformation journey!

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