PLAN IS NOTHING – PLANNING IS EVERYTHING
Reinvention requires an open mindset and drives new work with collaborative working tools and systems. FIVE TIPS for successful and contemporary work in an agile and innovation driven environment.
1 Product Ownership and Management is an absolute key success factor and has the goal to maximize the internal and external value creation of a product. It is a holistic approach with new requirements for the management and the team. Actually, the approach has already been known and applied in the FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) space before the digital wave arrived. The required skills of Product Ownership and Management are ranging from functional skills such as product development, data analytics, marketing and sales to people skills such as collaborative work and clear communication.
2 OKRs and 90-Days Planning. Objective and Key Results (OKRs) is a management framework that helps companies to implement and execute strategies in a transparent and collaborative way. With the 90-Days Planning OKRs can be operationalized in manageable and influencing time units. The planning horizon is long enough for planning crucial developments steps. However, the combination of OKRs and 90-Days Planning offers flexibility for changing demands without losing sight of long-term goals. 70-80 % planning accuracy should be the aim when doing OKRs and 90-Days Planning.
3 Design Thinking is more a framework and a mindset than a pure method. Goal of the iterative process is to understand customer problems, develop prototypes and test them with customers. Design Thinking is an excellent way to better understand customers and to develop innovative ideas.
Image by Gartner
4 Lean Startup is an agile method where Build-Measure-Learn is the mantra. Based on ideas and hypotheses a MVP (Minimum Viable Product) is built in short, iterative cycles. The MVP is tested with customers in a real environment and is further developed based on customer insights. Lean Startup helps to find out which ideas and features will bring the highest customer value.
5 Scrum is the classic one among the agile project and product management methods. It allows fast and iterative product development cycles with constant feedback and learning loops based on user and customer needs. Scrum helps to slice and dice complex projects into manageable sprints with tangible results (increments). Thus, Scrum allows to create a better customer value in a fast moving environment.
Working in a fast-paced environment demands an innovative approach with new methods, tools and a different mindset. Organizations learn fast. Their employees even faster.
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