Schwarz IT KG
Process and collaboration improvement through agile coaching
For Schwarz IT KG, we designed and conducted a series of coaching sessions to cultivate a more agile approach to the existing development process and optimize collaboration between the teams.
Schwarz IT KG manages the entire digital infrastructure and all software solutions for the retail divisions of the Schwarz Group, Lidl and Kaufland, Schwarz Produktion and the environmental services provider PreZero. The company is one of the largest German players in the IT sector and also offers STACKIT, a cloud for the external market.
Rigid processes & inefficiency
The product development processes at one division of Schwarz IT Services had become somewhat rigid and they needed new ways to maintain their competitive edge. The longer “time-to-market” was of particular importance.
A lack of transparency in the Scrum processes and an unclear distribution of tasks between the development teams contributed to a lack of efficiency. Their previous approach was more akin to the classic development model – “waterfall”, in which all phases of development are worked through sequentially. These fixed structures made it increasingly difficult to react to changes and additions at short notice.
In order to remedy this situation, new impulses and approaches with expert advice were required for their implementation.
Cultivation & implementation of an agile approach
To overcome the challenges for the development teams, a series of coaching sessions were designed and conducted to cultivate a more agile approach to the existing development process. This included coaching sessions to optimize collaboration for the implementation process within the various solutions, which sharpened responsibilities and overall coordination.
For the first time, all product teams were comprehensively supported by Scrum Masters and Agile Coaches within an entire division. The role of Scrum Master was established for each Scrum team and provided with structures that create transparency and added value for those responsible for the budget. This transparency also made a significant contribution to achieving the relevant KPIs.
The implementation of the agile development approach enables teams to react more quickly and without time-consuming repetitions to short-term changes and additions to the project. This shortens the overall time-to-market and ensures competitiveness.
Benefits
- Consulting
We have provided the necessary input and impetus to fundamentally change the development processes. - Coaching
We were able to cultivate an agile approach in the development team through individual, team and leadership coaching sessions. - Trainer
Our coaching sessions took the form of training courses, training sessions and workshops, depending on the team and objectives.
