Agile Transformation at The University of Warwick

Client Background

The University of Warwick is a public research university, based in the outskirts of Coventry in the West Midlands. The university was founded in 1965 in a government big to expand higher education. 

The Project

The University of Warwick, a leading institution in higher education, sought to enhance its student enrolment systems to streamline processes and improve user experience. Acue, a pioneering tech startup specializing in Agile transformations, was engaged to revitalize the university’s approach to product delivery and software development.

Project Goals

Legacy Processes: The university relied on traditional project management methods, leading to slow delivery and rigid workflows.

Complexity: The student enrolment system required frequent updates and feature enhancements, but legacy technical processes make change cumbersome, posing challenges in managing and delivering evolving requirements.

Scaling Needs: As a large institution, the university needed a framework that could accommodate the scale of its projects and teams.

Project Execution

Acue introduced a comprehensive Agile transformation strategy, leveraging a combination of Scrum, Lean practices, and a Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) tailored to the university’s specific needs.

Assessment and Planning

Acue conducted an in-depth assessment of the university’s existing processes, identifying bottlenecks and areas for improvement. Together with university stakeholders, they crafted a roadmap for Agile adoption.

Training and Education

Acue provided extensive training sessions and workshops to familiarize university staff with Agile principles, practices, and tools.

Team Empowerment

Acue facilitated the formation of cross-functional Agile teams within the university, empowering them to take ownership of projects and make data-driven decisions. Team members were encouraged to embrace Agile values such as collaboration, adaptability, and continuous improvement.

Implementation of Agile Practices

Acue guided the university teams in implementing Agile practices such as iterative development, backlog refinement, sprint planning, and daily stand-ups. They also introduced Lean practices to eliminate waste and improve efficiency throughout the development process.

Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) Integration

Recognizing the need for a framework that could support large-scale projects, Acue introduced elements of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe). This included establishing Agile Release Trains (ARTs), coordinating multiple teams, and aligning work across the organization.

Benefit realisation

Improved Delivery Speed

By embracing Agile principles, the university experienced significant improvements in delivery speed, with faster release cycles and shorter time-to-market for new features and enhancements.

Enhanced Collaboration

Agile practices fostered greater collaboration and communication among university teams, leading to increased transparency, alignment, and shared understanding of project goals.

Higher Quality Deliverables

Through iterative development and continuous feedback loops, the quality of deliverables improved, resulting in systems that better met the needs and expectations of students and stakeholders.

Scalability and Flexibility

The adoption of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) across one business unit enabled them to scale Agile practices across teams and accommodate the complexity of large-scale projects, while remaining flexible and adaptable to changing requirements.

Cultural Transformation

Beyond the technical aspects, the Agile transformation initiated a cultural shift within the university, promoting a mindset of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement across different levels of the organization.

Conclusion

Through Acue’s Agile transformation efforts, The University of Warwick successfully revised its approach to project management and software development, enabling the timely delivery of enhancements and features to its student enrolment systems. By embracing Agile principles, the university not only improved its operational efficiency but also fostered a culture of innovation and adaptability to enable their continued dynamic delivery capability and growth.