In 2001, a revolution in software development took place where a group of developers challenged the status quo and embraced a new approach: Agile. They rejected the rigid waterfall methodology and instead championed collaboration, self-organization, and adaptability. This movement led to the creation of the Agile Manifesto that reshaped the software development landscape.
Since its inception, Agile has transformed industries far and wide, changing not only software development but also manufacturing, human resources, retail, and organizational culture. In this data-driven era, Agile has emerged as a powerful driver of success and growth.
But how exactly does Agile bring about such remarkable transformations? How does it empower organizations like ours to overcome challenges and surge forward towards a tech-driven future?
Let’s delve deeper into our agile values and explore how it can transform the way we work, driving innovation and growth in our active pursuit of becoming the country’s first techglomerate.
Individuals and interactions over processes and tools: We value effective teamwork, leveraging the diverse capabilities of each team member to foster collaboration and tap into our collective genius.
Working software over comprehensive documentation: While documentation is important, we prioritize delivering tangible, tested solutions that meet the ever-changing needs of our customers and stakeholders.
Customer collaboration over contract negotiation: By understanding our customers’ needs and aspirations, we build strong partnerships and deliver exceptional experiences that go beyond expectations.
Responding to change over following plan: We thrive in an environment that encourages adaptability, allowing us to quickly respond to opportunities and challenges, positioning ourselves at the forefront of innovation.
TRANSFORMING WORK PROCESSES
To propel our techglomerate ambition, we must undergo a radical transformation across our cultural, technological, operational, and financial pillars. Led by Michelle Rubio, the Culture Pillar plays a crucial role in shaping the mindset, values, and behaviors of our A-People. We recognize that progress goes beyond technology—it hinges on transforming how we think, what we value, and how we act.
Scrum stands out as a powerful approach when it comes to agile methodologies. It’s a way to accomplish work in bite-sized chunks, embracing constant experimentation and feedback loops to drive learning and growth. By delivering value incrementally and fostering collaboration, Scrum revolutionizes how individuals and teams work together. It strikes the perfect balance by providing the right structure and practices to optimize performance and adapt to unique needs.
Applying this approach, we assign key roles, such as Squad Leads or Product Owners, Scrum Masters, and Development Teams and optimize our work processes through ceremonies like Sprint Planning, Daily Scrums, Sprint Reviews, and Sprint Retrospectives. Essential artifacts like Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, Increments, and Monitoring of both the Sprint and Product Backlog, will also involve our new ways of working.
Key to adapting the agile ways of working starts with a keen understanding of the values of Scrum. Embracing them and integrating Scrum events like sprint planning, daily Scrums, sprint reviews, and retrospectives into your regular work or Business As Usual (BAU) activities will improve collaboration, task clarity, problem solving, and team engagement.
The Kanban method can also be used to visualize tasks on a board and enhance workflow management. Derived from the Japanese term “kanban” meaning “visual signal”, this helps teams track work progress visually as it moves through the workflow.
EMBRACING AGILITY ACROSS ROLES
Today’s dynamic business landscape goes to show that agility is not limited to a select few. It’s a mindset that empowers every individual, regardless of their role or background. Even if you find yourself outside of a dedicated squad, you hold the power to embrace agile principles and transform your daily work.
Take a look at two of our A-People who have embarked on their own transformative journey, enhancing their skills and mindset by joining GT Culture Tribe’s GT Hackathon:
Rafi is an aspiring app developer who was captivated by the prospect of creating user-friendly mobile apps. Out of curiosity, he joined the GT Hackathon representing Aboitiz Construction, Inc. (ACI) despite being new to Google Appsheet. His goal was to transform ACI’s processes by integrating digital solutions, in order to enhance efficiency, simplicity, and speed within the work environment.
“The sessions gave me a mindset of streamlining workflows. I learned how to eliminate unnecessary steps and improve overall efficiency. By integrating data from various sources, I acquired the ability to centralize information and create a more comprehensive view for informed decision-making.”
Meanwhile, Dave Agojo and his team at LIMA Water Corporation aimed to bring their visionary platform to life. Their objective was to elevate work order efficiency through the Work Order Management System, which simplifies tracking and approvals, leading to quicker turnaround. The platform doesn’t just transform LIMA Water—it holds the potential to reshape how other service-oriented business units operate.
“With the company’s strong commitment to embracing technology and fostering our growth, we are excited to become more creative, take risks, explore new innovative ideas and transform these into reality.”
(READ MORE: https://aboitizeyes.aboitiz.com/campaign/the-great-transformation)
REIMAGINING THE WAYS OF WORKING
The Culture Pillar is committed to working with various initiatives, upholding the tribe’s mandate of reshaping team members’ mindset and behavior. Every A-Person plays a pivotal role in advancing our journey to become the country’s first techglomerate.
By reimagining our ways of working together, we solidify synergies across the Group and drive impactful results for our organization and stakeholders.
Join the revolution today! Interested in forming a squad within your business unit or conducting an appathon for timely solutions? Contact Jaysel Bernardino (jclbernardino@unionbankph.com) or Vera Delos Santos (vera.delos.santos@aboitiz.com) to get started!
