The document discusses the journey of large-scale agile implementations, illustrating case studies from a pharmaceutical supply chain and an ERP integration project within the automotive industry. It highlights the importance of self-awareness, strong leadership, and adapting to uncertainty through agility, emphasizing the benefits of collaborative frameworks and iterative processes in overcoming complexity. Key outcomes include successful on-time launches and enhanced stakeholder engagement despite challenges during the transition to agile methodologies.

1. HOW WE LEARNT TO STOP WORRYING
AND LIVE WITH UNCERTAINTY
CASE STUDIES FROM LARGE SCALE
AGILE PROGRAMS
Mahesh Varadharajan
1st – 3rd December, 2017 | Westin, Hyderabad, INDIA

2. Self-Awareness – Step # 1 to deal with Uncertainty
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynefin_framework#/media/File:Cynefin_framework_by_Edwin_Stoop.jpg

3. It Begins With Us !!!
› If in a Basket ball match, Players
– Don’t know how to play,
– Un aware of the rules of the games
– Un aware of their common goal
– No score board
– Coach instructs every move as the game is played
– Have no winning spirit
› Agile
– Value and beliefs
– Common Goal
– Winning Spirit
Agile Belief: Key to Success

4. Case Study #1: A US-based Pharma Supply Chain Company
Source: https://www.solutionsiq.com/resource/case-study/safe-and-beyond/

5. How did we Achieve: The LOPDE Approach
Leadership
Organization
Product / Business Strategy
Delivery
Execution
Organization
Coaching
Team
Coaching

6. Case Study # 2: Large Scale ERP Implementation
Industry: Captive unit of a Global Automotive Major
Type: Technology Refresh Project
Domain: PeopleSoft ERP Implementation
Program Duration: Large Scale / Multi-Year Program – Q4 2011 TO Q1 2016
Requirements: Global Application, however regional laws to be complied
Others: Supplier Led Solution Delivery

7. Wave 1 Launched In Waterfall Approach
 Project Life Cycle – 19 months
 Business SMEs split in 11 countries
 AUS, NZL, IND, CHN, THA, VNM, TWN, PHL, ZAF, JPN, IDN
 Development teams in 2 countries
 IND & USA
Planning
Deploy
Requirements
Gathering
Design & Build
1 month 5 months 6 months 5 months 2 months
Test

8. Launch Story
 99% conversion rate
Yet, Launched On Time
 20 interfaces launched with minimal post launch issues
 106 Customizations launched with no post launch issues
IT WAS NOT EASY!!!!!

9. 9
Inaccurate estimations
Sequential development
phases
Impact
Delayed start of each subsequent phase
Changes to requirements were
difficult to contain
High volume of CR’s - User
engagement towards the end
All Stakeholders required for
decision making
Capacity utilization at peak
Impact
Impact
Impact
Delayed decisions with
cascading effect
Meetings at odd times
Impact
Long Working Hours

10.  Project Life Cycle – 19 months
 Business SMEs split in 9 countries
 USA, CAN, MEX, CHL, ARG, VEN, BRA, PER, COL
 Development teams in 3 countries
 IND, MEX, USA
 Overlap with Wave 3 - significantly limiting SME availability
20
70
Number of
Interfaces
Wave 1
Wave 2
106
200
Number of
Customizations
Wave 1
Wave 2
37
200
Records to be
Converted…
Wave 1
Wave 2
1919
Time (in months)
Wave 1
Wave 2
Scope Comparison
 Significant increase in the number of Interfaces,
Customizations and Population.
 Higher Complexity.
 No Change in the Delivery time.
Shift to Agile in Wave-2 Launch

11.  Deliver on time
 Effective distribution of SME time
 Increase team productivity
 Maintain cross functional alignment
Project
Preparation
Blueprint Realization
Determined
Project Scope
Product Backlog
Creation
Sprint Backlog
Creation
Cut Over Go Live
4 Week
Cycle
Integration Testing Phase 1
Integration Testing Phase 2
Integration Testing Phase 3
15 Sprints
The Initial Agile Approach Planned (Before Coaching):
Drivers for the Shift in Approach:

12. 12
Mind-set shift
 Teams split across regions
 Team ramp-up – For changed approach
 Business Buy-in  Development to
start at Day 1
 Complex Interfaces
Challenges Faced During the Transition

13. Sprint 1
 Common
Product Backlog
across Multiple
Teams
 Basic Agile
training
 Agile
Awareness for
Business SME’s
 6 Week Sprint
 Common Sprint
Reviews
 Aligned
Definition of
Done
Sprint 2 Sprint 3 Sprint 4
Sprint 5Sprint 6Sprint 7
+ Agile Coach On-
boarded
+ Scrum Master
training
+ Scrum of Scrums
Launched
Roadmapping
Release Planning
+ Rally - Intro
+ All Teams in Rally
+Re-aligned Product
Owners to teams
+ Program Progress
Reporting through Rally
- Multiple Teams
+ Whole Team Structure
+Refined Definition of
Done
The Journey As it Started:

14. GLOBAL
Virtual
Stand-
ups
Common
Sprint
Closure
Rally
Tool
Program
Roadmap
Whole
Teams
Scrum of
scrums
GLOCAL
Development teams –
IND, USA, MEX
Business SME’s – USA, CAN,
MEX, CHL, ARG, VEN, BRA, PER,
COL
Agile Teams – 7
Interfaces
Data Conversion
Customizations
Configuration
Delivery
Interdependencies -
Complexity with Globally Distributed Agile Teams

15. 15
Product
Backlog
Common Sprint
Closure
Iteration 1 Iteration 2 Iteration 3 Iteration 4 Iteration 5 Iteration 6 Iteration 7
Deliverable 1 Deliverable 2 Deliverable 3 Deliverable 4 Deliverable 5 Deliverable 6 Deliverable 7
Deliverable 1 Deliverable 2 Deliverable 3 Deliverable 4 Deliverable 5 Deliverable 6 Deliverable 7
Deliverable 1 Deliverable 2 Deliverable 3 Deliverable 4 Deliverable 5 Deliverable 6 Deliverable 7
Iteration wise breakdown of deliverables
Agile Team 1
Agile Team 2
Agile Team 3
Advantages -
Sample -
Forecasted Roadmap Across
Teams
Prioritization of Backlog Items
Management of interdependencies
Advantages -
Common Sprint Reviews across Teams
Common Product Backlog and Release Planning resulted in Forecasted Backlog for a quarter
Agenda -
Sprint Reviews Roadblocks Risks
Rewards &
Recognition
Next Sprint’s
Plan
Sprint Metrics –
Velocity, Defects etc.
Improved Progress Visualization More transparency
Drives performance
Scaling Practices Adopted to Manage Complexity

16. 16
Build
Run
Valid
ate
Clea
n-up
Rule
s for
Build
Impact
Small Conversion Cycles – 4
weeks
Early availability of converted data
Improved Performance
Risks identified upfront
Better Quality
Positive Linear Growth in the Conversion
Rate
Few Emergent Practices in Data Conversion:
• Learnt from error(s)
• Learnt by running conversions
• Overall Defects minimized

17. Week
1
Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
Week
5
Week
6
Week
7
Week
8
Week
9
Week
10
Week
11
Week
12
Week
13
Week
14
Week
15
Week
16
Requirements Design Build Test Deploy
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9
Week
10
Week
11
Week
12
Agile Attributes:
• 100 Points
• 3 Features
• 600 hours
Business Process – Set 1
Extract
Transform
Load
Business Process –Set 2
Extract
Transform
Load
Business Process –Set 3
Extract
Transform
Load
1
2
Dependency:
 Needs Customizations
 Needs Configurations
 Needs Converted Data
Agile approach
Waterfall approach
Extract
for all Business
Processes
Transform
for all Business
Processes
Load
for all Business
Processes
Complexity in Data Conversion: Waterfall Vs Iterative

18. Want to Get Smarter EveryDay?
Stop Worrying and Learn to Embrace Uncertainty
• Focus on Continuous Learning
• Be the Change You Wish to See – Mahatma Gandhi

19. Disclaimer
This Talk Proposal has been submitted for participation purposes only and is not
intended to serve as advice of any nature whatsoever. This Talk Proposal also
contains certain information available in public domain, created and maintained
by private and public organizations.. The Talk Proposal is the property of
Accenture and its affiliates and Accenture be the holder of the copyright or any
intellectual property over the news release . No part of this document may be
reproduced in any manner without the written permission of Accenture. Opinions
expressed herein are subject to change without notice.

20. Mahesh Varadharajan
Enterprise Agile Coach, Accenture
+91-9840963812
Mahesh.mkr@gmail.com
Mahesh.varadharajan
Thank You