Agile applied to the chemical industry to accelerate and de-risk the innovation in an uncertain business environment. Main outcome: 1) Quicker decision in a "fail fast mode" leading to better use of R&D resources, 2) team empowerment increasing the innovation productivity. A key challenge is for the management to move from a control attitude to the creation of the conditions allowing the team to succeed

1. Accelerating the project
delivery with Agile
Robert Gresser Former Exec
VP Innovation leader at Solvay
robert.gresser@gmail.com

2. Agenda
 Agile, Scrum what does it mean?
 Practical Implementation
 Benefits and Learnings

3. Agile and Scrum, what does it mean?
Framework used to implement Agile in the
management of a project. Can be used for
any complex project in the industry .
SCRUM
Methods and practices based on values
and principles: Collaboration, trust,
autonomy, multi-disciplinary teams…
AGILE
Effective way to accelerate and de-risk your
innovation in an uncertain environment.

4. Lifestyle
Healthy Diet Food
AGILE: the practices for Longevity
SCRUM: the preparation of Chanpuru (Tofu, Pork)
SCRUM
As a comparison…
AGILE

5. Agile and Scrum: core beliefs
• Customer Centric
• Adaptative
• Time-boxed
• Flexible
• People Interactions vs Process &Tools
• Early Customer feedback vs contract negociation
• Working prototypes vs excessive documentation
• Responding to change rapidly vs following a rigid plan

6. Agile Scrum implementation: organization
Solution vision & roadmap • Support the team •
Sounding Board
Board
Maximizing the value of the result of the teamwork.Solution Owner
Cross-functional • Coloacated • Dedicated • Multi-
skilled • Self Managed
ScrumTeam
Optimize the team working process • Team
Happiness • Remove obstacles for the Team
Scrum Master
Self-managing teams means the job of the traditional manager changes from
directing the team to creating the conditions for the success of the team

7. Implementation: First Step: Solution /
Product vision
Structural elements of the SolutionVision
Description of problems to be addressed from a
customer user and stakeholder perspective
With clear requirements and outcomes
User Stories
Final features and requirements from a Customer,
user and stakeholder perspective
Solution/Product
Vision
Breakdown
in

8. Implementation: Second Step :
Sprint Planning
Tomorrow
Later
Less defined
items
Today
detailed
items
Low
Priority
High
Priority
Assess the team availability (nb
of working days )
Slice the User Stories
into action items
Actions till the first Milestone
after 3 months = 3 Sprints
Assess the nb of working days
per action
First Sprint ready to be
launched

9. Implementation: Sprint cycle (4-6 weeks)
Achievements vs planning, team happiness,team
work improvements
Retrospective
Tasks , people availabilities, priorizationPlanning
Actions Synchronization , blocking points
Weekly team
Stand up
Feedback, support the team (self-managed), remove
blocking points
Sprint Board
review
Persevere & Adapt
Pivot (back to the solution vision)
or Stop

10. Key learnings after switching from a stage
gate managemment to Agile Scrum
 Quick decision saving time and resources and
reducing the project risk.
 Very active propositions and challenges of action
plans by team members.
 Marketing part of Agile team.
 Team adhesion and deep understanding of the global
project environment and decisions.
 Role of each team member is clear and lots of help
within the team.

11. Key learnings after switching from a stage
gate management to Agile Scrum
 Difficult for board members not to interfere
in decisions / work of the team.
 Emotion around pivot decisions .
 Team learning curve (ex planning vs
resources)
 Resistance of some managers perceiving
Agile as a loss of their power

12. Conditions for successfull implementation
of Agile & Scrum
 Adapted Enterprise culture.
◦ Centered on people not on structures and
processes
◦ Allow those who are doing to decide
◦ Managers should see Agile as an opportunity and
not as a loss of power.
 Clarify the roles, accountabilities and the
organization (solution Owner,Team, Board)
 Importance of the Agile coach.
And Finally, just do it and learn by doing

13. ThankYou
Robert Gresser Former ExecVP
Innovation leader at at Solvay
robert.gresser@gmail.com