The ideal candidate for Jira Align

Jira Align is not for every organization. It is vast in breadth and depth, built from the ground up as an agile-first platform, unlike competitors that attempt to transform waterfall project portfolio management (PPM) solutions into EAP tools. Much as SAFe builds upon team-level agile delivery and scales it to the program, solution, portfolio, and enterprise levels, Jira Align too works in concert with the top team-level agile tool, Jira Software, extending it to all levels of scale. It natively supports a variety of frameworks and approaches beyond SAFe, including Disciplined Agile Delivery (DAD), Large-Scale Scrum (LeSS), Scrum@Scale, Spotify, Lean Startup, custom frameworks, and any combination of these. It is therefore geared toward larger organizations that have or seek a more formal approach to agile at scale.

The ideal candidate for a successful Jira Align implementation meets the seven qualifications listed here:

1. 500+ developers using Jira Software: Functionally, Jira Align can support hundreds to thousands of users across all levels of an organization. The quantity of developers using Jira Software is often a good indication of whether an organization's size is well suited for Jira Align. If you have 500 or more developers using Jira Software, then Jira Align may be worth your investment. For fewer than 500 developers, Jira Software alone or in combination with Atlassian Marketplace apps may suffice.
2. Following an agile scaling framework: There are two rules of thumb that apply when selecting a tool to support agile at scale. The first is that you cannot scale the unscalable. The second is that any tool is only as good as the underlying data, organizational structures, and agile practices that it visualizes and supports. Therefore, having a formal practice around agile at scale is often a leading indicator of successful outcomes with Jira Align. See the Selecting a framework section later for more information.
3. Has executed two or more quarterly planning events: Quarterly planning and execution focused on the highest-ranking features in the product backlog have become standard practice among companies engaged in agile delivery. The Program Board is one of the key pieces of functionality in Jira Align used to support this practice. But it's best to have practical experience of a methodology before applying a tool to it, especially one that is so feature-rich it could be overwhelming at first. Therefore, it's sensible to have at least two quarterly planning increments under your belt before introducing Jira Align.
4. Has an established team agile practice for at least 6 months: Successful agile delivery at the team level is a prerequisite to scaling with frameworks and tools. Just as you would not scale buggy code, you would not want to scale suboptimal product delivery methods. A good way to gauge the effectiveness of your teams is to review the 12 principles behind the Agile Manifesto. If your teams are regularly enacting at least 7 or 8 out of 12, such as satisfying the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable product features (Principle 1), then they've achieved a high degree of agility. Your organization can then build upon this foundation by scaling it to achieve goals such as the following:
   • Delivering larger and more complex initiatives
   • Expanding agile methods to more areas of the company
   • Connecting execution with strategy

     It all begins with your agile teams, so get them the training and experience they need. Jira Align will then allow you to connect their skilled tactical execution to corporate strategy.

5. Each program has 5–12 teams: Whether you call it a program, agile release train (ART), tribe, or something else, the team of teams construct has proven successful for delivering higher quality products faster to market. There are two important considerations when structuring these groups of teams.

   The first is that each group of teams should be able to deliver product features independently, on cadence (typically quarterly), with minimal dependencies on other groups. The second is that each group should comprise 50–125 individuals (5–12 agile teams) due to the inherent limitations on cohesion in larger groups observed by anthropologist Robin Dunbar in the 1990s.

6. Executive sponsorship for the agile at scale transformation: Agile at scale, and the tools to support it, needs buy-in from executives. This is not merely a matter of funding, but one of embracing and leading the change. This requires openness and commitment to shifting the internal culture. According to the 13th annual State of Agile survey, the top three impediments to successful transformations are culture-related:
   • Organizational culture at odds with agile values
   • General organization resistance to change
   • Inadequate management support and sponsorship

     These 3 remain in the top 5 of the 14th annual State of Agile survey, published in May 2020. Additionally, a new impediment reached the top 5 in that report: Not enough leadership participation. This speaks to the importance of leaders embracing the agile mindset, first by learning it themselves, then by walking the talk – advocating the principles, exhibiting the practices, and coaching others. Start small with a few showcase programs, generate short-term wins, then consolidate gains and produce more wins. John Kotter, author of Leading Change, has shown that this is the way to anchor new approaches in the culture. When teams experience wins, their energy shifts. They move from merely doing agile toward being agile.

7. Center of Excellence (CoE) or governing body in place for agile practice, with funding: The CoE is a team dedicated to implementing and supporting the agile transformation. It is a key differentiator separating companies who are agile in name only from those who are achieving the best outcomes. Functions of the CoE include training staff in the new methods, sourcing specialized roles such as product owner (PO) and scrum master (SM), and the all-important practice of coaching.

   For three years in a row, 2017–2019, respondents surveyed for the annual State of Agile report designated Internal Agile Coaches as the top tip for success with scaling agile. This makes sense, as it reduces dependency on outside consulting firms and creates a sustainable agile capability. Even apart from agile, professional coaching is taking hold within many Fortune 1,000 companies. A recent study by the International Coach Federation (ICF) found that the typical company can expect a return of 7 times its initial coaching investment. It's important to note, however, that there's a wide range of expertise among those who practice coaching. The best agile coaches we've seen are ICF certified in addition to holding agile-specific certifications.

The better an organization meets these seven parameters, the better the outcomes it will achieve. These are the key success factors that have worked for AgileCraft and then Jira Align throughout the years. But once again, it's important to remember that a tool is only as good as the underlying data, organizational structures, and agile practices it supports.

It's one thing to have success at the team level, but if you are going to scale throughout the organization, you will need to standardize methods and tools for product delivery so that you can achieve the following:

• Numerous teams can seamlessly collaborate to deliver large and complex solutions.
• Various parts of the organization speak the same language and work toward common strategic objectives.
• Dispersed tactical information can connect uniformly with the highest-level corporate strategy and objectives.

So, it is important to get the house in order before implementing Jira Align. But don't worry, we will guide you through the pitfalls and challenges, providing tips and tricks learned in numerous Jira Align implementations to help ensure your success. Whether you're a hyper-growth tech start-up, an old school telecoms company, or a government agency, we'll show how Jira Align can work for you.