Agile Teams

Aldo, Andy, and I have just co-authored an article entitled “Metamorphosis: Adapting rapidly to change using the IDEAL improvement model” for the Q2 2009 issue of the ABB Review journal. Here’s the abstract:

Corporations must adapt rapidly to changing markets and adopt new technologies to remain competitive. Such adaptations are particularly important in a rapidly changing economic climate. Flexibility and a willingness to change are important qualities that must be fostered and encouraged, at all levels, if businesses are to respond effectively to shifts in product demands or to altered customer requirements. To encourage a positive environment for such change, the process for change must be carefully planned, well managed, properly justified and applied with sensitivity. ABB uses the IDEAL^SM 1.0 model as a framework to guide improvement processes so that effective changes are deployed efficiently.

The article discusses use of IDEAL for both process improvements, such as within the CMMI framework, and technology improvements guided by architecture evaluation methods such as AHEAD. We hope you enjoy it – comments welcome here, or on twitter @agile_teams!