The Beyond Agile Governance Audit would typically involve a range of activities aimed at assessing the improvement opportunities in your governance from both a compliance and agile point of view. It would generally be preceded by a Beyond Agile Governance Review to determine the topics best targeted for revision. Here are some key activities:

1. Agile Practices Assessment: Evaluating how well Agile methodologies and principles are being implemented and adhered to across teams.
2. Process Evaluation: Review the existing processes to ensure they are lean, efficient, and supportive of rapid iteration, with a focus on continuous delivery and improvement.
3. Appraise Structures: Review the organizational landscape of interconnected Teams, Events, Artifacts and Roles for purpose, clarity and accountability.
4. Compliance Checks: Ensuring that all Agile practices align with regulatory requirements and internal policies, and identifying any areas of non-compliance.
5. Performance Metrics Analysis: Examining that metrics are actionable to improve the team’s effectiveness, productivity, and quality of outputs.
6. Risk Management: Assessing how risks are identified, managed, and mitigated in the Agile environment and whether the governance structure supports effective risk management.
7. Resource Allocation Review: Ensuring that resources, including people, tools, and budget, are allocated efficiently for ROI optimization and aligned with strategic priorities.
8. Tool and Technology Audit: Evaluating the tools and technologies used to support Agile practices and determining if they are optimal for the organization’s needs.
9. Cultural Alignment: Checking that the organizational culture supports the Agile mindset, with an emphasis on collaboration, empowerment, and adaptability.
10. Feedback Loop Analysis: Assessing the effectiveness of feedback mechanisms in place for continuous improvement and how they involve people, stakeholders and customers.
11. Action Plan Development: Based on the findings, develop recommendations and an action plan to address any gaps, improve practices, and leverage strengths.

Each organization requires a customized approach based on its specific context, industry, size, and the maturity level of its Agile practices. The goal of these activities is to ensure that the Agile governance framework effectively supports the dynamic, fast-paced, and collaborative nature of Agile working while maintaining the necessary level of oversight, control, and alignment with business objectives. Additionally, we could achieve ISO or COBIT certification if needed.

The expected outcomes of an Agile audit include information radiators we call Actionables® not only on Agile practices or principles but mainly on business drivers and objectives that you are trying to serve with your transformation. The ultimate goal is to ensure that the Agile methodology is adding value and is sustainable for the organization.

Some Deliverables:

1. Agile Target OS: The interacting flow and cadence of Events, Roles, Practices and Artifacts that we strive to implement. Fully adjusted and adaptable to your ever changing circumstances.
2. Tech Radar: The Technology Radar offers a glimpse into the world of tools, techniques, platforms, languages, and frameworks, distilled from the hands-on experiences of your tech community. It’s your guide to understanding current software development trends and pinpointing what matters most for your goals.
3. (Self) Assesment Tools: For all the Roles and Structures in your Agile OS: Scrum Masters, PO’s Teams, Chapters Etc.
4. Agile State of Affairs: A comprehensive interactive snapshot on the progression towards your Agile goals. Connected to your Agile measurements for the most accurate follow up possible.
5. Business Dashboards: From simple dashboards to full Obeyas Not only Agile metrics but mainly business related data related to Flow, Value and effectiveness extracted from your Agile OS and driving your Events.
6. Beyond Audit Backlog: Based on the findings, recommendations for next steps in the form of refined and prioritised Backlog items for your transformation team.

We carefully craft a balanced selection of from these typical deliverables, giving you the reins over your Transformation. These are customized and fine-tuned during the Audit, ensuring they align perfectly with your unique needs and circumstances.

TLDR: From 5 days to 1 Sprint “On Site”

Tailored to fit your organization’s size and the specific goals of the Audit, our Beyond Agile Audit is designed to be concise, typically spanning just one Sprint or cycle of your agile cadence. This allows us to thoroughly review all activities up to the point of potential value delivery. In line with Agile principles, our auditing process is iterative. Therefore you can expect preliminary findings as early as the first day, enabling us to jointly review and decide on the subsequent steps, all aligned with your Budget, perceived ROI and objectives. Moreover, our flexible ‘pay as you go’ pricing model allows you the freedom to conclude the audit at any point, should you feel you’ve gained sufficient insights or have concerns about the value being delivered.

We assemble a collaborative Audit team, comprising experts from both your organization and ours. This partnership approach offers a aditional advantage, besides the comprehensive audit deliverables that provide deep insights and actionable recommendations. It serves as a learning opportunity for your team members. They will be introduced to our specialized methodologies, gaining valuable skills and knowledge. This empowers them to independently manage and progress with the Beyond Audit Backlog post-audit.

TLDR: We will work in pairs, observe Events, interview People, map Organisational Structures and parse your Content to create your Agile State of Affairs and the Beyond Audit Backlog.

Our methodology involves working in pairs for optimal efficiency and coverage. These duo teams will engage in a variety of activities to ensure a thorough audit. They will participate in and observe key Agile Events within your organization, providing us with a real-time understanding of your Agile practices. Through interviews, we’ll gather insights from a range of Roles, capturing diverse perspectives on your Agile processes and culture.

Additionally, our audit process includes a detailed mapping of both your formal and informal organizational structures. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for identifying how Agile practices are actually implemented and how information flows through your organization. Finally, we’ll comprehensively parse and analyze your Content and Artifacts- from back logs to Definitions of Done. This helps us understand the substance of your Agile implementation and identify areas for improvement.

By combining observations, interviews, structural analysis, and content parsing, we aim to provide a holistic view of your Agile State of Affairs, along with tailored recommendations to enhance your Agile journey in our Beyond Audit Backlog.