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Agile Methodology: What It Is and How It Works for a Distributed Workforce Business
We've got some great deals going on right now exclusively for our online customers... chat now to hear more! Agile methodology: What it is and how it can work for today's distributed workforce,Author: Heidi Vella,The Agile methodology is a widely adopted approach to software project management that was . Frustrated with the slow pace of software development, a group of 17 software leaders met during a ski trip to revamp the field. They captured their ideas in a document called the and later that year created the , a nonprofit organization to disseminate information about Agile. First popular with development teams, have evolved over time, and with the creation of the Agile Alliance's Manifesto, the Agile methodology quickly spread across the business world and beyond. In December 2021, U.S. Air Force Chief Technology Officer , Agile is the way to be responsive to customer needs — it needs to be transparent, quickly pushing capabilities from the core, and the heartbeat of innovation across the Air Force.,Agile was a direct of the time: Waterfall. The is highly linear and focuses on forward momentum. Project stages are sequential, progressing from one stage to another in a single series of planned steps and each stage depends on the completion of the previous stage. Let's dig deeper into what are the differences between Agile vs. Waterfall, and which factors and tools should to consider when deciding between the two methodologies?,What is Agile methodology?,As the : Agile is the ability to create and respond to change. It is a way of dealing with, and ultimately succeeding in, an uncertain and turbulent environment.,According to Forbes, the methodology and seeks to break projects into smaller units. For example, instead of long weekly meetings, Agile teams often hold short daily stand-up meetings. Larger project tasks are divided into more urgent sprints; each sprint tends to be broken down further into four stages: plan, develop, deploy and evaluate. Instead of top-down control, where a manager directs subordinates to focus on tasks that view the silo in isolation, the Agile collaboration approach forms nimble, cross-functional teams that can be self-organizing and have real decision-making authority, encouraging adaptive planning, flexibility and continual improvement. Agile vs. Waterfall,Agile methodology, which is further detailed in the and , relies on several systems that divide projects up into manageable segments, such as Scrum and Kanban. For example, Scrum, which is integral to Agile, requires snappy, daily 15-minute meetings to review progress and set priorities for workflows. This makes Agile different from Waterfall, where each stage depends on the completion of the previous one. In contrast, Agile focuses on simultaneous workflows and flexibility at its core. Who uses Agile methodology and why?,Agile was originally envisioned for software developers with an emphasis on in-person communication. But because the agile methodology is essentially a mindset that can be applied to any project or organization, the concept has evolved and been widely commandeered. There's now even a movement. , and are among the global companies often . Other major organizations, including and , have adopted it for specific projects in the past. Agile vs. Waterfall: Flexibility,According to an , around half of all organizations surveyed had been applying Agile practices for over three years. A top reason referenced was to improve flexibility amid a rapidly changing environment. Agile does this by focusing specifically on how people work together within, and importantly, outside of an organization, believing that solutions evolve primarily through structured collaboration. The methodology also believes that smaller, engaged groups can more readily take stock of evolving customer needs and adapt more quickly to changing external contexts. Agile vs. Waterfall: Budget,According to , Agile allows for greater budget flexibility, particularly to respond to developments not considered during the planning stage. Agile aims to improve financial results by preempting and avoiding mistakes and repetition and generally speeding up project processes and outcomes. Waterfall is better or those with a clearly defined end goal unlikely to change or be impacted by unforeseen developments. This allows for more defined budget planning but can also mean higher costs should unforeseen developments impact the project. Agile vs. Waterfall: Stakeholder engagement,Stakeholder engagement is a key element of the Agile methodology, with stakeholders included in the project development at every step. One of the states, Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software. Alternatively, Waterfall doesn't involve the client or project owner during the process once the end goal is established apart from specific check-ins or for deliverables. The course of the project is outlined at the start, meaning client feedback isn't an ongoing part of the process. Tools and technologies to help organizations embrace Agile,In today's remote and distributed working environment, are needed to replicate the connectedness that Agile relies upon when in-person meetings aren't possible. Collaboration tools,Collaboration tools are vital for Agile methodology to facilitate communication both internally within the organization and externally with partners, suppliers, customers, developers and contractors. For example, allows companies using Microsoft Teams to expand their calling capabilities outside of their organization so that employees can work with external partners the same as they do with internal colleagues. The best bring video meetings into conference rooms and huddle spaces for a blended meeting experience and include in-app intelligence to capture the most important discussion points, assign action items and replay meeting highlights to help bolster the effectiveness of each meeting. Integration tools,Bringing Agile methodology to life is more than just 15-minute meetings. It also involves information and document sharing, working off the same goal-setting sheet and quickly and easily visualizing ideas with co-collaborators. This requires cloud-based solutions that both remote team members and external stakeholders can access. integrate calling, video conferencing, chat, desktop sharing, voicemail, shareable whiteboards and more in a single intuitive interface that spans device types. These solutions allow businesses to connect onsite and mobile workers with the systems they use every day with a cost-effective, cloud-based, high-availability communication solution. Tools like , a cloud-based business phone solution, assign one number to ring multiple compatible mobile devices, desk phones and computers, which means fewer missed calls and more opportunities to connect. Users can move freely across devices and switch seamlessly between their desk phone and smartphone. The Agile methodology is proving to be as because the values, principles and guidance it offers still ring true. But it's up to teams to live it and achieve it, and that requires the right technology to succeed. Learn how can help make Agile possible for your business. The most popular Agile methodologies include Scrum, Kanban, (a hybrid of Scrum and Kanban), Extreme Programming (XP), Crystal, Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM), Lean Development and Feature-Driven Development (FDD). Agile breaks up a project into several phases. Once work begins, teams cycle through a process of planning, executing and evaluating. Teams work in sprints, or short development cycles where they work toward a release. A typical sprint should take about one to four weeks and needs to finish with some usable deliverables. It requires regular collaboration with stakeholders. You can implement Agile in seven steps:,Choose your country to view contact details. Manage your account or get tools and information. These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information. These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. We use both third party and first party cookies for this purpose. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance. These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly. These cookies may be set through our site by Verizon and third parties. They are used to present Verizon advertising on third party sites that you may visit. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising from Verizon. BackClear Filters,All Consent Allowed
Learn moreVerizon Grid Wide and Ashley-Chicot Electric Cooperative
We've got some great deals going on right now exclusively for our online customers... chat now to hear more! Choose your country to view contact details. Manage your account or get tools and information. In a list of seven principles that guide how it operates, Ashley-Chicot Electric Cooperative includes one in particular that says a lot about its culture: concern for community. Ashley-Chicot Electric Cooperative works hard for the communities it serves, the firm says. That's because those employed by the organization live and work within those communities. In other words, Ashley-Chicot knows the level of customer service its members want—and deserve. With fewer than 20 full-time employees, Ashley-Chicot Electric Cooperative is an electrical utility that operates as a nonprofit organization. Many of its approximately 5,700 accounts are residential, and it serves approximately 1,100 irrigation pumps. When Ashley-Chicot sends technicians out to read meters, they're often entering rural areas, which means good network coverage is critical. According to Rodney Chapman, Ashley-Chicot's general manager, there are also a host of other unknowns that might make for a less than ideal customer experience. This includes the risk of surprising a homeowner, setting off an alarm or upsetting a homeowner's dog. Additionally, heavy trucks might damage the property leaving deep ruts that need to be fixed. "As a utility company, there are always liability concerns," he said. "Usually technicians are in a bit of a hurry because they have a lot of meters to read in a short time. There are all kinds of logistical-type situations, and they can really interrupt your day.",These challenges can also lead to costly mistakes, given that meter reading has traditionally been a manual process and that technicians are paid based upon mileage, Chapman said. "One error can take half a day to fix. You've got to roll a truck again, and you've got to communicate with a customer whose bill is clearly wrong," he said. Human errors can also lead to inaccuracies, which in turn creates more customer service issues. "Not only can you have a disgruntled customer, it's very time-consuming and not a very good use of resources to have to deal with bad meter readings." To manage the many moving pieces of their work and improve their customer service, Ashley-Chicot needed an end-to-end solution that didn't require major infrastructure changes. General Manager,Ashley-Chicot decided to adopt Verizon Grid Wide: Intelligent Energy. This includes a comprehensive suite of smart energy meter solutions with remote meter provisioning, configuration, monitoring, control and management. To start, Verizon set up trial meters in rural locations to enable connection with Ashley-Chicot. From there, they expanded to all of the cooperative's main locations, establishing a plug-and-play solution that connected seamlessly with their systems. "We have places so rural that we can't talk on the phone, but with Grid Wide, we can read the meter," Chapman said. What's more, Verizon partnered with Ashley-Chicot to not only deploy Grid Wide but also to integrate it with its billing system. With this end-to-end solution, the cooperative could gain efficiencies and cost savings by boosting the speed and accuracy of readings. Prior to partnering with Verizon, for example, Ashley-Chicot was responsible for managing peak demand periods by manually monitoring power usage by irrigation pumps during these times. By Solution integrating Grid Wide into their systems, however, Ashley-Chicot had near real-time access to the data directly from the irrigation pump. Now they have the ability to respond to peak demand event by remotely turning the power on/off. For Ashley-Chicot, this meant they could provide reliable, affordable electricity to customers, while relying on Verizon to establish and maintain the fully managed infrastructure that enabled that service. For technicians, this meant their work would also be less disruptive to members' physical environments. "I think that maybe one thing that some people don't realize is that Grid Wide is very advanced," Chapman says. "Grid Wide can do everything that everyone's technologies can do—maybe more. That was a big thing. We didn't have to take less to go with Grid Wide. We got everything we would have anyway, maybe more." To Chapman, a key benefit has been the reduced risk of mistakes, thanks to the automation Grid Wide smart energy meter solutions provide. "The integration part of it has really been wonderful, because when you're entering thousands and thousands of numbers once a month ... there's no way to be perfect at that without technology," he said. This has been good news for technicians and other members of the Ashley-Chicot team, who can now spend more time focusing on what they do best for the cooperative's members. "Our construction folks are getting to do more construction because they were having to pitch in and read the meters once a month," Chapman said. "That's really a plus—that we don't have to stop what we're doing and lose a week of construction.",Overall, Verizon provided a cost-effective solution that didn't mean more work for Chapman and his team. In the future, Ashley-Chicot plans to adopt even more features of Grid Wide that are poised to benefit the cooperative, including:,With similar technologies, Chapman explained, there's often a demand to set up equipment, maintain it and replace parts on an ongoing basis. Explore the benefits of our business internet solutions and check availability in your area. General Manager,Choose your country to view contact details. Manage your account or get tools and information. These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information. These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. We use both third party and first party cookies for this purpose. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance. These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly. These cookies may be set through our site by Verizon and third parties. They are used to present Verizon advertising on third party sites that you may visit. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising from Verizon. BackClear Filters,All Consent Allowed
Learn moreOne Talk Simplifies Communications Wireless Business
Simplify your communications management,Get more from mobile. Keeping your mobile teams connected and productive shouldn't mean having to manage multiple contracts and communications systems. For WIS International, One Talk proved to be the unified communications solution it needed to easily meet the evolving needs of its modern mobile workforce. Case study See how One Talk from Verizon empowers organizations to meet the envolving needs of a mobile workforce. Juggling multiple contracts for different phone service vendors,For a modern workforce, mobile means more. More flexibility and agility. More opportunities in more places. But that can also lead to more headaches if you have to manage multiple contracts and communications systems just to keep your distributed workforce connected. WIS International is a leading global inventory and datacollection services company with more than 15,000 employees in over 200 physical and virtual office locations, all of whom work together to serve more than 4,500 worldwide clients. Due to conducting physical inventory counts and merchandising for customers, employees are often working on the move. With all those locations—and with employees constantly working onsite at different client locations—managing communications was a challenge. For years, the company had been setting up each office and location-based project with a separate phone service and internet provider in order to make and receive calls and transmit data. That proved to be costly and inefficient. "Since our phone service contracts were negotiated by individual managers, sometimes they would get a promo plan at a discount. Then when the promo ended, the bill would more than double. It created budgeting challenges," said Larry Wagner, WIS International Controller. The company began seeking a cost-effective way to simplify and streamline its communications operations. Keeping critical contact numbers easily accessible,WIS International also needed a solution that would help it provide customers with the best possible experience. When working onsite with a customer, area managers frequently set up their own physical or virtual office, complete with phone system. They also build a team tailored to meet the specific needs of each project. As the project is completed, team members often get reassigned to work on new projects with new area managers. Having such siloed operations made it difficult to keep contact information current and available to whomever needed it. "Somebody might be assigned to an office or team for six months and would get transferred to another team, so then we would have to find out all places where their cell phone number was listed, from recruiting to customers to in-house, and try to change it out," said Director of Special Operations Charlene Boucher. This time spent trying to track down its workforce was time taken from serving customers. When WIS International discovered One Talk℠ from Verizon, it knew it had found a solution that addressed its primary communications pain points—and delivered so much more. A unified communications system for a dispersed workforce,One Talk is a cost-effective, mobile-first business phone system that increases administrative efficiency by replacing multiple phone-service contracts with a single contract. And it empowers companies to easily manage phone services across desk phones and employee-owned devices, creating a unified, streamlined experience. One Talk makes it easy for a mobile workforce to connect with customers, coworkers and recruitment candidates by providing one number across multiple devices. Plus, One Talk has more than 50 business-grade phone features that can be accessed from employee-owned devices using the mobile app. So employees can stay agile, accessible and productive wherever they are. I see big savings from an administrative and management perspective with One Talk.,— Larry Wagner, Controller, WIS International,One number, so many possibilities,One Talk makes it possible to use one number across multiple devices, even employee-owned mobile phones. Managers and employees can easily load the One Talk app on their smartphones, enabling them to receive calls as if they were at a company desk phone. "Even our employees in local offices are not tied to the office waiting for a call. The One Talk app makes it so they can go out and conduct their business and still be reachable anywhere," said Boucher. One Talk allowed us to get rid of 50 different vendors all over the U.S. with 50 different accounts, and pool it all together in a single, cost-effective plan.,— Larry Wagner, Controller, WIS International,Setup that's quick and easy,Since the company's area managers periodically need to establish an office and team to work on new client projects in different locations, time is of the essence—and there's usually not going to be a professional IT support team onsite to help. But One Talk is so easy to deploy that the company's corporate office created a do-it-yourself kit for U.S. offices. The kit includes an LTE Cradlepoint® router, One Talk–enabled desk phones and directions for installing the One Talk mobile app on their bring-your-own-device (BYOD) phones. So the manager can get set up without IT installation or support. What would have taken several days now takes less than an hour. "We can ship a 'mobile-office kit' to them and say just plug it in. If they move the office down the road, they can unplug it and plug it back in again at the new location. It's easy," said Wagner. Managing contact information made easy,Like most large companies, WIS International has a highly mobile workforce, and increasing productivity, efficiency and accessibility are top priorities. Now, when employees are reassigned to new teams, are promoted or change employers, the One Talk portal streamlines the process, enabling administrators to easily drag, drop, add and delete numbers when needed. "No matter what manager was assigned to a team, we would put them on that One Talk app and we didn't have to remember managers' cell phone numbers and change them in 20 different locations," said Boucher. Staying reachable when customers call,Since WIS International works with many of the world's top retailers, its customers are located in multiple time zones. To maintain strong relationships, it's critical that every call gets answered, no matter the time. One Talk has helped the company provide a better customer experience and respond better at all hours with the Hunt Group feature, which forwards calls—including after-hours calls—to the employee on call, or to the next available employee. The feature helps to ensure that customers can reach someone, even if their primary contact is unavailable. And the chain of command for forwarding calls is easily set up and managed from the administrative portal. A solution that grows with you,As WIS International continues to take on new clients in new cities, One Talk will scale accordingly, providing the communications solutions that are necessary for its mobile workforce to do their jobs well—without putting additional strain on administrative resources. And whenever they need assistance, a Verizon business partner is only a phone call away to provide the support needed to help keep operations running. Verizon's One Talk allows us to provide a one-stop solution for all of these offices for phone and internet.,— Larry Wagner, Controller, WIS International,Why Verizon,As your workforce grows more diverse and dispersed, you'll need solutions that help you stay connected. With One Talk, we help empower companies to meet ever-changing communications needs—all with one streamlined bill to increase administrative efficiency. And our support team is there for you whenever you need them. One Talk provides a quick and easy way to connect employees, remote locations and even vendors to help everyone communicate and stay productive. Learn moreyour Verizon Wireless business specialist to learn more about how One Talk can help you grow your business. For more information about One Talk, or visit a Verizon Wireless near you. Network details & coverage maps at vzw.com. © 2018 Verizon. CS2501118,The above content is provided for information purposes only. All information included herein is subject to change without notice. Verizon is not responsible for any direct or indirect damages, arising from or related to use or reliance of the above content. These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information. These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. We use both third party and first party cookies for this purpose. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance. These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly. These cookies may be set through our site by Verizon and third parties. They are used to present Verizon advertising on third party sites that you may visit. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising from Verizon. BackClear Filters,All Consent Allowed
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