Ever since the development of Agile methodology first came out, teams have been using it in different ways to grow and develop. One aspect that has recently been affecting the system as a whole is the development of digital visual management. How does this affect work processes?
Whether you’re part of an existing team or on the hunt for a new position, it pays to learn about technology that is shaping the workplace. Before you go on the job hunt on Jooble, take the time to familiarize yourself with new trends so that you can make a real impression in your interviews.
Let’s take a closer look at what this all means and how improvements in digital visual management are revolutionizing Agile as a whole and making big differences for those who use it.
What is Agile?
Agile is a methodology that involves frequent incremental changes in an effort to improve a system or sequence. It is most often associated with software development and designed to be used by whole teams working together.
Agile’s methodology is incorporated into several different distinct frameworks that are utilized by workplaces worldwide. One of the major frameworks is known as Scrum. Scrum is a way of helping teams structure and manage their workflows using the Agile framework as a guide and encouraging teams to learn from their experiences. Scrum components are divided into “sprints,” or individual project components, so team members can feel a sense of completing individual tasks before they move on to subsequent tasks.
Another framework that uses the Agile methodology is Kanban. Kanban is a method of using task cards on a common workboard shared among teams to bring together whole workflows and make all the parts of team efforts clear to all team members. It divides tasks not only into types but also into levels of completion. They are lined up on the common board to indicate whether they have recently been assigned, are in the middle of being worked on, or have been completed. This helps people keep track of whole workflows and bring timelines and deadlines into perspective.
What is digital visual management?
To understand digital visual management, we should first explain the concept of visual management. Visual management is visually displayed information inside a given workplace for the purpose of keeping teams informed and ensuring that work standards are upheld. Research has shown that the addition of visual tools helps retain information by up to 400%, and visual management has a basis in this theory.
Digital visual management, then, involves the digitizing of these visual methods. Whereas visual management might have previously included mostly manual solutions, digital visual management helps to streamline and digitize the same processes. Workflows, KPIs, and other information can be displayed on any number of on-site and remote platforms for team members to see on whatever devices they look on.
DVM uses indicators to communicate information to staff members on a real-time basis, including:
- Quick Response Quality Control (QRQC)
- Safety, Quality, Prive, Delivery (SQPD)
- Visual Performance Management (VPM)
These indicators are included in every DVM process to ensure that processes are safe, clear, and handled in a timely manner.
DVM has three primary objectives:
- To empower all the members of a team
- To identify successes and failures and make them clear to management
- To bring team members together and remind them of their common goals
How does DVM work with Agile?
DVM is truly revolutionizing the concept of Agile in that the different Agile frameworks used to involve manual work that was printed on paper. While this generally worked well enough for teams that had constant access to a common workboard, situations such as the pandemic proved their limitations for remote teams. By digitizing things such as Kanban boards, teams can now view both individual Kanban cards, as well as wider workflows, from any number of devices and any location in the world.
Scrum has similarly been revolutionized. By digitizing the Scrum process, team members can view not only workflows but parts of workflows and other essential elements of projects individually. The “sprints” of Scrum can be digitized and made clearer for project participants in different ways so that people are more acutely aware of components, timeframes, and how the pieces of a given project fit together.
Both DVM and Agile will continue to develop
As a result of the synthesis between DVM and Agile frameworks, teams are functioning more and more effectively in every part of the world where they utilize them. In the future, platforms will likely become not only more digitized but more interactive, personalized, and relevant to individual teams. Keep your eyes open for new developments on the horizon.
