Who is the Agile Delivery Lead (ADL)? What is the role in the project development process? Are the people in this position blind followers of Agile? What do they think about developers? Paulina Tomaszewska, one of our ADLs at Hicron Software House, tells us all about it.
My role changes depending on the client’s needs and expectations. Have they set goals, do they know the Agile methodology? Or maybe they need a mentor and an agile coach. In one of my projects I am a typical Scrum Master.
In a case when all the methodology issues are taken care of, my tasks switch to ensuring the comfort of the whole team’s work. I look broadly, advise, suggest, make sure everyone feels good. Sometimes I also present the team’s ideas. Ideally, I do not have to focus on the hard aspects of running a team. Then I help create a good working atmosphere.
My position and ADL’s participation in each project is guarantee for smooth cooperation. Our people are not alone. We are the guardians of properly constructed rules of cooperation on both sides. We translate the developer language to the client one, and vice versa.
My role here depends on the team’s maturity. Łukasz, who also commented in this series, as an experienced Team Lead and developer, sometimes takes part of the ADL’s responsibilities. How the tasks are shared depends on individual predispositions and an action scheme developed within the group. It is not about taking each other roles, but about supporting each other in specific areas.
The developers I work with are very intelligent people. When we invest time to talk with them and to explain the goal of the whole project, the suggestions they can give are incredibly valuable. Sometimes, they are even crucial for the final effect.
When I am asked about the best methodology, I always reply: it depends. The are a million factors here! Some are the type of project, the client’s company, the approach, the goal… The waterfall method will be more effective than agile, when we have a project that has to be carried out in a specific, defined way.
When, as a part of the project, I introduce agile standards to the company, I take part in sprints, ceremonies, and help people get to know agile spirit.
First of all, it is all about changing your way of thinking and your current habits. The habit is very hard to modify. After all, “it always has worked!”, “why suddenly we have to change?!”. You have to be clear here – the companies change and develop. The methods that worked for a team of several people will be inconvenient, ineffective, and even harmful and dangerous for the team of several dozen.
Communication is crucial here, and in this area, I often face great challenges.
I like the most that you cannot get bored. I do not have a template. Each project requires me to take on a new, different role. I like that very much.
After carefully evaluating suppliers, we decided to try a new approach and start working with a near-shore software house. Cooperation with Hicron Software House was something different, and it turned out to be a great success that brought added value to our company.
With HICRON’s creative ideas and fresh perspective, we reached a new level of our core platform and achieved our business goals.
Many thanks for what you did so far; we are looking forward to more in future!
Hicron is a partner who has provided excellent software development services. Their talented software engineers have a strong focus on collaboration and quality. They have helped us in achieving our goals across our cloud platforms at a good pace, without compromising on the quality of our services. Our partnership is professional and solution-focused!
The IT system supporting the work of retail outlets is the foundation of our business. The ability to optimize and adapt it to the needs of all entities in the PSA Group is of strategic importance and we consider it a step into the future. This project is a huge challenge: not only for us in terms of organization, but also for our partners – including Hicron – in terms of adapting the system to the needs and business models of PSA. Cooperation with Hicron consultants, taking into account their competences in the field of programming and processes specific to the automotive sector, gave us many reasons to be satisfied.
