An Agile Transformation at Vektis

The Need for Change

In 2019, Vektis reached a pivotal moment. The organization was in a stable yet static situation, with little room for movement or forward thinking. The market was evolving faster than Vektis could keep up, and there was a clear need to empower the organization with more ownership and responsibility. This shift gave the management team (MT) the opportunity to focus on strategy and vision, ultimately making the organization more agile.

From an HR perspective, it became clear that continuous development, learning, and improvement were essential to remain attractive in a dynamic labor market. However, the fragmented approach to setting priorities led to a lack of focus and cohesion, preventing the organization from making optimal progress. This sparked the realization: while the company was functioning well today, it wouldn’t automatically be prepared for tomorrow's challenges.

Preparing for Transformation

Two previous attempts to initiate the transformation from an HR perspective had failed. The management team (MT) was initially hesitant about adopting Agile working, mainly due to a lack of familiarity with the approach. The strategy of gradually transforming the entire organization with a pre-designed, all-encompassing plan lacked the necessary support and engagement from the MT, preventing it from gaining traction.

The breakthrough came when a member of the MT took a bold step. She assumed the role of Product Owner (PO) and began the Agile implementation within her own domain. With explicit backing from the entire leadership team, she set the change in motion, starting with just one team.

The Start of the Transformation

From the very beginning, all progress and challenges related to the first team's journey were shared transparently with the entire organization. This not only provided insight into the initial steps but also into the broader plans for change. To keep everyone informed, a bi-weekly Show & Tell session was organized. During these sessions, progress was shared, feedback collected, and questions answered. The first meeting was nerve-wracking—would anyone even be interested? But to everyone's surprise, the turnout was high, and engagement was strong. Colleagues asked critical questions, a clear sign of curiosity and interest.

This energy quickly spread. Before long, two other teams joined, and colleagues spontaneously volunteered to take on the role of Product Owner. The works council (OR) was involved from the start, reassured that no one would lose their job due to the changes. At the same time, respect for the past was maintained, serving as a solid foundation for future improvements.

External Agile coaches worked closely with internal colleagues, who were trained as Scrum Masters. Additionally, an internal employee took on the role of Agile coach to ensure the sustainability of the changes once external support was scaled back.

A Dynamic Organizational Change

The transformation reached a point of no return: it was decided to fully transition to Agile teams. To provide direction, an initial outline of the future organization was created. This was enriched with feedback from more than 20 small and large sessions, where everyone was actively involved. Where necessary, terminology was adjusted to increase recognition and buy-in. What started as a "rough sketch" evolved through a "pencil draft" and ultimately became a detailed "coloring page."

In December 2019, Product Owners wrote their product visions and passionately pitched them two weeks before Christmas. Colleagues had the opportunity to express their preferences for a product, and almost everyone was able to join the team of their first choice. Despite the changes, colleagues accepted the need for new team compositions based on skills. The shared understanding of the underlying rationale strengthened engagement and collaboration.

Growth During the Transformation

After the lockdown on March 15, 2020, Vektis transitioned to working entirely from home. The teams continued to operate autonomously, with Scrum Masters ensuring rhythm and alignment, and Product Owners setting priorities in consultation with stakeholders. For the first time, users and customers were actively involved in the development process, as they could easily participate online. This not only resulted in earlier and more valuable feedback but also fostered a growing sense of pride within the teams for their accomplishments.

The Show & Tell sessions remained a key communication tool, and the transparency they provided further strengthened the teams' natural engagement.

External coaches helped introduce structure and drive cultural change while supporting the Product Owners in strengthening their roles. Meanwhile, the public roadmap provided by the internal coach encouraged teams to spontaneously seek guidance, further increasing the acceptance and involvement in the transformation.

Reflection and Lessons Learned

The Agile transformation at Vektis brought many positive changes, as well as valuable lessons. One of the challenges was the limited involvement of architecture and security early on. Responsibilities in these areas were not clearly defined, which created a gap with the Supervisory Board (RvC). The leadership team was also not always aligned, sometimes leading to reactive behavior rather than proactive support.

The leadership team struggled to delegate responsibilities while maintaining oversight and control. Improved communication and collaboration structures, such as joint decision-making and regular integration sessions, could have helped. This would have increased stakeholder involvement and fostered a more proactive attitude.

Portfolio management, which connects strategy and execution, was launched too late. Shared organizational goals should have been the guiding principle from the outset. The challenge of balancing consultancy costs with freelancers led to inconsistent practices among Scrum Masters.

The realization that clear progress indicators are crucial came too late. Proper key indicators would have helped monitor whether teams were focusing on the right priorities and achieving their set goals.

The Value of the Transformation

Despite the challenges, the Agile transformation brought significant benefits. A culture of open communication and transparency emerged, allowing employees to be better informed and have more confidence in the decisions being made. This strengthened team dynamics and increased engagement within the organization.

Additionally, the shift to Agile made Vektis more attractive to new talent. The flexibility and dynamic work culture positioned Vektis as a forward-thinking employer, aiding in the attraction of top candidates.

The focus on teamwork and regular feedback promoted collaboration and shared responsibility. This led to a tighter, more motivated team, further improving the organization’s performance and effectiveness.

Insights for the Future

The transformation provided valuable insights for future changes, both within Vektis and for other organizations. The experiences gained help identify best practices, avoid common pitfalls, and refine change strategies.

Through the Agile approach, Vektis was able to continuously deliver value despite challenges. Iterative improvements and customer-centricity enabled the organization to remain flexible in responding to changes and create lasting value for customers and stakeholders.