As we describe a management methodology for the enterprise, we are going to need to explore a number of approaches for adoption. A type of guidance I really appreciate is when others share their practical experience over time. Salesforce.com is one such example. They took the Big-Bang approach to their adoption of agile principles and methodologies within IT and throughout the process they have spoken about their progress often. Steve Greene and Chris Fry will be presenting an update on the experience at the July 15 event of the Bay Area Agile Project Leadership Network. For more information go to BayAPLN.org and be sure to use the rsvp link if you want to attend.

One often gets to read or hear about such initiatives and their promises early on in the process but thanks to Steve and Chris (and no doubt other colleagues) their story has been updated and made available to a wide audience. “The Year of Living Dangerously” (slides also below) is the latest update on their journey. Another valuable read for me was the experience report they shared at Agile 2007 on “Large Scale Agile Transformation in an On-Demand World”. At the time, they were reporting on completing a “three month transformation” but on the 15th you might be forgiven for asking in hindsight how much of the transformation was still ahead of them.

Apparently they have started to talk about how agile principles and methods could be used in all departments of the enterprise - not just IT. Naturally, they have my full attention.

  

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Finally, here is the book that they distributed to all 200+ people involved in the initial transformation:

Agile Project Management with Scrum (Microsoft Professional)

Ken Schwaber. Microsoft Press 2004, Paperback, 192 pages, $29.11