Before we start, it's important to agree at what level we are answering these questions. Are we answering for the overall organization, a department, or just one team?
The 4-point scale:
Barely started - There's little to no evidence that the statement is true for us Early gains - There might be pockets of evidence, but it's not widespread or consistent Getting there - The statement is true for us, but we still need to improve or be more consistent Nailing it - The statement defines who we are and how we work
As you read through each prompt, mark which ones stand out the most to you.
Category 1: Transparency
1.1 Our delivery process and the work in progress is easily visible to everyone involved.
1.2 We have visibility into the work that's about to start.
1.3 We can see what work is blocked and why.
Category 2: Balance
2.1 We begin new work only as capacity allows, finishing work items already in progress before starting new work.
2.2 We maintain a clear separation between work currently in progress and work still under consideration.
2.3 We take steps to avoid being overburdened with more work in progress than we can accommodate effectively.
Category 3: Collaboration
3.1 We work with our customers in order to understand, shape and size potential work before committing to deliver it.
3.2 Our delivery process encourages collaboration across roles and specialities.
3.3 We meet on a regular basis to review and improve our outputs and processes.
Category 4: Customer Focus
4.1 We seek to align our work to shared goals, prioritising for maximum impact.
4.2 We incorporate customer feedback into our work while it's in progress.
4.3 We own and track work until the customer confirms that their needs were successfully met.
Category 5: Flow
5.1 We can predict with reasonable confidence how long it will take to deliver work of typical value and risk.
5.2 We understand the performance of our delivery system in sufficient detail to make timely decisions, to set appropriate expectations, and to focus our improvement efforts.
5.3 We proactively identify and address dependencies and other impediments to flow.
Category 6: Leadership
6.1 In our organization, we are focused on meeting customer needs, improving our delivery systems, and developing new capabilities.
6.2 In our organization, opportunities for improvement are recognized and systematically followed through.
6.3 We all share the responsibility to seek clarification, to highlight problems, and to come up with improvement ideas.
Next: Review your team's