Run the Play the Agile Way

At Primerica, we pride ourselves on finding better, faster ways to do things. Home Office employees have a “make it happen” mindset, but sometimes we’d get bogged down in “procedure” and that meant that some projects moved at a snail’s pace.

Thanks to a new method called Agile, Primerica can now run the play the right way. Agile is a method that allows project managers to work more quickly – become more agile if you will — on projects that require a series of steps.

Projects that used to take months (if not years) to complete can now be completed in a fraction of that time! How? Small “scrum” teams “huddle-up” to get the job done through consistent collaboration and modification.

Much like the sport rugby, Agile scrum teams try to go the distance as a team, passing the ball back and forth. This allows them to run the play toward their goal and ultimately score.

In rugby, “scrum” refers to the action of eight forwards from each team binding together and pushing against each other in a circle. With the Agile method, Primerica’s IT scrum team huddles up each morning for 15 minutes to discuss their roles, progress and any impediments in their current project. Each reports on:
• What he or she has accomplished since the last Scrum huddle
• What he or she will do before the next Scrum session and
• What (if anything) is impeding his or her progress on their part of the project

These meetings are held daily and usually at the same time during the project’s “Sprint” cycle. Sprints are usually held for 30 days. At the end of that time, the team evaluates how far down the field they’ve been able to run the ball. The team reviews their progress, determines whether or not the Sprint Goal was achieved and then moves on to the next 30-day Sprint.

By working as a team and sprinting in super-charged cycles, the team is able to work quickly and efficiently toward the goal, make changes as needed and deliver the end product on — or ahead of — schedule. By using the Agile method, Primerica has been able to keep a consistent pace and create incredible technology for its representatives.

Have you implemented Agile or a similar methodology? Leave a comment to share your insights and how it has benefited your company.