What is an Agile Workflow and How to Build One

If you’ve ever been involved in project management, you likely recognize just how difficult it is to keep track of all the moving parts. Even more difficult is being able to continuously adapt and improve your processes to facilitate greater efficiency and better outcomes. 

While traditional linear workflows are still very common, Agile workflows are quickly growing in popularity.

An Agile workflow encourages creativity and innovation, adaptability and change, and in-depth team collaboration.

The main takeaway is that Agile workflows help teams quickly adapt to new challenges and overcome them with ease while delivering optimal results no matter the project at hand. 

Keep reading to find out what an Agile workflow is and how to build one that will take your team’s efficiency to the next level!

What is an Agile Workflow?

An Agile workflow involves the practical implementation of Agile principles, with Agile itself being a product development and management methodology that is characterized by iterative development. 

Agile emphasizes the frequent delivery of individual project components, continuous feedback loops and improvement, constant and in-depth teamwork and collaboration, and flexibility and adaptability within the workflow. 

If Agile itself is a methodology, then we need to define what an Agile workflow is, as the two differ from each other. Whereas Agile itself is an overarching methodology of project management, an agile workflow is about the practical implementation of the main tenets of Agile. In simplest terms, an Agile workflow is how projects are organized and executed within the Agile framework. 

An Agile workflow contains several key elements, with a backlog being one of them, which is a prioritized list of project items that team members must complete. With priorities set, teams then plan sprints, which are lengths of time or iterations where team members work on the selected project tasks, which helps divide larger projects into much smaller and more manageable increments, with each one typically lasting for up to four weeks. 

Once a sprint period is complete, team members deliver the results from the assigned task, at which point feedback is collected. This feedback is incorporated into the product and into subsequent iterations or sprints to allow for the continuous improvement of the product. 

One of the main benefits of Agile workflows is that they allow for changes to happen late in the development process, allowing project managers to quickly adapt to changing needs and conditions.  

Agile Workflow vs Traditional Workflow

Whereas Agile workflows are designed with flexibility and on-the-go adaptability in mind, traditional workflows are much more rigid, linear, and sequential in nature. Traditional workflows, generally characterized by the waterfall approach, are very inflexible, and changes are not easily made once a project is underway. 

Whereas an Agile workflow focuses on delivering smaller individual tasks that are subject to constant feedback and improvement, a more traditional waterfall approach sees projects tackled on a grander scale. 

Traditional workflows require a comprehensive and single delivery of the entire project and all of its components at once, once all of the phases are complete. Speaking of phases, in a traditional workflow, phases are rigidly defined, with each phase having to be completed before the next one begins, therefore creating a very structured and linear way of working. 

Traditional workflows see all tasks and phases clearly defined in the beginning, ordered in a sequential manner, with each phase having to be completed before the next can begin. Here, there is not much room for working backward in the workflow to make improvements to tasks worked on during previous phases. 

There is very little or no overlap between phases, which strictly limits the amount of team collaboration possible. This also limits the ability to incorporate feedback for previously completed phases, with feedback often being reserved for project completion. 

This means that with traditional workflows, making any kind of changes during the project, especially once a phase has been completed, is nearly impossible. 

Although traditional workflows may have benefits for projects that have very few uncertainties, they are not ideal for projects that require the ability to adapt, the flexibility that the iterative and constant feedback-driven nature that Agile workflows allow for. A traditional workflow isn’t responsive to change until the entire project is complete. 

Because an Agile workflow is iterative in nature, it encourages team collaboration, customer feedback, and continuous improvement. Agile workflows allow for changes to be easily made to any project component at any phase of the project, something that a traditional workflow just cannot manage.

Benefits of an Agile Workflow

There are several benefits to implementing an Agile workflow, so let’s take a quick look at what the main benefits are.

Greater Flexibility

The number one benefit of an Agile workflow is that it allows teams to quickly adapt to changes. It reduces the need for teams to perform extensive reworks and changes on a larger scale. 

Instead, teams can make quick and efficient changes based on new feedback or information. Instead of making time-consuming changes on a grand scale, teams can focus on smaller individual components for much greater efficiency. 

Enhanced Collaboration

Like they say, teamwork makes the dream work, and that is what an Agile workflow is all about, enhanced teamwork and collaboration to make sure that all team members are working cohesively. 

An Agile workflow is designed to create a collaborative team environment with continuous feedback loops and regular meetings to quickly identify and overcome obstacles. This can be particularly beneficial for remote teams where everyone is working from a different location. 

More Customer Value

An Agile workflow isn’t just for the teams working on projects, but rather for the customers as well. Because projects are completed in small increments, teams can get continuous feedback from customers and then incorporate it. This allows teams to create products that are as consumer and customer-oriented as possible.

Greater Visibility

Another benefit of utilizing an Agile workflow is that it allows for greater visibility of all project components. The highly visible nature of these types of workflows allows project members to see all project components in their respective stages, which allows for easier progress tracking.

More Effective Prioritization

The final notable benefit of an Agile workflow is that it allows for clear and efficient prioritization. 

Using continuous feedback loops where customers, shareholders, and team members provide feedback after each sprint, allows project managers to alter and refine priorities on the go as needed. 

Priorities are in part based on customer feedback, therefore producing an end product that is as customer-oriented as possible. 

Types of Agile Workflows

There are many types of Agile workflows that teams can put to use, and right now, we want to look at three of the most popular ones.

Kanban

One of the most popular types of Agile workflow is the Kanban workflow, part of the larger Kanban management method. 

A Kanban workflow involves continuously delivering parts of a project, with new tasks being started as soon as there is room or time to do so. This is unlike time-boxed iterations in Scrum (something we’ll cover below) and other Agile workflows: Kanban does not have any defined sprints whatsoever. 

At the heart of the Kanban workflow is the Kanban board, a visual representation of the various stages of the workflow, as well as the project tasks and their status. Every work item is put on a visible Kanban card within the board, with the card passing through the various steps or phases on the board (such as to-do, in-progress, review, etc). 

This highly visual representation allows those working within a Kanban workflow to identify pain points and problem areas that are slowing down progress. Identifying areas or workflow phases where task cards are accumulating in high numbers allows team members and project managers to identify process bottlenecks, and to therefore find solutions to these bottlenecks. 

Crystal

Crystal is a type of framework that is very fluid. The main focus is on the interactions that individuals have, rather than the tools and processes of the project.

Although this framework does place some value on tools and processes, the interactions between stakeholders and team members are considered more important.

This type of workflow reviews how team members work together and communicate to find areas of improvement within the team.

Scrum

We then have Scrum, a specific Agile framework that is ideal for the delivery of complex products and projects. As an Agile framework, the focus of Scrum is collaboration and iterative progress. The goal of Scrum is to allow for incremental and consistent improvements in product development and delivery. 

Unlike Kanban which does not have sprints, Scrum features time-boxed sprints with a heavy emphasis on incremental and iterative development. Scrum is more structured than a Kanban workflow, with Kanban workflows generally not assigning specific roles or duties, whereas Scrum does, such as product owner, scrum master, and the development team. 

A Kanban workflow is often considered more flexible, as Scrum features clearly outlined practices, such as sprint planning, daily standups, and sprint reviews. Scrum, although still somewhat flexible, is more rigid, with a defined structure that outlines step-by-step processes for implementing the principles of Agile. Scrum requires that teams adhere to specific artifacts, events, and roles to deliver individual project tasks.  

How to Create an Agile Workflow

While it might sound intimidating, creating an Agile workflow is not overly difficult. Here’s a step-by-step example of how to create an Agile workflow.

Choose the Type of Agile Workflow

The first step in this process is to choose the type of Agile workflow that will work best for you and your team. If you want something that is extremely flexible, and fluid, doesn’t adhere to strict timelines, and functions as a great visual aid for teams, we recommend using the Kanban method.

Assess Your Backlog

Once you know the type of Agile workflow you want to use, you’ll need to define the product backlog. A product backlog is a prioritized yet dynamic list of work items that need to be completed to deliver the final product. 

In terms of software development, this may include features, bug fixes, and enhancements, among others. A product backlog is a complete list of all requirements, tasks, and features needed to create software. 

However, product backlogs can be more general and don’t apply to the software industry alone. 

On a grander scale, product backlogs are simply lists of all tasks and requirements needed to complete a project, and they are used in many industries from manufacturing and marketing to law, medicine, and more. Once you have an idea of what your backlog looks like, you can then plan your sprints. One method to achieve efficient sprint planning could be to use an online planning poker tool to collaboratively estimate the team effort required for each task.

Plan the Iterations

The next step in creating an Agile workflow is to plan the sprints or iterations. Here, you review the product backlog and decide on what the iterations will be. If you are applying a continuous Kanban workflow, it’s a good idea to set a minimum threshold for the number of items that are ready to be started and refill the backlog when you hit it or get near it.

Implement Daily Standup Meetings 

Daily standup meetings are short meetings that Agile teams should hold daily. Although a core principle in Scrum (which is why these meetings may be referred to as scrums), it’s often a defining feature of Agile workflows across the board, as it allows team members to communicate and collaborate, while ensuring that everyone is aligned. 

They are known as standup meetings because they usually only last for 15 minutes at most, where team members stand up instead of sitting down, thus keeping the meetings focused and to the point. Daily standup meetings encourage teamwork, synchronicity, and transparency. 

Do Frequent Reviews

When each sprint/iteration is done, a review meeting should be held to find out what worked and what did not. This is the time when any feedback should be considered so that project managers and team members can make any required adjustments to the workflow to allow for greater efficiency and a better end product.

A Kanban Template for an Agile Workflow

Kanban features a very simple structure that allows for a fluid workflow characterized by continuous feedback, improvement, and flexibility. A Kanban template can look as simple as the following:

• To Do
• In-Progress
• Review
• Complete

Here, tasks are divided into the to-do column. Team members then select tasks to work on and place them in the in-progress column. 

Once tasks are done, they are put in the review column, where team members review the work and provide feedback. 

The task may then go back to the in-progress column before being reviewed again. Once all requirements of the tasks are satisfied, the task is then placed in the complete column.

A Kanban board can make it easier for your team to visualize your Agile workflow. Try Kanban Zone today to find out how it can help improve the flow of work in your organization. 

Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg. If you are curious to see what the perfect Kanban workflow might look like for your specific context, check out our library of templates.

Final Thoughts on Agile Workflows

The bottom line is that Agile workflows such as the Kanban workflow provide teams with a fluid and flexible way to tackle projects. 

With constant collaboration and feedback, adapting to changing environments and making changes on the go is made easy. 

If you are experiencing issues managing complex projects, the Kanban Zone might just be the solution you’ve been looking for!

Give it a try for free!