Unlocking Delivery Success: Overcoming Framework Limitations in Regulated Environments

In the past, methodologies such as Waterfall and ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) were widely regarded as the standard for running projects and operations. However, with the rise of Agile, DevOps, and other methodologies, the landscape has evolved significantly and continues to do so as technology advances and new, innovative practices are introduced.

Teams and organisations often resist change initially, especially when existing processes are deeply embedded in established norms and are perceived by the status quo as sufficient. The key to overcoming this resistance is to clearly demonstrate what the new approach entails and, more importantly, the tangible benefits the business and its people will derive from embracing it.

Navigating The Upsides and Downsides of Agile and Waterfall

The Waterfall methodology excels in projects requiring clear early planning and thorough documentation. It operates in distinct phases where each step must be completed before the next begins. This approach has proven highly effective in large-scale projects like the construction of the Large Hadron Collider, where meticulous documentation ensured that all participants understood the process and complex technical details. Waterfall’s strength lies in its ability to maintain control and order in projects with well-defined requirements.

However, Waterfall struggles when flexibility is needed. Its rigid structure makes it difficult to adapt to changing user requirements or technological advancements. Late-stage defect detection often leads to costly delays, and Waterfall’s inability to course-correct during development is a significant drawback in dynamic or evolving projects.

Agile, on the other hand, is designed for flexibility and continuous improvement. It thrives in environments where constant adaptation to market changes and client input is critical. Companies like Spotify have successfully used Agile to continuously enhance their products and services. Agile encourages iterative development and frequent customer feedback, making it ideal for fast-paced, innovation-driven projects. However, Agile has its drawbacks, too. It is less suited for projects requiring high predictability and can sometimes suffer from a lack of documentation and reliable estimations.

A hybrid approach enables you to leverage the most effective elements of each methodology, aligning them with your organisational needs to ensure the optimal delivery of value. For example, you could combine Waterfall’s structured planning with Agile’s iterative development, offering a solution for complex projects yet ensuring rapid development. This method is particularly effective for highly regulated industries, such as banking, where different project components benefit from different approaches.

The Challenges Along the Path to Success

We have worked closely with clients who have strict regulations. Our Agile Delivery Leads have analysed these environments to identify suitable approaches for effective delivery. They have found that those who have delivery constraints tend to rely on waterfall approaches, such as milestone tracking and an annual deployment plan, without fully appreciating the development team’s ways of working. When a team is looking to use Agile in an environment where the two ways of working haven’t been intentionally integrated, this often leads to a misalignment between the development teams, PMO, and leadership, complicating the delivery process due to the differing expectations.

We found formal leadership support was often required for escalation, limiting speed and efficacy. Teams had limited control over deployments and were often siloed, relying on other teams to complete key processes. This lack of cross-functional collaboration slowed progress and reduced the effectiveness of delivery.

Key team members, such as Tech Leads and Developers, were overloaded with responsibilities, which limited their ability to collaborate and engage in cross-functional tasks. This impacted the consistency of progress and slowed down project momentum.

In some teams, there was an over-reliance on manual processes or results, coupled with a lack of understanding of automation capabilities within their applications, which hampered efficiency. Incomplete automation configurations further hindered workflows, making it harder to achieve continuous integration.

How ControlPlane Transformed Obstacles into Achievements

Even in such environments, our Agile Delivery Leads were able to find opportunities for improvement and optimisation. With time, the teams became open and receptive to Agile practices and fostered an environment of adaptability and experimentation. The presence of a shared backlog and a clear project board ensured greater visibility into tasks and priorities. This structure not only streamlined processes but also kept team members aligned and accountable, which is crucial for delivery success.

By trying out different methods like Kanban and customising Jira tickets, teams built flexibility into their processes, which enhanced collaboration and responsiveness to change.

The Delivery Leads used data and metrics to identify bottlenecks, providing a foundation for advocating new tools and process adjustments. For instance, they analysed historical cycle time data to understand the natural delivery cadence within the broader organisational context. This insight allowed them to collaborate with teams to optimise sprint durations, ensuring minimal meeting overhead. By taking a data-driven approach, the Delivery Leads reinforced the Agile ethos, enabling continuous improvement even in highly regulated environments.

Our Delivery Leads also worked closely with our client’s senior leadership to enable faster releases. For example, they were some of the first Delivery Leads to implement a new process that simplified the deployment requirements around documentation and approvals, allowing the teams to improve their time to market and deliver more consistent value to the customer.

Achieving Delivery Success Through Framework Flexibility

In conclusion, by understanding our client’s organisational context and delivery needs, we’ve found an effective approach that blends Agile’s adaptability with Waterfall’s structured planning. This combination allows organisations to meet compliance requirements while driving efficiency, collaboration, and continuous improvement. The ingenuity and success of our Delivery Leads, through data-driven decision-making, experimentation, and close alignment with leadership, drove progress and delivered value, even within restrictive frameworks. It is a testament to the power of creativity and Agile principles in achieving delivery success despite significant challenges. If compliance, audit, or security constraints are creating obstacles in your delivery processes, we can help! Contact us to learn more about our Delivery Services and how we can support your needs.