Delivering Value

Last week I was out on a client visit to do a couple days of product training. The customer was not only new to VersionOne but also new to Agile. The idea for the engagement was to blend product training with some targeted methodology training to see if we could get them jumpstarted and on their way.

It became pretty obvious by the middle of the first day that our original training plan was not going to suit their needs. While I was prepared to deliver exactly what they asked for, the training would not have delivered the value that they expected.

Had we followed the original training plan, I would have left the customer unable to effectively use our software.

Coming from a traditional project background, I am a firm believer that some degree of up front planning is essential. The problems start when we are so confident in our plans that we stop listening. When we stop listening, we stop learning. When we are unable to learn, we are unable to adapt.

I met with the customer and shared with them my observations. We discussed an alternative approach for our second day and agreed to take the training in a different direction. We came up with a new plan that better met their needs and put them in a much better position to be successful.

Did changing course introduce some risk? Absolutely. Change always introduces some risk and following the original agreement would have been the safer approach. By taking that risk we were able to generate greater value for both the customer and ultimately for VersionOne.

At the end of the day, isn’t that what it is really all about?