Working agile when things get big
LeSS (Large-Scale Scrum) is an extension of Scrum that was developed specifically for organizations in which several teams work together on a product. Originally conceived by Craig Larman and Bas Vodde, LeSS remains true to the values of Scrum, but extends them with structures that enable transparency and collaboration even in complex environments.
What makes LeSS special?
LeSS scales Scrum without losing its simplicity. All teams work with a shared product backlog and focus their work on an overarching goal. Instead of creating additional hierarchies or roles, LeSS relies on a flat structure that promotes self-organization and personal responsibility among the teams.
In practice, this can look like this: Several development teams working on complex software use joint sprint reviews and retrospectives to identify dependencies at an early stage and resolve them efficiently. The result is smoother collaboration and a clear focus on the product as a whole.
- Product focus:
- A shared product backlog ensures clear priorities and maximum added value.
- Cross-team collaboration:
- Joint meetings such as reviews and planning facilitate exchange.
- Lean:
- LeSS remains simple and avoids unnecessary processes.
- Continuous improvement:
- Regular cross-team retrospectives improve collaboration.
When is LeSS useful?
LeSS is particularly suitable when:
- Several teams are working on a joint product.
- Scrum is already being used successfully at team level.
- Complex requirements and dependencies need to be managed.
- The organization strives for flat hierarchies.
LeSS is not ideal if teams work largely independently or the organization is highly hierarchical.
Challenges in scaling
The introduction of LeSS often requires a fundamental change in the organization:
- Breaking down traditional structures: Hierarchies and silos must give way to enable collaboration.
- Scrum discipline: Without solid Scrum knowledge, LeSS fails due to a lack of clarity.
- Synchronization: Teams must communicate continuously in order to manage dependencies.
Our approach with LeSS
As with all other frameworks, LeSS is just a tool. We tailor the setup to your goals. With LeSS, it makes sense to start small and gradually build up additional teams as required. The focus should always be on the product value and not on scaling the setup.
LeSS therefore offers a comparatively simple and effective way of scaling agility in organizations without losing sight of the principles of Scrum.
Our goal is to help you achieve long-term success. Together with you, we develop a concept that takes your individual context into account and enables your teams to reach their full potential.
