Submit Your
Organization’s Challenge!

Challenge Submission Deadline: May 28, 2021

Do you have a vexing problem in your organization and are uncertain about how to address it?

Have you heard about agile methods and are curious if they can help you find an answer to your challenge?

Submit your challenge for consideration to become a Client Partner and have a research team assigned to help you find answers!

Submit Your Challenge

The current list of potential research topics are listed below. These should give you a good idea of the kind of challenges we’re looking for.

Current List of Challenges!

Research Topic #1

Shorten the lengthy lead times!

As a large organization with complex product architectures that reflect our matrixed corporate structure,

We want to shorten the lengthy lead times (which we believe are a result of our complex communication pathways),

So that business and technology teams are optimized for fast flow and can deliver product more efficiently.

Hypothesis 1 – per a reverse application of Conway’s Law, a simplified product development structure will drive a simpler architecture and would result in reduced lead times.

Research Topic #2

Craft & Communicate a Compelling Story!

As a mission driven and community focused organization continually seeking ever better outcomes for our constituent population,

We need to craft and communicate a compelling story that resonates and inspires action from a donor community aligned with our mission,

So that we can garner sufficient financial support to allow us to attract, recruit and retain the highly skilled staff needed to deliver optimal outcomes.

Research Topic #3

Improve Organizational Culture!

As an agency serving multiple communities through regional teams with slightly different programs aligned to a common mission,

We need to create an organizational culture that improves communication and collaboration across multiple work locations and the program portfolio,

So that there is transparency and awareness of all that is going on in the organization as well as provide the opportunity to share existing services across locations.

Research Topic #4

Better Manage Risks!

As a social services organization working with highly traumatized youth placed in our care,

We need to manage the inherent risks that accompany these youth by balancing our mission of working with them while managing the agency’s reputation,

So that we can avoid or mitigate the associated risks and maintain our status as a beacon in the communities we serve.

Research Topic #5

Stabilize Funding Of Programs!

As an organization providing programs and services that are generally grant-funded,

We need to stabilize the funding of programs we provide independent of the cycle of a grant,

So that we can avoid the risk having to lay off staff and terminate critical services to children and families when grant cycles expire.

Research Topic #6

Improve Recruitment & Retention!

As an organization with a shrinking pool of employment candidates, in an industry that faces an incredible workforce crisis due to the complexities associated with the mission,

We need to improve recruitment, interviewing, onboarding and retention strategies,

So that we can remain operational and continue delivering positive outcomes.

Please review the list, and keep the following questions in mind.

1. Does that research topic mirror a very similar topic within my own organization?

If so, would you like to be take part as a parallel research partner? We can run the same Research Topic in more than one environment, with each Client Partner organization getting their own Research Team. That means your situation and the specific suggestion your team recommends will be unique to you, and private to your team. Your results will form a second set of data to help build out the research whitepaper on that topic.

2. My organization doesn’t have that problem, but this has inspired me to think of a problem that we do have that isn’t already represented here.

You can still submit your topic for consideration. We will contact you, talk through the logistics, and see if it is possible for you to get some assistance with your issue, while at the same time supporting the education of the Agile community!

Submit Your Challenge

Challenge Submission Deadline: May 28, 2021