When a global consumer goods company with decades of heritage decided to modernize their project delivery approach, they faced a challenge familiar to many large organizations: how do you transform 28 delivery teams to work in concert while maintaining the agility needed to compete in today’s market? We explore their journey from fragmented project management to a unified Scaled Agile Framework implementation powered by Jira and Jira Product Discovery.
The Challenge
The organization’s project management landscape was characterized by inconsistency and limited visibility. Twenty-eight delivery teams operated with varying processes and tools, making it nearly impossible for leadership to gain a clear picture of work in progress, resource allocation, or delivery timelines. Sprint planning was reactive rather than strategic, and teams lacked the real-time insights needed to adapt quickly to changing priorities. Past agile attempts implemented by big name consulting firms had failed due to not considering the organizations unique characteristics.
The existing tooling couldn’t support the scaled agile practices the organization wanted to adopt. Without proper visibility into portfolio-level metrics, leadership operated with uncertainty around resource allocation and strategic planning. Project surprises were common, and cross-team collaboration was hindered by the lack of shared processes and standards.
The Solution
The transformation began with a comprehensive Jira platform buildout designed specifically for scaled agile methodologies. Rather than forcing teams into a one-size-fits-all approach, the implementation focused on creating a flexible system architecture that could adapt to the organization’s existing culture while introducing modern agile practices.
A custom Jira environment was architected from the ground up, incorporating specialized workflows that balanced team autonomy with enterprise-wide visibility. The platform featured tailored dashboards providing real-time insights into sprint progress, team performance, and portfolio metrics that leadership had never before accessed in a consolidated view. Jira Product Discovery was brought in to help recieve, evaluate, and prioritize requests from around the organization.
The technical implementation was only part of the equation. A comprehensive training program was developed and rolled out across all 28 teams, emphasizing practical Jira skills within the context of their new scaled agile framework. Standardized processes and documentation ensured that best practices were adopted consistently, while still allowing teams the flexibility to adapt to their specific needs.
Throughout the implementation, close collaboration with the organization’s agile coach and leadership team ensured that the Jira tooling seamlessly supported the broader transformation. Regular knowledge transfer sessions and ongoing support helped teams navigate the transition period with confidence.
Quantifiable Results
The transformation delivered measurable improvements across multiple dimensions. Team throughput increased significantly as streamlined processes eliminated bottlenecks and redundant work. Sprint planning became more accurate and data-driven, with teams leveraging real-time metrics to make informed decisions about capacity and commitments. Time spent in meetings was cut by nearly 50% in some teams.
Leadership gained visibility into team activities and work prioritization, enabling more confident resource allocation and strategic planning. The proactive monitoring and reporting capabilities dramatically reduced project surprises, allowing teams to identify and address potential issues before they became critical problems.
Cross-team collaboration flourished with shared standards and visible workflows. Teams could now see dependencies and coordinate more effectively, breaking down the silos that had previously slowed progress.
Conclusion
This scaled agile transformation demonstrates how thoughtful platform implementation combined with comprehensive change management can drive enterprise-wide excellence. By architecting a Jira environment that balanced standardization with flexibility, and supporting it with robust training and ongoing collaboration, the organization established a scalable framework that will support their growth for years to come.
The success of this initiative proves that even large, established organizations can successfully adopt modern agile practices when the implementation is guided by technical expertise, cultural awareness, and a commitment to sustainable change. For companies considering similar transformations, reach out to Stalworx to find out how we can help your organization be our next success.