Despite the answer to this question seems obvious, let’s look more attentively on this problem, in private, on the main principles of successful implementation of Agile in a company.

The key principle here is PDCA-cycle which consists of four main components, or stages.

1. Planning. This component includes the analysis of the system and working out all possible approaches to improvements. The desired results are also defined on this stage.

2. Do-component implies implementation into life the decisions which have been worked out during the previous phase.

3. Check. This stage includes the analysis of achieved results.

4. Act or Correction. This component includes some corrective actions which are aimed at reducing the deviations from the plan.

The above mentioned stages affect the practical realization of the implementation of Agile methodology. Now let’s look at the detailed plan of implementation of Agile within 14 weeks.

1. Week #1 – Getting ready for the transformation.
It is required to collect and analyze the main information about a company and to provide the basic knowledge about Agile for main participants.

2. Week #2 – Zero sprint. This stage implies developing an understanding of the product and creation of high-level architecture.

3. Week #3 – The start of the first “calibration” sprint. The main goal here is working out the processes of launching the sprint.

4. Week #4 – Finishing of the first “calibration” sprint. The key purpose here is working out finishing of the sprint and holding a retrospective on the basis of quality indicators.

5. Week #5 – The start of the second sprint and starting of implementation of basic practices of extreme programming.

6. Week #6 – Finishing of the second sprint, retrospective on the basis of quantitative indicators using of the tools of lean production.

7. Week #7 – - The start of the third sprint, also using of automation testing.

8. Week #8 – Finishing of the third sprint, includes performing of the first Agile-release of the product and working out of some measures how to improve the processes on the base of the information gained from the previous three sprints.

9. Week #9 – The start of the fourth sprint. The main goal here is to learn how to plan and manage the project.

10. Week #10 – Finishing of the fourth sprint, implementation of statistical quality control.

11. Week #11 – The start of the fifth sprint.

12. Week #12 – Finishing of the fifth sprint, improvement of the internal quality of the system kernel.

13. Week #13 – The start of the sixth “ideal” sprint.

14. Week #14 – Finishing of the sixth “ideal” sprint.

Of course, it will be difficult to coordinate such huge work without supportive software. Click here to learn more about helpful task management software which is quite accessible.
So, as one can see, the task of implementation of Agile methodology in a company during 14 weeks is quite executable. There are only some limitations of this fantastic plan. The size of a company should be from 20 to 50 employees. It can also be used for companies of smaller size, but it will be necessary then to scale methodologies according to the size of this or that organization. Of course, some period for adaptation of a company to a new Agile methodology is required, and it is possible to reduce and simplify this period through the usage of the special software products which are suitable for Agile. Task tracking software by Comindware is a kind of this product. It can solve such tasks as coordination of team work and adaptation of new employees and specialists to a new company and the new Agile methodology. A distinctive feature of this software is that it provides the opportunity to work on various project tasks through Microsoft Outlook. This service is popular among the majority of IT-specialists and it will be easy to join the work even for a newbie. Team members can work on various tasks jointly by means of Outlook and Comindware software.

It is enough to hire one specialist who will coordinate the process of Agile implementation. It can be external trainer or consultant or just internal expert.