Culture + Talent

Transforming IT at Steelcase: An Agile Case Study

Foundation for Success

“A central question we had before embarking on this journey was ‘How can IT become a better business partner to the organization?’ We knew we had to develop our ‘true north’ principles that would lay our foundation for success.”

Tom Hunnewell, Director, Steelcase Information Technology.

Before designing a space or adopting agile, IT leaders identified five guiding principles central to achieving their desired transformation. These principles were the lens in which Steelcase adapted agile. They became the foundation for developing new processes and practicing new behaviors.

  • Our customer needs always come first
  • We value data as a strategic company asset
  • We are adventurous explorers of innovation
  • We are global systems thinkers
  • We succeed as a team

IT identified three types of teams based on the ways in which IT teams support their customers. These provided ways of understanding the unique needs for each kind of team.

Agile Team
A core team dedicated to one project or product with strong customer engagement.

Multi-Project Team
The simultaneous delivery of multiple projects to multiple customers for both project and ongoing work.

Discipline Team
Technology specialists with regular deliverables to one primary customer or multiple customers for ongoing work.

Currently, 10 IT teams are practicing agile and many more are discipline or multi-project. In the future, IT plans to transition more teams to agile, but ultimately will retain some discipline teams.

Over time, IT intends to transition more and more teams, so that the majority are working in agile ways. Although, not every team will practice agile to the full extent, the process isn’t the right fit across the board. All of the teams in IT are, however, beginning to adapt an ‘agile mindset;’ being more closely connected to their customers, less siloed and sharing knowledge in broad ways in the organization. In addition, many multi-project and discipline teams are starting to adopt agile ceremonies such as stand-up meetings and retrospectives.


NEXT CHAPTERBuilding the Practice
PREVIOUS CHAPTERWhat is Agile?


Table of Contents

Related Stories

Why We Need More Humor at Work with Jennifer Aaker + Naomi Bagdonas (S4:E8)

Why We Need More Humor at Work with Jennifer Aaker + Naomi Bagdonas (S4:E8)

What’s so funny? Turns out humor at work is for more than just a good laugh. It can help us influence people and be more creative. Authors and educators Naomi Bagdonas and Dr. Jennifer Aaker join the Work Better podcast to share how our brains change when we laugh, why humor isn’t just for extroverts and how more laughter can make a big impact on business. (Read transcript) (Find in Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen)

Breaking Our Obsession with Generations with Mauro Guillén (S4:E7)

Breaking Our Obsession with Generations with Mauro Guillén (S4:E7)

Have you ever held back on something because it just wasn’t “age appropriate?” Or evaluated someone based on if they’re a Millennial or Gen Z? Mauro Guillén joined the Work Better podcast to challenge conventional thinking about generational differences. He says these ideas are preventing people from reaching their full potential in life and at work. Listen to how he says we should all be thinking differently about generations in the workplace. (Read transcript) (Find in Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen)

Not As Seen on TV: FBI Using New Tactics to Attract Talent

Not As Seen on TV: FBI Using New Tactics to Attract Talent

FBI HR leader Michael Schneider talks about how a new understanding of workplace wellbeing and its connection to the FBI’s mission is driving how the agency attracts and retains talent.