Vodafone Group Agile Transformation & Architecture Modernisation Program

Leading agile teams to the adoption of Group Strategy regarding two main pillars, Technology and Ways of Working.
 

For the first, technology, defining yearly roadmaps driving technological change based on specific group and local KPIs, architectural principles [ reusability across countries, technology agnostic, platform-independent, always on, highly available, omni channel]. This was achieved by being aligned on a group level with other technology leaders and architects regarding architectural approaches, platform selection [Broadleaf & Contentful], migration tactics [On premise to Cloud] and ascertaining that these are followed during local implementations of projects and products by the teams.

One of the main challenges was finding the right balance between following the best path on technological terms and also serving the needs of business for progress and positive numbers on business KPIs. Through transparency throughout the organisation, continuous alignment and key decision-making, at all levels as the vision was clearly communicated, we were able to find the needed balance and make decision-making more straightforward.
 

For the second, ways of working, acting as a change agent, promoting the agile way of thinking and building teams based on the needs of the organization and strategic targets. Applying the experience gained from the initial digital IT transformation as a product owner to the consumer part of the organization.

A major challenge here was to change the mindset of the existing Vodafone people from working in a telecommunication company where everything was made by vendors, to a technology company where products were built internally. We did that by continuous education, experimenting with different approaches of applying the group HR blueprint [based on the early Spotify model], but most important of all by being transparent about the vision and what we want to achieve as a company so that everyone was on board and had a clear view of what the target was.
 

As a result, I was part of the IT leadership team, managing the Agile ecosystem of 28 teams in terms of Strategy, Budgeting, Recruitment and Programs.