Agile for Social Good: The LawGecko Journey and Beyond

November 9, 2023

Harnessing Agile for Social Change: My Journey with LawGecko

Welcome to our blog, where I share my journey of using Agile methodologies not just in the realm of IT and business, but as a powerful tool for driving social change. As we gear up for the RTE Summit NYC 2024, I'm excited to delve into the LawGecko project, a testament to the transformative power of Agile in addressing critical societal issues.

Glappy: A Visionary Step Towards African Empowerment

My journey in Agile began with a bold vision: to uplift Africa from poverty and integrate it into the global economy as a thriving, interconnected community. This led to the creation of Glappy, a platform that has been at the heart of my decade-long commitment to social change. Glappy is not just a network; it's a catalyst for growth, connecting over 1000 Africans in the USA with their counterparts across the continent, including 300 SAFe practitioners. This initiative stands as a testament to the power of Agile in building and nurturing communities.

‍

LawGecko: Agile's Answer to Partner Violence

The LawGecko initiative is a personal passion project, addressing the critical issue of partner violence in African societies. As an Agile leader, I've navigated numerous challenges, drawing strength from my vision and the resilience of the communities we serve. LawGecko aims to provide a holistic healing path for survivors of violence, empowering them to reclaim their lives and futures. This project is a beacon of hope and a clear demonstration of Agile methodologies applied for a greater cause.

Innovative Strategies and Agile Adaptations

Since its inception in 2018, LawGecko has achieved significant milestones, including showcases at MIT Solve and Collision New Orleans. By 2023, we successfully integrated over 300 contributors into the LawGecko Open-Source Project using SAFe. Our journey has been marked by innovative Agile adaptations, tailored to meet the unique challenges of a diverse, global team.

Navigating Challenges with Agile Solutions

Our path has been lined with obstacles, from coordinating across time zones to managing varying commitment levels and skill sets. Our Agile solutions have been both innovative and adaptive, including virtual PI Planning, flexible iteration schedules, and a skills matrix that aligns individual strengths with project needs. These adaptations showcase the versatility and potential of Agile methodologies in unconventional settings.

‍

Highlighted SAFe elements

We recognize that our approach to PI Planning might diverge from traditional SAFe practices,but it's these very adaptations that make our community vibrant, engaged, and productive. We believe that by sharing our experiences, we can inspire other open-source projects to adopt and adapt Agile methodologies in ways that best suit their unique challenges and strengths.

‍

1. A flexible agenda

2. Deliberate dependencies: ART (Program) Board

‍

Strategy

for engagement we segment our sessions based on roles, such as developers, designers, and testers, to ensure that discussions are relevant and engaging for each group. Following these role-specific sessions, a cross-role synchronization meeting helps align all teams. This does result in cross team dependencies, as shown on the board.

In a second part to this article we will highlight more in depth elements of how we adapt SAFe to fit our specific needs.

Stay tuned for:

Further strategies and techniques for Engagement
Tooling leveraged (no Jira or Confluence)
The ART backlog in our context
System Demos, and what is presented in these events
ART set-up,self-organizing teams with Scrum Master & Product Owner?
Example PI Objectives

The Future of LawGecko and Agile for Good

As we look forward to the launch of LawGecko's first version, our journey continues to evolve. At the RTE Summit NYC 2024, I will delve into the specifics of our unique SAFe adaptations, engagement strategies, and the tools that have been pivotal in our journey.

LawGecko is more than a project; it's a movement. It demonstrates how Agile methodologies can be harnessed for social good, extending beyond traditional boundaries to make a tangible impact on society.

Join the Conversation at RTE Summit NYC 2024

I am thrilled to invite Agile enthusiasts and professionals to join me at the RTE Summit NYC 2024, where we will not only showcase the LawGecko application but also engage in an in-depth workshop exploring the vast potential of SAFe for social good.

As a speaker at this prestigious event, I look forward to sharing insights and strategies from the LawGecko journey and discussing how we, as Agile professionals, can leverage our skills to address global challenges. This is an opportunity to be at the forefront of a new era in Agile application – where our expertise contributes significantly to societal transformation.

‍