What is Customer-Centric Agile?

Agile is a well-known concept within the world of technology. However, being customer-centric throughout the process is sometimes overlooked. This article explores what customer-centric means and how it can benefit the Agile process.

 

What Does Customer-Centric Mean?

Most organisations will consider putting the customer first at the beginning of projects, but it is often forgotten further down the line. Customer-centricity is a business approach prioritising the customer's needs and satisfaction at every stage of a product or service lifecycle. It goes beyond initial considerations, extending throughout the entire customer journey. This approach emphasises understanding customer preferences, delivering personalised experiences, and adapting strategies based on feedback. A truly customer-centric project/program continuously evolves, ensuring that products, services, and processes align with customer expectations. Ultimately, being customer-centric means anticipating and addressing customer needs proactively.

 

Combining Customer-Centricity with the Agile Way of Working

Agile methodology is a flexible, iterative approach to software development that focuses on delivering value to customers in small increments. It promotes collaboration, continuous feedback, and continuous improvement, ensuring that the end product meets customer needs and expectations. Agile's core values and principles emphasise individuals and interactions, working software, customer collaboration, and responding to change. This makes it an ideal methodology for customer-centricity, as it puts the customer at the centre of the design and development process.

 

Customer Needs vs. Organisational Needs

Understanding what your customer needs is one thing; delivering it is another. There will always be limitations on delivering exactly what the customer needs, as organisational needs are equally important. To balance customer needs and organisational needs, it’s key to pivot on what the customer wants and try to find a solution to your customer’s real problem. This ensures you deliver a solution that is fit for purpose and meets your customer needs. However, if an organisation's needs seem to differ from customer needs, focus on what really matters to your customer and deprioritise other things so you achieve the right balance with limitations or other organisational constraints. Ultimately, it’s also about delivering ROI.

 

Webinar & Guides

If you would like to find out more information on Customer-Centric Agile, we have created some material that you will find useful:

Webinar: Customer-Centric Agile Webinar

Downloadable guide: Customer-Centric Agile Guide