PJM 405 - M4 - CT (1)

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Colorado State University, Global Campus *

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405

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Management

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Jun 1, 2024

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docx

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8

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1 Option #2: Agile Teams in a Collocated Environment Allesandra Wachendorf CSU Global PJM 405 Fundamentals of Agile Methodologies Dr. Susan Weese 04/14/2024
2 Agile Teams in a Collocated Environment The following paper will discuss the correlation between collocated teams and the success of agile projects. Starbucks cafes are a great example of an agile team that is collocated and a key component to the success of the Starbucks brand. While colocation comes with challenges there are also key benefits that result from the environment. Additionally, the essay will highlight some attributes of collocation that contribute to the success of the agile environment. Organization Overview Starbucks cafes are a wonderful example of an agile team. Although the standard objective is delivering quality beverages to customers, the day to day can vary and it is important that the baristas can be flexible to adapt to the conditions. The cafes are built around collocated teams; meaning the team is in the same location working together. “ Co-location involves placing many or all of the most active team members in the same physical location to enhance their ability to perform as a team (Goebel, 2009)”, typically collocated agile teams sizes from three to nine members. “Since agile teams are self-managing, team members decide the roles each team member will have and are fully dedicated to the team. Agile team members embrace the core values of communication, simplicity, feedback, courage, and respect” (CSU Global, 2024). Colocated Challenges & Resolutions Colocation can bring obstacles that can be tough to avoid or mitigate. Some of these challenges include, but are not limited to the team size, the amount of distractions, and the inability to flex between a dispersed and colocation environment when faced with unforeseen external forces, such as, the Covid-19 pandemic. The following will touch on the mentioned challenges and possible solutions.
3 Team Size The agile team size is typically smaller. According to the PMI, 12 is the ideal number of team members for this environment. A Starbucks cafe typically employs more than 12 people, but due to their store hours they spread out the time baristas come to work. This scheduling resolution works perfectly for Starbucks because of the size constraints put on most of their locations. Through personal experience in a drive through and cafe store, the best days consisted of three bar baristas, two people at the register, one person on food, and one person who was in a “flex” role. By having the smaller team on the floor, they are able to maneuver around one another and provide excellent service without adding unnecessary costs to the organization. Team Environment The Starbucks team culture is very focused on making people feel seen and valued, it is a culture of family. With this in mind it is easy to goof around and lose track of the goal of providing quality products in a quick manner. According to a survey held by CareerBuilder, “27 percent mentioned co-workers stopping by to chat as their biggest productivity killers” (Calero- Holmes, 2024, para 3). This can have a significant impact on the progress of projects, and leaves room for positive changes to help mitigate distractions. Starbucks is able to mitigate this during their peak time by setting clear expectations and building a culture around supporting and uplifting one another. Covid-19 Pandemics such as COVID-19, can have catastrophic impacts on business operations that are solely colocated. A lot of small businesses were forced to shut down for an extended period of time and some eventually went out of business. However, this pandemic did have an impact on the way Starbucks started scheduling. With the agile mindset Starbucks adjusted to overcome
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