My Journey as an Agile Team Coach at BSH Home Appliances: Supporting Global Data Teams

" For the past two years, I had the privilege of working as an Agile Team Coach at BSH Home Appliances, supporting five diverse teams involved in data analysis. The journey was both challenging and rewarding, with team members from Germany, Poland, India, and Spain, bringing unique perspectives to our collaborative efforts.” - Alberto Golmar

A Global Collaboration

One of the most exciting aspects of this experience was working with teams spread across multiple countries. Our teams were a blend of data analysts and engineers, each bringing a unique skill set. The diversity of nationalities enriched our problem-solving approaches, as we navigated cultural differences to create a harmonious and effective working environment.

Scaling Agile with SAFe

We adopted the SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) methodology to ensure alignment across these geographically distributed teams. A key part of this process was organizing three on-site PI (Program Increment) Plannings in Munich, Warsaw, and Vienna. These sessions were instrumental in setting priorities, resolving dependencies, and building trust among team members who usually collaborated remotely. Each PI planning session was a powerhouse of collaboration, alignment, and energy, setting the tone for the work ahead.

Overcoming Challenges and Embracing Growth

Working with global teams always comes with its challenges—time zones, communication barriers, and cultural differences were just some of the hurdles we faced. However, with the right facilitation, workshops, and a focus on fostering an open communication culture, we not only overcame these challenges but also helped the teams grow and thrive. Conflict resolution, effective use of tools like Jira and Confluence, and the implementation of both Scrum and Kanban methodologies played a crucial role in achieving this.

Reflection

Looking back, the most rewarding part of this experience was witnessing the growth of individuals and teams. What began as a group of talented individuals transformed into highly collaborative and efficient teams, aligned on both their goals and values.