Workflows can be disrupted at any moment in a fast-paced environment, forcing quick adaptation to new conditions and fluctuating deadlines. As changes arise and expectations shift, team members must be on the same page to ensure successful execution of work.
The MyUPMC team at UPMC Enterprises is no stranger to the fast-paced environment – they constantly balance the need for new features, perform quality assurance, and make advancements in the MyUPMC app, a secure online portal that helps patients manage and access health information.
With over 60% of UPMC patients using the MyUPMC platform to view test results, schedule appointments, renew prescriptions, and more, the MyUPMC team works to make the user experience as seamless as possible.
In fact, they use a specific, custom-built framework for their organizational strategy: Agile.
This agile framework built by MyUPMC is now managed specifically by the MyUPMC Agility Team – this group of experts became part of the MyUPMC team about five years ago to design and manage a custom-built agile software delivery framework for the MyUPMC feature delivery teams. They took different facets of the Agile framework, including Scrum, Kanban, and Lean, and created their own user guide.
The rationale behind agile practices is to establish a more effective process for building software that is better aligned with the needs of both the business and the end-users.
Therefore, adapting to change, learning from prior experiences, and encouraging continuous improvement has proven essential when working in the software development field.
Below is a guideline of best practices from the team for implementing agile practices into their daily workflow to remain efficient and organized:
- Ensure processes are centered around customer/stakeholder feedback, which is fueled by iterative and incremental delivery of working software.
- Facilitate and promote enhanced transparency and communication among teams to yield meaningful collaboration where teams are empowered to make decisions move forward.
- Identify risks and potential areas of failure earlier to simplify course correction without sacrificing efficient and predictable project delivery.
- Learn from prior victories as well as previous frustrations through transparent retrospection to continuously improve.
By breaking down the development process into smaller, more manageable pieces, teams can focus on delivering value to the customer more quickly and better understand evolving needs.
Ultimately, the MyUPMC team believes in the power of data, cross-functional teams, iterative development, and regular feedback loops to drive innovation, accelerate time-to-market, and optimize value delivery. The Agility Team plays a critical role in ensuring everyone stays organized in a fast-paced environment.
Learn more about MyUPMC and the strategic goals of the consumer digital platform here.
