Flow Maturity

Introduction

Achieve optimal flow by gradually moving through each Flow Maturity level — start delivering value faster, gaining customer feedback, and increasing efficiency.

 

Flow Maturity Levels

There are five Flow Maturity levels:

  1. Integrated Flow: Integrate work across different applications, so at least some ideas can make an impact

  2. Visible Flow: Provide visibility of progress, so teams can make decisions based on data

  3. Predictable Flow: Make the work predictable, so dependent teams can work efficiently

  4. Aligned Flow: Align work with strategic objectives, so teams work towards the right outcomes

  5. Optimal Flow: Apply intelligent automations, so organizations can scale and respond to new challenges

Learn more details below.

 

Level 1: Integrated Flow

Objective

The objective at this level is for organizations to integrate work across different applications, so at least some ideas can make an impact.

Flow Maturity

At this Flow Maturity level:

  • Capacity planning is based on individual manager estimates
  • Progress is unknown until completion
  • Teams estimate finish dates
  • Value delivery (work completion) is unpredictable

Management Focus

  • Count the number of features completed in a period
  • Have teams optimize their own work

Benefits

  • Teams work in their preferred tools
  • Integrations (Hub) provide data consistency
  • Completion is measurable

Key Actions and Deliverables

  • Adopt key flow concepts: value, flow, value streams, business outcomes, OKRs
  • Select product value stream(s) and define longer term adoption plan (flow journey)
  • Define the value of visibility
  • Validate the correctness and consistency of data in underlying system(s)
  • Complete product value stream Flow Modeling

Next Steps

 

Level 2: Visible Flow

Objective

The objective at this level is for organizations to have visibility into work progress so that teams can make decisions based on data.

Flow Maturity

At this Flow Maturity level:

  • Time to value, productivity become visible 
  • Capacity planning is based on metrics
  • Incremental progress, including waste and bottlenecks, becomes visible
  • Different types of work become visible

Management Focus

  • Manage above the team level with metrics, not estimates
  • Manage all types of work (features, defects, risks, debt)
  • Find and eliminate waste and bottlenecks

Benefits

  • Knowing improvement potential, where to focus efforts, and how to measure results
  • First overall view of enterprise transformation progress

Key Actions and Deliverables

  • Define business outcomes
  • Identify and understand time-to-value (Flow Time) and productivity (Flow Velocity®)
  • Identify waiting time and bottlenecks (Flow Efficiency®)
  • Identify time spent on features, defects, risks, and technical debt (Flow Distribution®)
  • Identify WIP/planned work (Flow Load®)
  • Formulate a set of improvement hypotheses, flow journey, and business case
  • Limit work in progress, if needed, to attain predictability

Next Steps

  • Level 3: Predictable Flow
    • Flow is predictable (i.e., work completes as planned)
  • Flow Optimization
    • Common problems are addressed and Flow is optimized

 

 

Level 3: Predictable Flow

Objective

The objective at this level is to make the work predictable so that dependent teams can plan work efficiently.

Flow Maturity

At this Flow Maturity level:

  • Work completes as predicted by Flow Time
  • Upstream processes (adding to the work) and downstream dependencies are balanced
  • Smaller planning contingency required for downstream activities

Management Focus

  • Keep the system stable by continuing to manage inputs and outputs
  • Design and implement flow improvements to align with Flow Framework® Business Results

Benefits

  • Improvements are durable since the flow has been stabilized
  • Improvement investments can be justified
  • Dependency commitments are reliable

Key Actions and Deliverables

  • Implement flow improvements, including:
    • Reduce or eliminate wait states through work process redefinition
    • Introduce automations to eliminate manual steps
    • Re-prioritize Flow Distribution® according to the product value stream lifecycle stage
    • Re-allocate resources to relieve bottlenecks
    • Reduce or eliminate dependencies
  • Introduce culture of improvement — find and highlight process champions
  • Calibrate product value streams with the project to product transformation model
  • Connect strategy to delivery to ensure alignment on business results

Next Steps

  • Level 4: Aligned Flow
    • Value delivery meets the stated goals for Flow Metrics and Flow Framework® Business Outcomes

 

Level 4: Aligned Flow

Objective

The objective at this level is for organizations to align their work with strategic objectives so that teams work towards the right outcomes.

Flow Maturity

At this Flow Maturity level:

  • Work meets identified Flow Framework Business Results (cost, value, quality, and happiness)
  • Improvement continues to require manual oversight for each product value stream

Management Focus

  • Scale improvements through changes in organization, standardization of flow management policies, and automation of flow actions

Benefits

  • Value streams are meeting their individual objectives
  • Enterprise transformation efforts can be refocused on underperforming value streams

Key Actions and Deliverables

  • Board-level dashboards with Flow Metrics and business outcomes
  • Bi-directional strategy to delivery alignment.
  • Expand business results to incorporate alignment with other systems such as financials
  • Decide broader policies for flow management
  • Gain organizational buy in for affected parties
  • Deploy flow actions to implement policies
  • Cross-value stream insights from data science

Next Steps

  • Level 5: Optimal Flow
    • Management actions are automated 

 

Level 5: Optimal Flow

Objective

The objective at this level is for organizations to apply intelligent automations so that they can scale and respond to new challenges.

Flow Maturity

At this Flow Maturity level:

  • Standards and automations ensure day-to-day compliance with Flow standards at scale
  • Data driven continuous improvement culture drives down waste and inefficiency
  • Value stream management is a core part of the management system at all organization levels

Management Focus

  • Management and teams focus on exceptions and innovations

Benefits

  • Teams have achieved highest output

Key Actions and Deliverables

  • Continuously analyze exceptions, redesign policies, and improve automations
  • Advance business outcomes objectives based on new capabilities

Next Steps

  • Expand the transformation journey

 

 

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