apple agile case study

How Apple Is Organized for Innovation

It’s about experts leading experts. by Joel M. Podolny and Morten T. Hansen

Summary .   

When Steve Jobs returned to Apple, in 1997, it had a conventional structure for a company of its size and scope. It was divided into business units, each with its own P&L responsibilities. Believing that conventional management had stifled innovation, Jobs laid off the general managers of all the business units (in a single day), put the entire company under one P&L, and combined the disparate functional departments of the business units into one functional organization. Although such a structure is common for small entrepreneurial firms, Apple—remarkably—retains it today, even though the company is nearly 40 times as large in terms of revenue and far more complex than it was in 1997. In this article the authors discuss the innovation benefits and leadership challenges of Apple’s distinctive and ever-evolving organizational model in the belief that it may be useful for other companies competing in rapidly changing environments.

Apple is well-known for its innovations in hardware, software, and services. Thanks to them, it grew from some 8,000 employees and $7 billion in revenue in 1997, the year Steve Jobs returned, to 137,000 employees and $260 billion in revenue in 2019. Much less well-known are the organizational design and the associated leadership model that have played a crucial role in the company’s innovation success.

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A Case Study: How DevOps Plays a Role at Apple Headquarters

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Continuous updates and features are key to delivering a consistent and reliable user experience. Software companies need to go the extra mile to compete long-term and build strong relationships with their user base. This is where DevOps comes in.  

DevOps is a culture philosophy and agile methodology that combines development and operations. It’s clear that DevOps has a strong presence over at Apple headquarters; on any given day, you’ll find plenty of DevOps engineers positions listed on the Apple market.  

In a LinkedIn post, the company stated, “We are passionate about continuously improving the way we enable the software development lifecycle and push the envelope to reimagine cutting edge solutions to engineering problems of scale.”  

Here’s how DevOps plays a role over at Apple—from its early heyday to modern times.  

Apple’s Minimum Viable Product

Apple has had a lengthy reputation for its secretive nature, which makes it difficult to understand what’s happening behind closed doors in Cupertino. However, you can make some conclusions about their lean approach and agile methodology by analyzing their product history.  

For instance, Steve Wozniak built the first Apple computer as a minimum viable device—aesthetically, it resembled more a typewriter than a modern computer.  

Since then, the product has gone through a vast number of iterations and code changes.

At the time, however, there were no solid DevOps tools on the market. Integration tools from companies like JFrog weren’t yet in place, and Kubernetes and Helm were far from inception.  

Without a structured process, Wozniak and Jobs had to take a manual route to continuous integration and continuous development. Engineer Bill Atkinson even used a Polaroid camera to take a photo of each milestone in the interface development process.  

In the book, “Revolution in the Valley: The Insanely Great Story of How the Mac Was Made,” Andy Hertzfield stated, “Instead of arguing about new software ideas, we actually tried them out by writing quick prototypes, keeping the ideas that worked best and discarding the others. We always had something running that represented our best thinking at the time.”

Leveraging the CI/CD Pipeline

Continuous integration / continuous delivery plays a key role in Apple’s software development. This practice is comprised of processes that allow teams to push code changes quicker, re-enforce code integrity and security, and automate build and deployment steps.  

There’s no doubt that Apple utilizes this agile methodology. In 2018, they acquired BuddyBuild , a CI/CD service for mobile apps. With this tool, developers are able to build a smoother workflow in terms application beta testing. Buddybuild was quickly rolled into Xcode, an integrated development environment for Apple’s product suite.  

The acquisition falls in line with Apple’s approach to integrating tools that build upon its software agenda, and the company has a reputation for buying smaller startups in an effort to leverage new technology. Back in 2014, they also acquired TestFlight, a beta deployment and analytics platform.

Continuous Testing

Under Tim Cook ’s management, iOS update frequency increased by 51% . Test automation helps engineers boost test coverage. Armed with support from CI/CD tools, test scripts can automatically generate builds, deploy those builds, and test them.  

Mobile features and applications have become increasingly robust and complex, requiring a more thorough and in-depth testing process. Still, bugs will inevitably slip past automation detection, even if these cracks are notably smaller than those you’d find in a software company that relied on traditional forms of siloed testing. Apple needs to consistently release quick patches when major bugs—and even small vulnerabilities—are discovered.  

With these key factors in mind, testing is arguably an important part of the DevOps process, and indeed one of the most notable benefits of implementing DevOps in the first place. And when it comes to software with multiple iterations and nuances, there’s no denying that automated testing—coupled with a much smaller percentage of manual testing—is key.  

For instance, when Apple hosted its WWDC conference in San Jose in June 2018, they announced that iOS 12 would be compatible with devices dating back to 2013. This was big news for the tech giant, who has received backlash regarding old devices no longer working and increasing pressure to invest in newer devices for a better user experience. This meant that DevOps teams would have to expand their testing capabilities to include running new operating systems on older devices. With this expanded testing environment grounded in DevOps, Apple became better positioned to run programs flawlessly regardless of the device.  

News content on AppleMagazine.com is produced by our editorial team and complements more in-depth editorials which you’ll find as part of our weekly publication. AppleMagazine.com provides a comprehensive daily reading experience, offering a wide view of the consumer technology landscape to ensure you're always in the know. Check back every weekday for more.

Editorial Team | Masthead – AppleMagazine Digital Publication

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Is apple truly 'agile'.

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Thanks to Adam Lashinsky's terrific new book, Inside Apple, which I reviewed here yesterday , we now know. Apple is Agile.

Apple’s Product Owner

It was obvious even from the outside that Steve Jobs was the supreme Product Owner in the Scrum terminology. He was the one who designed what would delight the customer.

Lashinsky confirms: “Apple designed for Steve,” a former Apple software engineer said. “It is not an exaggeration. Steve was the user that everything orbited around and was designed for.”  The biggest challenge Apple faces is to find a new product owner, probably a group of them, not just one.

Keeping teams small

Agile is about doing work in small teams. One of the biggest problems Google [GOOG] has had is keeping teams small . This is where Apple has shone.

Lashinsky notes: Apple frequently assigns major projects to small groups. For example, just two engineers wrote the code for converting Apple’s Safari browser for the iPad, a massive undertaking.

Clear responsibility

The notion of responsibility, a key Agile value, is enshrined at Apple in a company acronym, the DRI. It stands for “Directly Responsible Individual,” and it is the person on any given assignment who will be called on the carpet if something isn’t done right.

Working in short, iterative cycles

Lashinsky's book doesn’t discuss how software development is managed, but the manufacturing is very Scrum-like.

EPMs and GSMs at Apple are based in Cupertino, but they spend much of their time in China, where Apple contracts with Chinese manufacturers to build its computers and mobile devices… … once Apple is done designing, building, and testing a product it starts designing, building, and testing all over again. This “overt rhythm,” in the words of a former Apple engineer, culminates every four to six weeks with a gathering of key employees at a factory in China. An engineering program manager, whose job it is to pull together the various hardware and software engineers who contribute to a product, will typically bring the latest beta version back to Cupertino for senior executives to see—and then get right back on a plane for China to repeat the process.

No middle managers

Under Sculley, Apple had grown bureaucratic. Multiple committees existed to address various corporate imperatives. Among its managerial ranks, fiefdoms had arisen, each with budgeting power and sometimes-competing agendas.

“What was wrong with Apple wasn’t individual contributors,” Jobs said. “We had to get rid of about four thousand middle managers. Good technical people stepped up to become managers.”

Keeping the money-men at bay

By insulating all but a few employees from the profit-and-loss figures as well as using an extreme form of accountability, Apple has created a work environment where employees are encouraged to do great work, not save dollars.

Under Steve Jobs, only one executive “owned” a P&L, and that was the chief financial officer. By creating a system whereby only a financial executive would mind the budget, Jobs forced functional executives to focus on their strengths.

An Agile organization

Ultimately, the Agile Manifesto is not about a particular process, but rather a set of values that was built on a respect for competence and that brings out the best in people. In this sense, Apple is truly Agile.

____________

Steve Denning ’s most recent book is: The Leader’s Guide to Radical Management (Jossey-Bass, 2010).

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Apple’s Product Development Process – Inside the World’s Greatest Design Organization

Apple’s Product Development Process may be one of the most successful design processes ever implemented. With a valuation that exceeds $2 trillion, there’s a lot that designers can learn from Apple and introduce into their own design environments.

Apple is a notoriously secretive business. In Steve Jobs’ time at the company it would have been near impossible to find out about the internal workings of the business. This isn’t surprising when a business’s market advantage is its design approach. It’s worth keeping it under wraps.

However, Adam Lashinsky, the author of Inside Apple: How America’s most Admired and Secretive Company Really Works has been given a look at the process. While there are still aspects of the way that Apple works that are shrouded in secrecy, you can get a good idea of the overall high level process through this book. And in this article, we’ve distilled the key takeaways from the book.

Apple’s Product Development Process

Design is at the forefront.

Author/Copyright holder: GiuliaPiccoliTrapletti . Copyright terms and licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

How do you give designers the freedom to design and ensure that the products they produce fulfil their visions? Well at Apple they put design at the forefront.

Jony Ive, the British designer who was the Chief Design Officer (CDO) at Apple, and his design team do not report to finance, manufacturing, etc. They are given free rein to set their own budgets and are given the ability to ignore manufacturing practicalities.

At the heart of the design department is the Industrial Design Studio where only a select few Apple employees have access.

It’s a simple concept that allows for the creation of incredible products.

Design Teams are Separated From the Larger Company

When a design team works on a new product they are then cut off from the rest of the Apple business. They may even implement physical controls to prevent the team from interacting with other Apple employees during the day.

The team is also removed from the traditional Apple hierarchy at this point. They create their own reporting structures and report directly to the executive team. This leaves them free to focus on design rather than day-to-day minutiae.

A Documented Development Process

Author/Copyright holder: Ed Uthman . Copyright terms and licence: CC BY-SA 2.5

The Apple New Product Process (ANPP) information is given to a product development team when they begin work. It details every stage of the design process and it goes into elaborate detail. The idea is to define what stages the product creation team will go through, who will be responsible for delivering the final product, who works on which stage and where they work and also when the product is expected to be completed.

Monday is Review Day

The Apple Executive Team holds a regular Monday meeting to examine every single product that the company has in design phase at that point in time. This isn’t as daunting as it may sound; one of the keys to Apple’s success is that they don’t work on hundreds of new products at once. Instead, resources are concentrated on a handful of projects that are expected to bear fruit rather than being diluted over many lesser projects.

If a product cannot be reviewed at one meeting – it’s automatically at the top of the agenda for the next meeting. In practice, this should mean that every single Apple product is inspected by the executive team at least once a fortnight. This keeps delays in decision making to a minimum and enables the company to be very lean with its approach to design.

The EPM and the GSM

The EPM is the engineering program manager and the GSM is the global supply manager. Together they are known within Apple as the “EPM Mafia”. It’s their job to take over when a product moves from design to production.

As you might expect, these people are usually going to be found in China, Apple does very little of its own manufacturing. Instead it relies on contract outsourcing companies like Foxconn (one of the largest employers in the world) to do this for them. This removes much of the headache of manufacturing for Apple whilst keeping production costs as low as possible. There is a significant market advantage to this approach and its one that many other electronics manufacturers are emulating now.

The EPM Mafia may sound scary (and they probably are to the suppliers) but their real job is simply to ensure that products are delivered to market in the right way, at the right time and at the right cost. They may disagree at points but their guiding principle is to act in the interests of the product at all times.

Iteration Is Key

Like any good design company , the design process at Apple is not over when manufacturing begins. In fact, Apple iterates the design throughout manufacturing. The product is built, it’s tested and reviewed, then the design team improves on it and it’s built all over again. These cycles take 4-6 weeks at a time and may be run many times over a product’s development lifecycle.

Author/Copyright holder: CyberDoc LLC . Copyright terms and licence: Fair Use.

When production is complete the EPM will take possession of some or all of the test devices and then take them back to Apple’s headquarters at Cupertino.

This is a very costly approach but it’s one of the reasons that Apple has a reputation for quality. The more you invest in design, the more likely you are to build incredible market changing products. It’s the process that the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad went through.

The Packaging Room

This is a very-high security area in Apple and it’s where prototypes are unboxed. As you might expect, the security is to prevent leaks to the outside world. If you ever do see a leaked prototype for an Apple product – it won’t have come from here. It’s more likely to have vanished from a production line in China.

A Launch Plan

Author/Copyright holder: Manutaus. Copyright terms and licence: CC BY-SA 3.0

The final step in Apple’s product development is product launch. When the product is considered to be as good as it can be – it enters an action plan known as “the Rules of the Road”. This explains all the responsibilities and actions that must be taken prior to a commercial launch of the product.

It must be a nerve-wracking experience to be privy to the “Rules of the Road” because if you lose it or leak it… you’re immediately fired. This is explained in the document itself.

The Take Away

Apple’s process is complex, expensive and demanding. If you compare it to most business theories – it shouldn’t work. However, to date it has out-performed even the wildest of expectations.

You may not be able to emulate all of their processes within the space of your own workplace but there’s no reason that you can’t develop written processes for design phases and launch phases of your projects, for example. And, of course, there is no reason at all for you in not iterating!

The more you know about successful design processes, the more you can take some of the best aspects of them and use them to enhance your own products.

Find out all the details of the design process in: Inside Apple: How America's Most Admired--and Secretive--Company Really Works by Adam Lashinsky ISBN 97814555512157, Published January 25, 2012

And take an insight into Apple’s greatest designer’s mind in : JonyIve: The Genius Behind Apple's Greatest Products by Leander Kahney ISBN 159184617X, Published November 14, 2013

Hero Image: Author/Copyright holder: Sreejithk2000. Copyright terms and licence: Public Domain.

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How Apple Achieved a Legendary $2.98 Trillion Fortune by Outsourcing | Case Study

In the annals of technological innovation, Apple Inc. stands as a testament to what strategic decisions and visionary leadership can achieve. From its humble beginnings in a garage to becoming a three trillion-dollar behemoth, Apple’s success narrative is a tale woven with threads of innovation, design excellence, and a shrewd approach to outsourcing. In this extensive case study, we embark on a journey to dissect the intricate layers of outsourcing strategy to extract valuable lessons for businesses aiming at sustainable growth.

Apple’s evolution is a saga of perpetual reinvention. Founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne, the company started as a player in the personal computer industry. [ 1 ] Fast forward to the present day, and Apple Inc. has transformed into a global powerhouse, setting industry benchmarks and captivating consumers with its innovative products.

Table of Contents

#1: outsourcing: apple inc.’s manufacturing backbone, a: challenge: scaling up production.

As Apple Inc. ventured into the realm of consumer electronics with products like the iPhone, iPad, and MacBook, the challenge of meeting unprecedented demand emerged. In response, Apple strategically embraced outsourcing, forging key partnerships to tackle this manufacturing conundrum.

Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., emerged as Apple’s manufacturing linchpin. With its headquarters in Taiwan, Foxconn became the largest electronics contract manufacturer globally. The statistics tell a compelling story—Foxconn’s revenue in 2021 reached a staggering $214 billion, ranked 20th in the 2023 Fortune Global 500—a significant portion of which was attributed to its collaboration with Apple.

B: Benefit: Cost Savings and Efficiency

The outsourcing strategy wasn’t merely about meeting demand but a calculated move to optimize costs. According to industry reports, the cost of manufacturing an iPhone X was estimated to be around $370, with the device retailing at $999. This exemplifies the cost-effectiveness achieved through outsourcing, particularly with partners like Foxconn, renowned for their efficiency in mass production. In 2023, Apple Inc. launched the titanium-based iPhone 15 Pro Max, manufactured at $558 and currently retailing from $1199 to $1599.

#2: Leveraging Global Talent and Expertise

A: challenge: the pursuit of excellence.

Apple’s commitment to excellence extends beyond its sleek product designs to encompass the entire user experience. To provide this seamless experience, Apple Inc. strategically tapped into a global talent pool, seeking specialized expertise through outsourcing.

Beyond manufacturing, Apple’s collaboration extended to specialized components. For instance, Apple Inc. sourced its A-series chips from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), a world leader in semiconductor manufacturing. In 2022, TSMC’s revenue soared to $63 billion, a testament to its pivotal role in Apple’s supply chain.

B: Benefit: Innovation and Quality Assurance

Outsourcing to experts meant that Apple could integrate cutting-edge technology seamlessly. The A-series chips, fabricated by TSMC, consistently pushed the boundaries of performance, ensuring that Apple’s devices were aesthetically pleasing and technological marvels. This collaborative approach contributed to Apple’s reputation for innovation and quality assurance.

#3: The Design Imperative

A: challenge: nurturing creativity.

Apple’s design philosophy is synonymous with elegance and innovation. Outsourcing became a tool to liberate internal resources, allowing Apple’s design team to focus solely on what they do best—creating iconic products.

By outsourcing components and manufacturing, Apple’s in-house design team gained the freedom to innovate without being bogged down by production intricacies. Statistics reveal the impact—Apple’s design-led approach contributed to a brand value of $263.4 billion in 2022, making it the most valuable brand globally.

B: Benefit: Unleashing Creativity

This focus on design resulted in visually stunning products and fostered a culture of innovation within Apple Inc. The iPhone’s iconic design, for instance, not only captured the market but set a new standard for the entire industry. The freedom to innovate became a catalyst for Apple’s success.

#4: Outsourcing in the Digital Age

A: Challenge: Navigating the Digital Landscape

As the digital landscape evolved, Apple Inc. faced the challenge of staying at the forefront of software development. The solution lies in strategic outsourcing partnerships that complement Apple’s internal capabilities.

Apple’s collaboration extended to software development, with partnerships and acquisitions reinforcing its commitment to excellence. For instance, the acquisition of Beats Electronics in 2014 for $3 billion not only bolstered Apple’s presence in the audio industry but also brought the expertise of Beats’ software engineers into the Apple ecosystem.

B: Benefit: Software Synergy

Outsourcing software development allowed Apple to harness the collective expertise of a global talent pool. The collaborative synergy translated into user-friendly interfaces, seamless integration across devices, and a robust app ecosystem. The strategic outsourcing of software development became a key ingredient in Apple’s recipe for success in the digital age.

#5: Ethical Considerations and Corporate Responsibility

A: challenge: balancing success and responsibility.

While the outsourcing strategy contributed significantly to Apple’s success, it also brought attention to ethical considerations and corporate responsibility. Reports of challenging working conditions at some manufacturing partners prompted Apple to reevaluate its approach.

Apple’s response to these ethical concerns showcased adaptability and a commitment to responsible business practices. According to Apple’s Supplier Responsibility Progress Report in 2022, the company conducted over 1,100 supplier assessments, addressing issues related to labor practices, environmental impact, and ethical sourcing.

B: Benefit: Ethical Leadership

Addressing ethical concerns associated with outsourcing elevated Apple’s corporate image. The commitment to responsible business practices resonated with consumers and set a precedent for the industry. This ethical leadership became a crucial element in Apple’s success story.

Final Verdict: The Outsourcing Symphony

In the grand symphony of Apple’s success, outsourcing plays a pivotal role as a harmonious melody that elevates the entire composition. The strategic outsourcing of manufacturing, expertise, design, and software development has propelled Apple to unprecedented heights and is currently worth almost $3 trillion. This in-depth exploration attests to the transformative power of strategic outsourcing.

* Lessons Learned: A Call to Action

1. Strategic Partnerships : Identify and cultivate strategic outsourcing partnerships that align with your business goals and values. Partnering with industry giants like Foxconn and TSMC gave a solid foundation.

2. Focus on Core Competencies : Outsourcing allows you to concentrate on your core competencies, whether design, innovation, or marketing. As exemplified above, streamlining the design process can lead to market-leading products.

3. Global Talent Pool : Tap into a global talent pool to access specialized expertise and stay at the forefront of innovation. Partnerships with global leaders, such as TSMC in semiconductor manufacturing, were proven to be instrumental.

4. Ethical Outsourcing : Prioritize ethical considerations and corporate responsibility in your outsourcing practices to build a positive brand image. As demonstrated above, regular assessments and a commitment to transparency can set industry standards.

5. Adaptability : Be adaptable and responsive to challenges, iterating your outsourcing strategy to meet evolving demands. Responsiveness to ethical concerns showcases the importance of adaptability in sustaining success.

In the business landscape, the outsourcing symphony can be the key to sustained success. As businesses consider their growth strategies, the above case study serves as a compelling testament to the transformative power of strategic outsourcing. Embrace the symphony, conduct it with precision, and let the echoes of success reverberate through the corridors of your organization.

Get in touch with us at CodersOnFire and start outsourcing your software development projects to gain monumental success in your business.

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Outsourcing Software Projects Made IBM an Amazing $135 Billion | Case Study

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Design Thinking Case Study: Innovation at Apple

Apple is one of the leading companies that is renowned for its unique products and brand. A short talk with an Apple user reveals there is an emotional relation between consumers and Apple products , including every “i” product created in the past two decades.

Why are Apple products different from their competitors’ products? How does Apple manage to achieve innovation in its product families? Answering these questions provides interesting insight into Apple’s history and how it survived its most critical time between 1985 and 1997.

When Steve Jobs returned to Apple after being fired, the company share was only worth US $5 and its future was uncertain. Today, in 2016, Apple’s share price is around US $108 and the company achieved revenues of US $233.7 billion in 2015 with net income of US $53.39 billion.  This mini case study sheds light on the role that design thinking and innovation played in helping Steve Jobs rescue Apple with his consumer-driven strategy and vision for the company.

The Hard Times at Apple

The early days of Apple (which was cofounded by Steve Jobs on 1976) are characterized by its first personal computer that was delivered with Apple OS. During this time, Apple was dominating the market because there were no other manufacturers of this type of computer as computers were used only by governments or large companies. However, in 1985, Steve Jobs was forced to leave the company. This marked the start of a chaotic era in the company’s strategy and product development.

In the period 1985-1997, Apple struggled to achieve market success, especially after Jobs’s departure and increasing competition from other giants such as IBM, which decided to enter the PC computers market. During this period, Apple faced number of challenges including:

• Unstable strategy due to the change of executive teams
• Unclear vision about Apple’s competitive strategy, especially after IBM entered the PC market
• Unclear vision about selling OS licenses, which would put the company in competition with Windows operating system
• Large number of failed products (such as Newton PDA) and few successful ones (such as PowerBook)
• Products not unique in the market
• Confusion and uncertainty among Apple consumers, resulting from this strategy

Design Thinking to Fuel Innovation

Apple is one of the leading companies in the field of innovation and this couldn’t have happened without the company adopting design thinking . Design thinking is a solution-oriented process that is used to achieve innovation with considerations about the consumer at the heart of all development stages. Tim Brown, president and CEO of IDEO, defines design thinking as follows: “ Design thinking is a human-centered approach to innovation that draws from the designer’s toolkit to integrate the needs of people, the possibilities of technology, and the requirements for business success. ”

“Most people make the mistake of thinking design is what it looks like. People think it’s this veneer — that the designers are handed this box and told, ‘Make it look good!’ That’s not what we think design is. It’s not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” — Steve Jobs

In previous design thinking articles, we explored the different models of design thinking including the IDEO model, d.school model, and IBM design thinking  model. Most of these models share the target of achieving innovation through three main factors:

User Desirability . The product should satisfy the consumer’s needs by solving everyday problems through a user-centered process. This can be achieved through a deep understanding of the user and through an empathic design process, which can only be achieved by putting ourselves in the shoes of our consumers (using tools such as an empathic persona map ).

Market Viability . Successful products require an integrated marketing strategy that identifies the target segment and builds the product brand in accordance with this target segment. Tools such as the business model canvas can help our understanding of the project and create a business strategy for it. Also, tools such as the SWOT analysis allows us to understand the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the specified product.

Technology Possibility . Technology provides state-of-art tools for designers to innovate and build products that meet today’s needs. Technology should be adopted through the development process, including the prototyping stage where a visual presentation of the product is made to the team.

Think Different!

After Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997 (upon Apple’s acquisition NeXT), he started to apply the design thinking characteristics discussed above, which reflected his vision for Apple products. The vision discussed below was used to form Apple’s strategy from 1997 until today. Steve Jobs applied design thinking by focusing on:

• People’s needs and desires, rather than only the needs of the business
• Building empathy by helping people to love Apple products
• The design rather than the engineering work; designers consider both the form and the function of the product
• Building simple yet user-friendly products rather than complex hard-to-use products

The vision characterized above can be clearly identified in modern Apple products. Although other competitors focus on the features and product capabilities, Apple focuses on a holistic user experience.  For example, the iMac is renowned for being quiet, having a quick wake-up, better sound, and a high-quality display. This vision was formed in Apple’s development strategy that includes:

Excellence in Execution

In this part, Steve tended to improve the execution process by closing 2 divisions, eliminating 70% of the new products and focusing on the higher potential products, reducing the product lines from 15 to just 3, and shutting facilities to move manufacturing outside the company. Apple also launched a website for direct sale of its products and started to take an interest in materials and how products are manufactured within a consumer-driven culture.

Platform Strategy

Apple streamlined their product portfolio to a family of products that can be produced  much more quickly while keeping the existing design elements. Also, the company targeted product that require less repair and maintenance.

Iterative Customer Involvement

The consumer experience should be integrated into the design and development stages through participating in usability testing. Also, the design for interfaces should focus on the user experience.

Beautiful Products

In addition to the function of the product, the form should beautiful, which can be achieved through continuous innovation and development. Apple also focused on the materials and manufacturing process and took a bold approach to trying new ideas rather than sticking with the ordinary design forms.

Apple’s history with innovation provides a clear lesson about how design and innovation can turn company failure to market success and a leading position in a competitive market. Design thinking helped Apple to innovate while placing their consumers at the heart of the process. The period that Steve Jobs was absent from Apple demonstrates that copying others and lacking a clear innovation strategy can lead companies directly from success to failure. On the other hand, innovation can definitely help build a successful business.

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Dr Rafiq Elmansy

As an academic and author, I've had the privilege of shaping the design landscape. I teach design at the University of Leeds and am the Programme Leader for the MA Design, focusing on design thinking, design for health, and behavioural design. I've developed and taught several innovative programmes at Wrexham Glyndwr University, Northumbria University, and The American University in Cairo. I'm also a published book author and the proud founder of Designorate.com, a platform that has been instrumental in fostering design innovation. My expertise in design has been recognised by prestigious organizations. I'm a fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA), the Design Research Society (FDRS), and an Adobe Education Leader. Over the course of 20 years, I've had the privilege of working with esteemed clients such as the UN, World Bank, Adobe, and Schneider, contributing to their design strategies. For more than 12 years, I collaborated closely with the Adobe team, playing a key role in the development of many Adobe applications.

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these things is very useful and motivation and thinking about ideas to solve the problems

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The Lean Post / Articles / How Lean is Apple?

Executive Leadership

How Lean is Apple?

By Tom Ehrenfeld

December 20, 2020

Apple may not worship at the altar of lean, but a close look at its operations and strategy show clear resonance with established lean principles.

Let’s begin by noting that the very question driving this article is fundamentally unanswerable; and I hope to avoid any type of retroactive appellation (Apple-ation?) tied to fixed categories of what comprises “Lean” today. This type of premise too frequently trolls lean followers into an unproductive battle to define and to establish intellectual ownership over Lean Orthodoxy.

That said, here are some core Apple practices that overlap with established lean principles (N.B. this article was researched without (alas, covid) being able to actually visit any meaningful Apple gemba .) Above all, the challenge is to assess how well known Apple practices illuminate best practices that can fairly be called lean.

John Shook tackles this question in his elegy for Steve Jobs :

“Steve Jobs and Henry Ford are important not because of any specific technical invention. Far more importantly, Jobs in his era and Ford in his grasped the social and  technical situations of their respective eras so deeply and thoroughly that they were able to integrate product,  process , and even business model in ways that were transformative for their customers, companies … even the world. One of Jobs famous quotes was, “Stay hungry, stay foolish.” Never be satisfied, always have fun. Sounds pretty lean to me.

Of course, whether or not Steve Jobs was lean is not an important question. But, how we think about that question may say a lot about what we think lean is.” 

Cook has followed the mercurial path blazed by Jobs by methodically multiplying the company’s value with humble yet brilliant improvement.

Note that one of the most significant facts about Apple leadership is that current CEO Tim Cook, who took the reins following Steve Jobs, was trained as an industrial engineer. Full stop. Trained, that is, to be “ concerned with the optimization of complex processes, or organizations by developing, improving and implementing integrated systems of people, money, knowledge, information, equipment, energy and materials .” He has followed the mercurial path blazed by Jobs (who I consider one of the greatest innovator/entrepreneurs of the past century) by carefully and methodically multiplying the company’s value with humble yet brilliant improvement.

Since Cook took over in 2011, the company’s revenue and profit have more than doubled, while its market capitalization has soared from $348 billion to just north of $2 trillion. It has more than $80 billion in cash on hand, and has returned nearly $500 billion to shareholders. All while maintaining its dominant leadership in technology, design; and the intersection of the two.  

So what’s lean about its approach?

Another key aspect of Apple’s strategy is found in the basic “release and then iterate” approach to its products.

Passionate Intensity About The Small Stuff

For starters, the company is fueled by a passionate intensity about technical minutiae . LEI senior advisor Jim Morgan sees deep resonance with LPPD in this facet of Apple’s approach to developing new products and processes. They are “obsessed with the ability to make things and to integrate that with their design knowledge,” he says. Apple’s famed product design leader Jonny Ive embodied the company’s obsessive desire to understand deeply the technical elements of new products and art of the possible—reportedly visiting a Japanese Katana maker in order to discover “first principle” knowledge to apply to Apple’s challenges with materials such as the metal casing for its laptops. This towering technical competence manifests in the shaping of metal of its iPhones and even the forming of the 47 by 10 feet curved windows in its 2.8 million square foot headquarters in Cupertino, Ca.  

Another key aspect of its strategy is found in the basic “ release and then iterate ” approach to its products. “Incremental is revolutionary for Apple,” says former employee Chris Deaver in a recent WSJ article: “Once they enter a category with a simply elegant solution, they can start charting the course and owning that space.” The company has demonstrated genius in creating new market spaces and then inexporably growing them. 

Let’s compare this with a bread-and-butter tactic from Toyota (who, for the sake of argument, can be safely called “lean,”) which has a history of introducing and then methodically improving popular models. As noted in a previous Lean Post article on Kanban as a Learning Strategy , the company developed successive generations of the Corolla much like Apple’s iPhone over the years. While annual adjustments were not always dramatic, the cumulative changes over the years were transformative.

Apple’s “fundamental belief is that those with the most expertise and experience in a domain should have decision rights that domain.”

The company is also notably organized for innovation.  This month’s Harvard Business Review features a terrific article by Joel Podolny and Morten Hansen on How Apple is Organized for Innovation . Apple is organized around functions, the authors explain, meaning that expertise aligns with decision rights. Leaders are cross-functionally collaborative and deeply knowledgeable about details. The key here is a philosophy of “experts leading experts” that enables decisions to be made by people who are deeply intimate with product and technical details, as opposed to general managers armed with MBAs.

Decisions, in short, are based on responsibility rather than authority—a key aspect of a lean approach.

Experts Leading Experts

Apple’s “fundamental belief is that those with the most expertise and experience in a domain should have decision rights that domain,” note the authors. This simple truth may seem obvious to anyone who has not earned an MBA, and informs the operating system at lean companies. As noted by John Shook in Managing to Learn , “Lean managers focus on responsibility and ownership, which means keying on ‘doing the right thing,’ as opposed to authority, which deals with who has the right  to make certain decisions.”

The disciplined application of this principle has also maintained a relatively effective corps of upper management. The company grew from 17,000 to 137,000 employees from 2006 to 2019, yet the number of VPs during that time merely doubled. Such growth calls to mind a rarely-discussed point about Toyota, which is that it developed innovations such as hoshin kanri as a way to apply lean thinking to the very structure of its managerial apparatus—reducing staff to only what was needed, and helping, say, delaying decisions as a means of making better cars faster.

All of this has resulted in greater (indeed, compounding) value for the customer over time . Okay, with a nod to attribution bias on the part of this unabashed fanboy, I believe that over decades Apple has delivered superior products that have consistently delivered elegant (dare I say lean) solutions to problems both known—and unknown. I have had to forgive the company for its arrogant decisions to abandon perfectly good technologies (farewell optical drive, adieu Lightning port) long before their expiration date, but time generally proves the wisdom of these choices for the user.

In short, the company has thrived with its relentless pursuit of perfection , consistently delivering products that have delighted its customers. Again, spoken as loyal fan. And yet I find this basic fulfillment of an ambitious promise central to the heart of lean.

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About Tom Ehrenfeld

Tom Ehrenfeld is a writer and editor living in Cambridge, MA. A former writer/editor with Inc. Magazine and Harvard Business Review, he is the author of The Startup Garden: How Growing A Business Grows You. He works as a consulting editor for LEI and with many other lean authors. Nine of his edited books have won the Shingo Research…

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Agile Case Studies: Examples Across Various Industires

Home Blog Agile Agile Case Studies: Examples Across Various Industires

Agile methodologies have gained significant popularity in project management and product development. Various industries have successfully applied Agile principles, showcasing experiences, challenges, and benefits. Case studies demonstrate Agile's versatility in software development, manufacturing, and service sectors. These real-world examples offer practical insights into Agile implementation, challenges faced, and strategies to overcome them. Agile case studies provide valuable inspiration for implementing these methodologies in any project, regardless of the organization's size or industry.

Who Uses Agile Methodology?

Agile methodology is used by a wide variety of organizations, including:

• Software development companies use Agile to improve collaboration, increase flexibility, and deliver high-quality software incrementally.
• IT departments use agile to manage and execute projects efficiently, respond to changing requirements, and deliver value to stakeholders in a timely manner.
• Startups use agile to quickly adapt to market changes and iterate on product development based on customer feedback.
• Marketing and advertising agencies use agile to enhance campaign management, creative development, and customer engagement strategies.
• Product development teams use agile to iterate, test, and refine their designs and manufacturing processes.
• Project management teams use agile to enhance project execution, facilitate collaboration, and manage complex projects with changing requirements.
• Retail companies use agile to develop new marketing campaigns and improve their website and e-commerce platform.

Agile Case Study Examples

1. moving towards agile: managing loxon solutions.

Following is an Agile case study in banking:

Loxon Solutions, a Hungarian technology startup in the banking software industry, faced several challenges in its journey towards becoming an agile organization. As the company experienced rapid growth, it struggled with its hiring strategy, organizational development, and successful implementation of agile practices. 

How was it solved:

Loxon Solutions implemented a structured recruitment process with targeted job postings and rigorous interviews to attract skilled candidates. They restructured the company into cross-functional teams, promoting better collaboration. Agile management training and coaching were provided to all employees, with online courses playing a crucial role. Agile teams with trained Scrum Masters and Product Owners were established, and agile ceremonies like daily stand-ups were introduced to enhance collaboration and transparency.

2. Contributions of Entrepreneurial Orientation in the Use of Agile Methods in Project Management

This Agile project management case study aims to analyze the degree of contribution of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) in the use of agile methods (AM) in project management. The study focuses on understanding how EO influences the adoption and effectiveness of agile methods within organizations. Through a detailed case study, we explore the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and Agile methods, shedding light on the impact of entrepreneurial behaviors on project management practices.

A technology consulting firm faced multiple challenges in project management efficiency and responsiveness to changing client requirements. This specific problem was identified because of the limited use of Agile methods in project management, which hindered the company's ability to adapt quickly and deliver optimal outcomes.

Entrepreneurial orientation (EO) is a multidimensional construct that describes the extent to which an organization engages in entrepreneurial behaviors. The technology firm acknowledged the significance of entrepreneurial orientation in promoting agility and innovation in project management. 

The five dimensions of Entreprenurial orientation were applied across the organization.

• Cultivating Innovativeness: The technology consulting firm encouraged a culture of innovativeness and proactiveness, urging project teams to think creatively, identify opportunities, and take proactive measures. 
• Proactiveness: Employees were empowered to generate new ideas, challenge traditional approaches, and explore alternative solutions to project challenges. This helped them to stay ahead of the competition and to deliver the best possible results for their customers.
• Encouraging Risk-Taking: The organization promoted a supportive environment that encouraged calculated risk-taking and autonomy among project teams. Employees were given the freedom to make decisions and take ownership of their projects, fostering a sense of responsibility and accountability.
• Autonomy: Agile teams were given the autonomy to make decisions and take risks. This helped them to be more innovative and to deliver better results.
• Nurturing Competitive Aggressiveness: The technology firm instilled a competitive aggressiveness in project teams, motivating them to strive for excellence and deliver superior results.

3. Improving Team Performance and Engagement

How do you ensure your team performs efficiently without compromising on quality? Agile is a way of working that focuses on value to the customer and continuous improvement. Integrating Agile in your work will not only make the team efficient but will also ensure quality work. Below is a case study that finds how agile practices can help teams perform better.

The problem addressed in this case study is the need to understand the relationship between the Agile way of working and improving team performance and engagement. We see that teams often face challenges in their daily work. It could be a slow turnover due to bad time management, compromised quality due to lack of resources, or in general lack of collaboration. In the case study below, we will understand how adopting agile practices makes teams work collaboratively, improve quality and have a customer-focused approach to work.

How it was Solved:

A number of factors mediated the relationship between agile working and team performance and engagement. 

• Create a culture of trust and transparency. Agile teams need to be able to trust each other and share information openly. This will help to create a sense of collaboration and ownership. This in turn can lead to increased performance and engagement. 
• Foster communication and collaboration. Effective communication within the team and with stakeholders helps everyone be on the same page.
• Empower team members. Agile teams need to be empowered to make decisions and to take risks. 
• Provide regular feedback. Team members need to receive regular feedback on their performance. This helps them to identify areas where they need improvement. 
• Celebrate successes. By celebrating successes, both big and small, team members are motivated. This in turn creates a positive work environment. 
• Provide training and development opportunities. help the team to stay up to date on the latest trends and to improve their skills. 
• Encourage continuous improvement: Promoting a culture of continuous improvement helps the team to stay ahead of the competition and to deliver better results for their customers. 

It was concluded that agile ways of working can have a positive impact on employee engagement and team performance. Teams that used agile methods were more likely to report high levels of performance and engagement.

4. $65 Million Electric Utility Project Completed Ahead of Schedule and Under Budget

Xcel Energy faced a significant challenge in meeting the Reliability Need required by the Southwest Power Pool in New Mexico. The company had committed to constructing a new 34-mile, 345-kilovolt transmission line within a strict budget of $65 million and a specific timeline. Additionally, the project had to adhere to Bureau of Land Management (BLM) environmental requirements. These constraints posed a challenge to Xcel Energy in terms of project management and resource allocation.

A PM Solutions consultant with project management and utility industry experience was deployed to Xcel Energy.

The PM Solutions consultant deployed to Xcel adapted to the organization's structure and processes, integrating into the Project Management functional organization. He utilized years of project management and utility industry experience to provide valuable insights and guidance.

• Collaborative and social skills were used to address roadblocks and mitigate risks.
• Focused on identifying and addressing roadblocks and risks to ensure timely project delivery.
• Vendor, design, and construction meetings were organized to facilitate communication and collaboration.
• Monitored and expedited long-lead equipment deliveries to maintain project schedule.
• Design and Construction milestones and commitments were closely monitored through field visits.
• Actively tracked estimates, actual costs, and change orders to control project budget.
• Assisted functional areas in meeting their commitments and resolving challenges.

The project was completed eleven days ahead of schedule and approximately $4 million under budget. The management team recognized the project as a success since it went as planned, meeting all technical and quality requirements. 

5. Lean product development and agile project management in the construction industry

The construction industry, specifically during the design stage, has not widely embraced Lean Project Delivery (LPD) and Agile Project Management (APM) practices. This limited adoption delays the industry's progress in enhancing efficiency, productivity, and collaboration in design.

• Integrated project delivery and collaborative contracts: Collaborative contracts were implemented to incentivize teamwork and shared project goals, effectively breaking down silos and fostering a collaborative culture within the organization.
• Lean principles in design processes: Incorporating Lean principles into design processes was encouraged to promote lean thinking and identify non-value-adding activities, bottlenecks, and process inefficiencies. 
• Agile methodologies and cross-functional teams: Agile methodologies and cross-functional teams were adopted to facilitate iterative and adaptive design processes. 
• Digital tools and technologies: The organization embraced digital tools and technologies, such as collaborative project management software, Building Information Modeling (BIM), and cloud-based platforms. 
• A culture of innovation and learning: A culture of innovation and learning was promoted through training and workshops on Lean Project Delivery (LPD) and Agile Project Management (APM) methodologies. Incorporating Agile management training, such as KnowledgeHut Agile Training online , further enhanced the team's ability to implement LPD and APM effectively. 
• Clear project goals and metrics: Clear project goals and key performance indicators (KPIs) were established, aligning with LPD and APM principles. Regular monitoring and measurement of progress against these metrics helped identify areas for improvement and drive accountability.
• Industry best practices and case studies: industry best practices and case studies were explored, and guidance was sought from experts to gain valuable insights into effective strategies and techniques for implementation.

6. Ambidexterity in Agile Software Development (ASD) Projects

An organization in the software development industry aims to enhance their understanding of the tensions between exploitation (continuity) and exploration (change) within Agile software development (ASD) project teams. They seek to identify and implement ambidextrous strategies to effectively balance these two aspects.

How it was solved:

• Recognizing tensions: Teams were encouraged to understand and acknowledge the inherent tensions between exploitation and exploration in Agile projects.
• Fostering a culture of ambidexterity: The organization created a culture that values both stability and innovation, emphasizing the importance of balancing the two.
• Balancing resource allocation: Resources were allocated between exploitation and exploration activities, ensuring a fair distribution to support both aspects effectively.
• Supporting knowledge sharing: Team members were encouraged to share their expertise and lessons learned from both exploitation and exploration, fostering a culture of continuous learning.
• Promoting cross-functional collaboration: Collaboration between team members involved in both aspects was facilitated, allowing for cross-pollination of ideas and insights.
• Establishing feedback mechanisms: Feedback loops were implemented to evaluate the impact of exploitation and exploration efforts, enabling teams to make data-driven decisions and improvements.
• Developing flexible processes: Agile practices that supported both stability and innovation, such as iterative development and adaptive planning, were adopted to ensure flexibility and responsiveness.
• Providing leadership support: Leaders promoted and provided necessary resources for the adoption of agile practices, demonstrating their commitment to ambidexterity.
• Encouraging experimentation: An environment that encouraged risk-taking and the exploration of new ideas was fostered, allowing teams to innovate and try new approaches.
• Continuous improvement: Regular assessments and adaptations of agile practices were conducted based on feedback and evolving project needs, enabling teams to continuously improve their ambidextrous strategies.

7. Problem and Solutions for PM Governance Combined with Agile Tools in Financial Services Programs

Problem: The consumer finance company faced challenges due to changing state and federal regulatory compliance requirements, resulting in the need to reinvent their custom-built storefront and home office systems. The IT and PMO teams were not equipped to handle the complexities of developing new systems, leading to schedule overruns, turnover of staff and technologies, and the need to restart projects multiple times.

How it was Solved: 

To address these challenges, the company implemented several solutions with the help of PM Solutions:

• Back to Basics Approach: A senior-level program manager was brought in to conduct a full project review and establish stakeholder ownership and project governance. This helped refocus the teams on the project's objectives and establish a clear direction.
• Agile Techniques and Sprints: The company gradually introduced agile techniques, starting with a series of sprints to develop "proof of concept" components of the system. Agile methodologies allowed for more flexibility and quicker iterations, enabling faster progress.
• Expanded Use of JIRA: The company utilized Atlassian's JIRA system, which was already in place for operational maintenance, to support the new development project. PM Solutions expanded the use of JIRA by creating workflows and tools specifically tailored to the agile approach, improving timeliness and success rates for delivered work.
• Kanban Approach: A Kanban approach was introduced to help pace the work and track deliveries. This visual management technique enabled project management to monitor progress, manage workloads effectively, and report updates to stakeholders.
• Organizational Change Management: PM Solutions assisted the company in developing an organizational change management system. This system emphasized early management review of requirements and authorizations before work was assigned. By involving company leadership in prioritization and resource utilization decisions, the workload for the IT department was reduced, and focus was placed on essential tasks and priorities.

8. Insurance Company Cuts Cycle Time by 20% and Saves Nearly $5 Million Using Agile Project Management Practices

In this Agile Scrum case study, the insurance company successfully implemented Agile Scrum methodology for their software development projects, resulting in significant improvements in project delivery and overall team performance.

The insurance company faced challenges with long project cycles, slow decision-making processes, and lack of flexibility in adapting to changing customer demands. These issues resulted in higher costs, delayed project deliveries, and lower customer satisfaction levels.

• Implementation of Agile Practices: To address these challenges, the company decided to transition from traditional project management approaches to Agile methodologies. The key steps in implementing Agile practices were as follows:
• Executive Sponsorship: The company's leadership recognized the need for change and provided full support for the Agile transformation initiative. They appointed Agile champions and empowered them to drive the adoption of Agile practices across the organization.
• Training and Skill Development: Agile training programs were conducted to equip employees with the necessary knowledge and skills. Training covered various Agile frameworks, such as Scrum and Kanban, and focused on enhancing collaboration, adaptive planning, and iterative development.
• Agile Team Formation: Cross-functional Agile teams were formed, consisting of individuals with diverse skill sets necessary to deliver projects end-to-end. These teams were self-organizing and empowered to make decisions, fostering a sense of ownership and accountability.
• Agile Project Management Tools: The company implemented Agile project management tools and platforms to facilitate communication, collaboration, and transparency. These tools enabled real-time tracking of project progress, backlog management, and seamless coordination among team members.

9. Agile and Generic Work Values of British vs Indian IT Workers

Problem: 

In this Agile transformation case study, the problem identified is the lack of effective communication and alignment within an IT firm unit during the transformation towards an agile work culture. The employees from different cultural backgrounds had different perceptions and understanding of what it means to be agile, leading to clashes in behaviors and limited team communication. This situation undermined morale, trust, and the sense of working well together.

The study suggests that the cultural background of IT employees and managers, influenced by different national values and norms, can impact the adoption and interpretation of agile work values.

• Leadership: Leaders role-modeled the full agile mindset, along with cross-cultural skills. They demonstrated teamwork, justice, equality, transparency, end-user orientation, helpful leadership, and effective communication. 
• Culture: Managers recognized and appreciated the cultural diversity within the organization. Cultural awareness and sensitivity training were provided to help employees and managers understand and appreciate the diverse cultural backgrounds within the organization.
• Agile values: The importance of agile work values was emphasized, including shared responsibility, continuous learning and improvement, self-organizing teamwork, fast fact-based decision-making, empowered employees, and embracing change. Managers actively promoted and reinforced these values in their leading and coaching efforts to cultivate an agile mindset among employees.
• Transformation: A shift was made from a centralized accountability model to a culture of shared responsibility. Participation in planning work projects was encouraged, and employees were empowered to choose their own tasks within the context of the team's objectives.
• Roadmap: An agile transformation roadmap was developed and implemented, covering specific actions and milestones to accelerate the adoption of agile ways of working. 
• Senior management received necessary support, training, and additional management consultancy to drive the agile transformation effectively.

Benefits of Case Studies for Professionals

Case studies provide several benefits for professionals in various fields: 

• Real-world Application: Agile methodology examples and case studies offer insights into real-life situations, allowing professionals to see how theoretical concepts and principles are applied in practice.
• Learning from Success and Failure: Agile transformation case studies often present both successful and failed projects or initiatives. By examining these cases, professionals can learn from the successes and avoid the mistakes made in the failures.
• Problem-solving and Decision-making Skills: Case studies present complex problems or challenges that professionals need to analyze and solve. By working through these cases, professionals develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. 
• Building Expertise: By studying cases that are relevant to their area of expertise, professionals can enhance their knowledge and become subject matter experts. 
• Professional Development: Analyzing and discussing case studies with peers or mentors promotes professional development.
• Practical Application of Concepts: Teams can test their understanding of concepts, methodologies, and best practices by analyzing and proposing solutions for the challenges presented in the cases. 
• Continuous Learning and Adaptation: By studying these cases, professionals can stay updated on industry trends, best practices, and emerging technologies. 

Examine the top trending  Agile Category Courses

In conclusion, agile methodology case studies are valuable tools for professionals in various fields. The real-world examples and insights into specific problems and solutions, allow professionals to learn from others' experiences and apply those learning their own work. Case studies offer a deeper understanding of complex situations, highlighting the challenges faced, the strategies employed, and the outcomes achieved.

The benefits of case studies for professionals are numerous. They offer an opportunity to analyze and evaluate different approaches, methodologies, and best practices. Case studies also help professionals develop critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and decision-making capabilities through practical scenarios and dilemmas to navigate.

Overall, agile case study examples offer professionals the opportunity to gain practical wisdom and enhance their professional development. Studying real-life examples helps professionals acquire valuable insights, expand their knowledge base, and improve their problem-solving abilities.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Three examples of Agile methodologies are:

Scrum: Scrum is one of the most widely used Agile frameworks. It emphasizes iterative and incremental development, with a focus on delivering value to the customer in short, time-boxed iterations called sprints. 

Kanban: Kanban is a visual Agile framework that aims to optimize workflow efficiency and promote continuous delivery.

Lean: Lean is a philosophy and Agile approach focused on maximizing value while minimizing waste. 

• People over process: Agile values the people involved in software development, and emphasizes communication and collaboration.
• Working software over documentation: Agile prioritizes delivering working software over extensive documentation.
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation: Agile values close collaboration with customers and stakeholders throughout the development process.
• Responding to change over following a plan: Agile recognizes that change is inevitable, and encourages flexibility and adaptability.

The six phases in Agile are:

• Initiation: Define the project and assemble the team.
• Planning: Create a plan for how to achieve the project's goals.
• Development: Build the product or service in short sprints.
• Testing: Ensure the product or service meets requirements.
• Deployment: Release the product or service to the customer.
• Maintenance: Support the product or service with bug fixes, new features, and improvements.

Lindy Quick

Lindy Quick, SPCT, is a dynamic Transformation Architect and Senior Business Agility Consultant with a proven track record of success in driving agile transformations. With expertise in multiple agile frameworks, including SAFe, Scrum, and Kanban, Lindy has led impactful transformations across diverse industries such as manufacturing, defense, insurance/financial, and federal government. Lindy's exceptional communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills have earned her a reputation as a trusted advisor. Currently associated with KnowledgeHut and upGrad, Lindy fosters Lean-Agile principles and mindset through coaching, training, and successful execution of transformations. With a passion for effective value delivery, Lindy is a sought-after expert in the field.

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David B. Yoffie

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How agile is Apple? | Case Study Apple | Agile Education by Scrum Academy

Updated: September 16, 2024

Agile Education by Agile Academy

The video discusses Apple's journey as an innovative company, focusing on the impact of Steve Jobs on its success. It highlights Apple's evolution from Mac computers to groundbreaking products like the iPod, iTunes, and iPhone. By showcasing the importance of continuous innovation and willingness to disrupt their own products, the video provides valuable lessons for businesses aiming for long-term success in a competitive market.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction to Apple

Steve jobs era, transition to new products, disruption with iphone, key takeaways.

Apple as a case study for innovation and its impact on long-term success. Overview of Apple's history in the PC revolution.

Steve Jobs' journey at Apple, his departure in 1985, and return in 1996. Impact of Steve Jobs' leadership on Apple's success till his passing.

Shift in Apple's revenue sources from Mac computers to new products and services. Introduction of the iPod and the iTunes music store.

Apple's bold move to introduce the iPhone, disrupting its own successful products like the iPod. Comparison with organizations that failed to innovate and got disrupted by competitors.

Lessons from Apple's case study: Innovate beyond traditional products, be open to killing own cash cows, and the risks of becoming irrelevant if innovation is lacking.

Q: What is the impact of Steve Jobs' leadership on Apple's success?

A: Steve Jobs' leadership played a significant role in Apple's success, from innovative product design to creating a strong brand image.

Q: What prompted Apple's shift in revenue sources from Mac computers to new products and services?

A: Apple's shift was prompted by the introduction of new products like the iPod, iTunes, and later the iPhone, which diversified its revenue streams.

Q: How did Apple disrupt its own successful product with the introduction of the iPhone?

A: Apple disrupted its successful iPod with the introduction of the iPhone, showcasing its willingness to evolve and innovate.

Q: What are some lessons to learn from Apple's case study?

A: Some key lessons include innovating beyond traditional products, being open to discontinuing successful products, and the risks of stagnation without continuous innovation.

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Case Studies

This page provides an overview of the various case studies available from Scrum.org. These case studies demonstrate successful transforming organizations, uses of Scrum, Nexus, Evidence-Based Management and more. Read them to understand where people and teams have struggled and how they have overcome their struggles.

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Agile Methodology Examples and Case Studies

It’s useful for organizations to understand and see agile methodology examples and case studies, to understand if they need to consider this approach.

Long have the times passed where Agile was the sole domain of I.T. or the Tech industry.

Agile is now seen as the optimum business model methodology to adopt for most industries. Most industries or organizations are looking to create effieciencies. In their productivity, increased speed to market, and better employee empowerment and morale.

Who uses Agile Methodology?

ADAPTOVATE has worked with clients from every type of industry including :

• Intensive Captial Heavy Industry (Energy, Mining, Manufacturing etc)
• Financial (Banking, Insurance, Loans etc)
• Health (Pharmacutical, Institutions, etc)
• Government deparments, agencies, lobby
• Human Resources
• Engineering
• Food & retail (Large chains, manufacting)
• Not Profit sector

ADAPTOVATE will work closely with our client to best meet the outcome that they are looking for. It should be said that during our assessment we can determine that what a client ‘thinks’ they are looking for oftern turns out not to be what, in actual fact, is needed.

Agile Strategy examples

By undergoing these early discussions, we can determine the agile strategy that will be undertaken. Within ADAPTOVATE we have four key practices we initially operate under. After our assessment, we will undertake our work using one of the following or a combination of all.

• Agile Operating Model Delivery
• Agile Delivery Improvement & Scale
• Agile Business Design & Innovation
• Business Agility Consulting & Training

Agile Transformation

When embarking on an Agile Transformation of any kind, it’s important to start off the right way. This doesn’t mean, it needs to start big. In fact often times, we may encourage pilot teams . If the organization is global, and is looking to roll a new business model across many teams and regions this can be useful. As business change can involve 1000’s of people, pilot teams can be the way to start. Other times not. Have a look at our article on Top-down vs Bottom-up approaches.

Agile Methodology

The very term ‘ agile methodology ‘ may be confusing, misleading or obstructive to some. Many times, we will engage with an organization, who have hired us to review their business model and are looking for a new business design to lead them into the future. ‘Agile’ may not even enter the conversation. ADAPTOVATE believe that applying best practices that have formed the basis of Agile methodology, is always going to bring about positive change. However, sometimes it’s useful, particularly when speaking to employees, not to start with the terminology. Change can be difficult. We recognize that, and are able to help leaders and their teams write the playbook of their future.

Case Studies

With all that in mind, we are happy to share with you some case studies from past clients, to help you understand what our role in their business transformation was.

Case Study Government

Case Study Mining

Case Study Financial Service

Agile Examples

For further Agile examples you can head over to our featured stories where we highlight real-life stories from some of our clients and guests.

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Talent Management Lessons From Apple: A Case Study of the World’s Most Valuable Firm (Part 1 of 4)

• Talent Management

This past August Apple became the most valuable corporation in the world based on market capitalization, surpassing every firm in the technology industry and every other industry! As a consumer products company, its prolonged growth spurt is even more amazing because it has continued through economic times when consumers are reluctant to spend what little they have. Considering that Apple was near bankruptcy in 1997, its story is both extraordinary and noteworthy.

The extraordinary valuation is not a result of 30+ years of stellar performance. Apple has failed at many things. Its success isn’t the result of access to special equipment, manufacturing capability, or a great location, but rather superior leadership, access to great talent, and unusual talent management approaches.

Almost everyone in business is aware of Apple’s amazing product success and the extraordinary leadership of Steve Jobs. Some authors have described the firm’s approach to HR, but few have analyzed the firm close enough to identify why the approaches work. Visits to the headquarters and interviews with HR leaders convinced me that there are lessons to be learned from this company. After two decades of researching and analyzing Apple’s approach to talent management, I have compiled a list of the key differentiators.

If you are a manager at another organization and you want to duplicate its results, this case study will give you direction.

Apple Talent Management Approaches to Emulate

This three-part case study covers the many talent management factors that contributed to Apple’s extraordinary success in workforce productivity and innovation. It does not focus on the many important things that Steve Jobs did at Apple, because such things are not easily copied by others. It also focuses primarily on the approaches used within Apple’s corporate facilities versus those of Apple’s retail operations.

Agility Allows for Innovation into Completely New Areas

Many firms develop the capability to dominate their industry. Procter & Gamble, Intel, and Toyota are excellent examples. Apple is in a different league, however, because it has demonstrated the ability to shift into and dominate completely new industries every few years. For most of its history, Apple was a computer company (and its name used to be Apple Computer), but in the last decade Apple tackled the music industry with the iPod device and iTunes distribution channel. Next Apple conquered and dominated the smartphone industry with the iPhone and “App Store.” Most recently Apple challenged the PC as we know it and is in the process of disrupting the publishing industry. This ability to successfully shift from one industry to another in a few short years is known as agility. In my book, even wildly successful firms like Google, Facebook, Toyota, or Procter & Gamble can’t come close to matching Apple’s agility track record.

A great deal of Apple’s agility comes from the direction and vision of its senior leadership and its corporate culture, which reinforces the need to get ready for “the next big thing.” While Apple looks for agility in talent, the real key to Apple’s agility occurs post onboarding. At Apple, there is a cultural expectation that after succeeding in one task, you will immediately move on to something completely different. You know that you will have to retool and learn quickly. The expectation of radical change eliminates resistance and sends a message that employees can’t rest on their laurels. That means that they must mentally prepare for (and even look forward to) the next extraordinary challenge, even though you will get almost no “career path” help in determining which is the next best challenge for you. Apple employees work in numerous disconnected team silos, competing against one another with little or no foresight into the purpose or intended use date of their work.

The rapidly shifting work load means than an employee bored with their work won’t be for long because the work and the focus will change, a major attraction factor that brings in recruits desiring the challenge of radical change. Looking at the big picture, Apple’s ability to move into and dominate completely unrelated industries is only possible because of its extraordinary talent, the way that it manages it, and its approach to building an image that attracts the new skills needed to successfully move into completely new product areas.

A “Lean” Talent Management Approach Contributes to Extraordinary Productivity

Most firms strive to have a productive workforce. One of the best ways to measure workforce productivity is revenue per employee. Apple produces what can only be considered extraordinary revenue per employee; $2 million. A second measure of workforce productivity is profit per employee: nearly $478,000 for Apple (unbelievable considering it has a retail workforce).

If you are familiar with the concept of lean management, then you’ll understand the prime drivers for Apple’s extraordinary employee productivity. For years, the leadership of Apple has followed the philosophy that having less is more, meaning that by purposely understaffing and operating with reduced funding, you can make the team more productive and innovative.

Innovation at most firms is expensive because you must pay for a lot of trial and error. The lean approach, however, can improve innovation because with everything being tried, there simply isn’t enough time or money for major misses and re-do’s. “Unrealistic deadlines” at Apple mean that you have to get project problems solved early on, because there isn’t time to redo things over and over. Being lean forces the team to be more cohesive. Even providing a lean schedule forces everyone to be productive because they know there is no room for slippage. At Apple, the lean approach means that even with its huge cash resources, every employee must adopt the mentality of leanness. If you understand the lean concept and its advantages, you shouldn’t be surprised that numerous innovations have been developed in “garages,” the ultimate lean environment.

Build and Reinforce a Performance Culture

Any business analysis of Apple will reveal its laser focus on producing industry-leading results. While some feel the performance emphasis comes solely from Steve Jobs, the “performance culture” is continually reinforced by operational processes and practices. For example, having stock as a primary motivator forces employees to focus on the performance of the company and its stock. The rewards and recognition programs at Apple don’t include a component for effort or trying — only final results. Rather than celebrating numerous product milestones, only the final product unveiling is worthy of a major celebration.

A performance culture requires significant differentiation based on performance, and it’s clear that in this culture, the top performers and those who are working on mission-critical products are treated significantly differently. In fact, current and former employees frequently complained about the special treatment given to those designated as the “top 100 most important employees.”

Treating top performers differently may cause some employees to be disgruntled, but treating all employees exactly the same will frustrate your high-impact top performers and cause them to leave. Functions receive different funding also, based on their potential impact. Overhead functions that don’t directly produce product (i.e. HR) are often underfunded compared to product producing functions like engineering and product design.

Although there is certainly politics at Apple (where marketing seems to rule), having a degree from a prestigious school or past success on other products won’t get you far in the highly competitive culture at Apple. Jobs has no degree at all. The internal competition is fierce (even though they don’t know what other teams are doing) to develop or contribute to the most-talked about feature for the next WOW product.

Rather Than a Work/Life Balance, Emphasize the Work

Numerous HR functions proudly and prominently push work/life balance. Like them, Apple is proud of its long-established culture. You won’t find the term “balance” anywhere on the career site; instead, Apple makes it clear it is looking for extremely hard-working and committed individuals. On the website, for example, it proudly states: “ This isn’t your cushy corporate nine-to-fiver .” It reinforces the “hard work” message several times, including “ Making it all happen can be hard work. And you could probably find an easier job someplace else. But that’s not the point, is it ?

And: “ We also have a shared obsession with getting every last detail right. So leave your neckties, bring your ideas .”

If you don’t care about getting every precise detail perfect, great work, and a lot of it, Apple makes it crystal clear that this is not the place for you.

Next week: Part 2 — more talent management approaches to copy and learn from.