Success Story MAN


AUTHORS: DR. JÖRK HEBENSTREIT (AGILEUS CONSULTING), PATRICK ROTHFUSS (MAN TRUCK & BUS), SOHRAB SALIMI (AGILAR)

HOW TO BUILD A TRUCK WITH UNIQUE AND INNOVATIVE FEATURES IN ONLY 18 MONTHS, WHEN THE REGULAR CYCLE IS AT LEAST FIVE YEARS? MAN TRUCK & BUS COMPLETED THE CHALLENGE AT THE END OF 2016.

The MAN Scrum team at the 2018 IAA Commercial Vehicles for the market presentation of the CitE concept truck
The MAN Scrum team at the 2018 IAA Commercial Vehicles for the market presentation of the CitE concept truck

Abstract

 

For MAN, the answer was a cross-functional team and a new way of working: Scrum. Thanks to the consistent establishment of the agile framework, in a short period of time, a 100% dedicated development team including Scrum Master and Product Owner were able to be set up. 


The team’s success is now palpable: Within the planned 18 months, two TÜV-approved vehicles were built, which were able to demonstrate new standards in terms of safety, driver comfort and drive technology at the IAA Commercial Vehicles in September 2018. In addition, a highly efficient and motivated team has emerged that not only implements, but is able to continue the agile idea.

 

If you ask the team about decisive success factors, the following points will most definitely be mentioned:100% availability of team members and their spatial co-location, daily coordination with colleagues in the workshop, the full support and regular and pragmatic integration of stakeholders, as well as transparency and communication in related areas. But first and foremost is the openness and courage to try something new. 

 

The mass appeal of the project throughout the company is unmistakable. Using agile methods, MAN has put into practice, a future-oriented implementation of innovative ideas.


Two TÜV-approved vehicles were built within the planned 18 months.


Interface functions, such as the purchasing department and assembly were integrated into the team and also tried out new methods. The process of finding and integrating external development service providers was carried out in just six weeks, instead of the usual six months. Direct communication with colleagues in assembly showed potential errors at an early stage and optimizations were able to be incorporated directly into the ongoing development process. Both the number of e-mails sent and the resulting waiting times were reduced to a minimum.


Starting point

 

 At the end of 2016, MAN Truck & Bus were assigned a project to present an approved concept vehicle with unique usage properties at the next IAA for commercial vehicles in September 2018. The aim was to develop a vehicle that was consistently designed for urban distribution traffic - with new standards in terms of safety, driving comfort and emission-free mobility.

At this point in time, the decision-makers were aware that above all, the short project term was a particular challenge that could not be overcome using established standard processes and organizational structures. In order to be able to face up to this task, MAN decided to introduce Scrum methodology as part of an agile R&D pilot project, supported by external coaches. The typically short iterations and feedback loops had the potential to create value faster and ensure visibility of results.


The aim was to develop a vehicle that was consistently designed for urban distribution traffic.



In a very short time, an internal MAN team defined the product vision, as well as the unique selling points, such as optimal field of vision for the driver to avoid accidents, ergonomic entry/exit to reduce physical strain on the driver and user-oriented ergonomics.

The workplace of the future: Functional, safe and ergonomic Implementation
The workplace of the future: Functional, safe and ergonomic Implementation

Implementation

 

At the start of the project, the entire internal team was trained in the basics of Scrum (roles, events and artefacts). The roles were then filled in the team, an initial product backlog was drawn up and regular Scrum dates were determined based on working agreements. Accordingly, after just one week, the team was able to start working in an agile manner.

 

Training was carried out by external Scrum coaches. With a 100% presence, they took on the role of Scrum Master in order to optimally enable the MAN-internal Scrum Master.

 

Right from the start, the coaches pushed for 100% release of Scrum team members for this project and demanded co-location of the entire team. This also required the commitment of the managers and colleagues of team members in their normal line functions.

 

In addition, the importance of the commitment and support of stakeholders (including top management) was explicitly emphazised. A pioneering decision was the filling of the product owner role, which was initially to be carried out by a management representative. In order that full-time responsibility could be assumed for this role, the choice fell instead on a team member, who was given the necessary decision-making authority by management.


A pioneering decision was the filling of the product owner role.



The topics of reporting and decision making were another important point. With a view to the short project term, it was important to efficiently design decision-making processes within established administrative structures. The Scrum team and the stakeholders agreed to communicate project progress in a pragmatic way only in the review (a dedicated event in Scrum to get stakeholder feedback) and to make the necessary decisions there. Direct feedback and very short decision-making channels contributed significantly to the success of the project.

Clean performance and extensive operating range, thanks to the powerful electric motor and clever battery and charging concept.
Clean performance and extensive operating range, thanks to the powerful electric motor and clever battery and charging concept.

 

 

 

MAN also tried out an agile approach when selecting and taking onboard the development service provider. The procurement process used in traditional projects would have taken a third of the planned total project term with an average duration of six months. By consistently applying lean principles, such as having all decision-makers in one room or prompt access, enabled the entire process, including necessary administrative decisions and board approval, to be shortened to six weeks and project deadlines met. 

MAN also tried out an agile approach when selecting and taking onboard the development service provider. The procurement process used in traditional projects would have taken a third of the planned total project term with an average duration of six months. By consistently applying lean principles, such as having all decision-makers in one room or prompt access, enabled the entire process, including necessary administrative decisions and board approval, to be shortened to six weeks and project deadlines met. 

 

Due to the agile form of cooperation, it was necessary to also break new ground with respect to the involvement of service providers. For example, service providers were commissioned with work packages with a sprint duration of one week, directly from SAP, as part of the sprint planning, which was therefore controlled very directly and at short intervals.


By consistently applying lean principles, the entire process time was reduced to six weeks and project deadlines were met.



The complete MAN team and a selection of employees from the service provider invested five full days to get to know each other, including joint Scrum training and simulation of the sprints. This early focus on a common understanding accelerated subsequent collaboration and formed the basis for quick concept development and decisions.

 

Synchronisation with the established product development process (PEP) at MAN took place in three steps: Adaptation to the planned number of production pieces, streamlining the requirements, adaptation to the agile way of working. This was carried out in close coordination with all areas involved in the process and the process owner.


With the start of vehicle construction, everyone involved made their tasks and impediments transparent on a Kanban board.



After detailed development was completed, procurement of the parts was started and assembly of the vehicles started. At the same time, assembly staff were enthusiastic about the agile approach. With the start of vehicle construction, everyone involved made their tasks and impediments transparent on a Kanban board. Numerous e-mails were replaced by daily personal coordination between fitters and developers directly on the vehicle, which meant that faults could be eliminated in a very short time.

The overall project was a complete success in many ways. The original project order was completely fulfilled. The vehicle, which was approved by TÜV, was completed in 18 months with the agreed unique selling points and was presented in September at the 2018 IAA Commercial Vehicles. The advantages of the agile approach in a MAN innovation project have been impressively demonstrated.

During the project, a highly motivated and experienced Scrum team was created, which took ownership for its product. Such a team is of value in itself, and must be preserved for future topics beyond the project. The carrying out of voluntary work out of normal working hours to achieve important milestones is just one indicator of the extraordinary team motivation. The Scrum motto of “one team, one goal” can be most definitely found here. Even privately, the team has grown together and meets regularly for personal and sporting activities.


The vehicle, which was approved by TÜV, was completed in 18 months with the agreed unique selling points.




The Scrum motto of “one team, one goal” can be most definitely found here.


Once vehicle assembly began at the latest, more and more employees became involved in product development, which meant that the “agile spark” also spread to these colleagues. This combination of the personal experience of the agile way of working and the enormous project success lead to a mass appeal throughout the company.


Summary

 

In summary, it can be said that without real commitment and the support of the stakeholders, without 100% availability of the team members and the accompanying focus on tasks, without co-location of the teams and short distances and direct communication, such a complex project would not have been feasible in such a short time period.

 

The experience from this project shows that with people who can and want to try new methods, critically question things, organize themselves and take on real responsibility, such successes are actually possible. Supported and empowered by appropriately convinced management, it is even possible to build an innovative truck within a project term of 1.5 years.