It’s one thing to hear about a nonprofit professional implementing Agile values and concepts or even a specific framework like Scrum in one team setting. It’s quite another to hear about an organization that is using these values and frameworks in an organization with *multiple* teams following the same framework at the same time. That was why we were so excited to have Alastair Jarvis from the American Forest Foundation share about implementing the Scrum@Scale framework.

Alastair started out his career as a video game programmer using the waterfall method and quickly learned that there are other ways that help work better as a team, receive feedback faster and more frequently, along with better communication techniques. 

Alastair makes a point to understand that implementing Scrum may not be the easiest, but the benefits outweigh those struggles. He believes that understanding the mindset, values, and transparency is step one. 

Alastair explains that trial and error will help the transition, setting the time frame for your sprints, calculating yesterday’s weather to better understand what you and your team can get done within the time frame leading to adaptation. 

Alistair has now implemented Scrum@Scale, which is multiple teams within an organization simultaneously operating as Scrum teams. They are continuously improving the way they work, as they have Scrum of Scrums, meta scrums, and an Executive Action Team (EAT) to support working towards their organization’s goal and mission. 

You can hear Alastair’s experience directly about learning about Agile and Scrum in this 15-minute (free) video here: 

We can’t thank Alastair enough for sharing his story and what we are sure resonated with other nonprofits as part of the larger Agile in Nonprofits Summit. Alastair was one of our six fantastic speakers that day. You can view all of the free recorded videos and learn from the speakers who are nonprofit professionals IN the work every day, just like you are here.