e reasons agile is 10 years behind marketers and how to catch up

Recently, I had an epiphany regarding agile marketing. Our software counterparts are 10 years ahead of us!

This may not surprise, given that agile marketing began 10 years after software development. But, why is it so difficult to catch up? What are the obstacles that stand in our way? How can we overcome them?

This article will discuss three reasons I believe marketers are not using agile implementations effectively. It also explains what I can do to help them catch up.

1. Language Barriers

An amazing opportunity presented itself to me when I was invited to teach an agile class in Haifa (Israel) a few years back. Although I had taught the material many times before, I did not consider the language barrier. They didn’t understand a lot of the American references I made, and they spoke Hebrew in team activities. It was difficult for me to verify if they were learning. While learning is possible and can happen, it will take longer to reach that level of learning in these kinds of situations.

However, barriers can be created by certain aspects of a common language, such as acronyms.

What do you think about when you hear the term “PM”? Depending on how you look at it, this could refer to a program manager, project manager, or product manager. It can also be used for preventative maintenance.

Problems can arise when marketers are forced to translate terms from a language written for product and software development.

2. Framework resistance

As I moved my agile coaching business into the marketing space I realized quickly that I was trying Scrum in the same way I taught software development. It didn’t work. It was met with resistance.

These were the common objections that I heard:

• Scrum is an IT process.
• “Scrum is not a good idea in marketing.”
• “Scrum is a language for software developers.”
• “We don’t want rigid processes.”

This resistance kept me thinking. The problem was not in the framework. Acceptance of the framework beyond the software world was the problem.

3. Reinventing the wheel

According to the 2022 State of Agile Marketing survey, 60% of agile marketers use a hybrid (Scrum/Kanban combination approach) or scrumban.

Although a hybrid approach is a great way of taking what’s available and tailoring it to marketers’ needs, it was not consistent. As I traveled from one company to the next, I observed a lot of marketers trying new things, which made it harder for them to fly while the software teams were flying.

Software development has a similar history if you look at its agile past. There are many methodologies that have been forgotten today, such as the Crystal, XTreme Programming and Adaptive Software Development.

Real change didn’t happen until Scrum was established as the standard for software development. It’s because everyone agrees on a common language and method, which is what gives us a common starting point. It doesn’t matter if we start from square one. It’s possible to learn from each other, agree on the course and focus on what is really important: lasting cultural changes.

Get ahead

You now know why agile marketing is 10 years behind. How can you break this cycle and move forward? Here are five things you can do:

• Avoid using technical jargon that isn’t understood by the public.
• Do not try to sell leaders or teams on a process. Instead, tell them what you are going to do to solve their business problems.
• Flexibility is key to agile practices. Teams will be more open to considering a variety of options.
• Give teams a clear plan of action on how to get from A to B.
• Define clearly what success looks like for each group and the steps to get them there.

Read our eBook to learn more about how agile has helped bridge the gap between marketing and software teams.

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The post Why marketers are 10 years behind agile — and how to catch-up appeared originally on MarTech.