Adopting agile methodologies has been crucial for many organizations to stay competitive. August Public Inc., a leading transformation consulting firm, helps clients adopt agile management practices by breaking down complex ideas into small, actionable behaviors that change how work is done.
Background
Although many businesses began focusing on organizational agility in the mid-2000s, numerous organizations still struggle with ingrained ways of working and the challenge of scaling organizational change. August team members Mike Arauz and Melissa Shamis sought to understand the extent of the adoption of agile methods but found no satisfactory published statistics.
So, they decided to spearhead an initiative themselves by conducting a survey on the State of Organizational Agility. They aimed to better understand progress toward organizational agility and the barriers limiting organizational adoption. The results would be valuable to August in their practice and bolster their position as a thought leader.
Choosing a Partner
August sought a rigorous investigation, having previously conducted surveys of a more limited scope. They wanted a partner who could help enhance and ensure the quality and relevance of the data collection process. They looked to lean on this partner for their market research expertise while leveraging their in-house reporting and analysis capabilities.
August initially heard about IntelliSurvey through the Women In the Workplace study sponsored by LeanIn.org and McKinsey & Company. They looked to this study as inspiration for their own research. After exploring other vendors, August chose to collaborate with IntelliSurvey based on the quality of support, expert guidance, and flexibility while staying within their budget constraints.
Survey Design Challenges
One particular point of concern in the questionnaire review process was the meaning of the word "agile”. Recognizing potential challenges with misinterpretation, August worked closely with IntelliSurvey’s research team to craft clear, precise language that elucidated agile principles throughout the questionnaire.
Getting the correct target audience was of paramount importance. It was imperative for the screener to surface the correct subgroup of people familiar with the intersection of organizational development changes and organizational agility, including both senior leaders and lower-level employees. August relied on IntelliSurvey’s expertise in developing their screener, as well as quality controls within the survey to confirm the right people were progressing through the questionnaire.
Field Management
In addition to programming and hosting, IntelliSurvey provided field management services for the survey. Using a blended sample approach, IntelliSurvey was able to tap into multiple providers to target August’s precise respondent profile, filling the quotas quickly and efficiently. In addition to panel sources, August also drew on their own network and was able to differentiate groups in the results. All occurred expediently and on budget.
Utilizing Survey Data
Following the survey, August published a series of LinkedIn posts sharing key insights, authored a blog post, and began drafting comprehensive reports for internal and external publication. The insights gleaned validated their hypotheses about agile practices and boosted confidence in their client work. The study also received positive feedback internally, exciting team members about the data’s potential impact on client relations and project outcomes.
Future Collaboration
Arauz and Shamis were delighted with the responsiveness, quality of deliverables, cost-effectiveness, and alignment with their study goals.
Conclusion
IntelliSurvey is proud to support the work of clients like August Public, Inc. Our staff and technology enable organizations to maximize their expertise and creativity, and we would welcome the opportunity to share how we can support your research efforts. Please contact us for more information.
