a·gen·tic a·gil·i·ty class·i·fic·at·ion

Empirical Process Control: Driving Agility Through Evidence-Based Decisions

Harnessing observation, experimentation, and real-world feedback to drive informed decisions, continuous improvement, and adaptive value delivery.

Adapting based on evidence, not assumptions, through inspection and transparency.

Image
https://nkdagility.com/resources/empirical-process-control/
Subscribe

Overview

Empirical Process Control is a foundational concept that emphasises decision-making based on observation and experimentation rather than assumptions. It is integral to Agile, Lean, and DevOps methodologies, enabling teams to adapt their processes and outputs through continuous inspection and transparency. By relying on real data and feedback, organisations can identify what works and what doesn’t, fostering a culture of learning and improvement.

This approach allows teams to deliver value predictably and sustainably, as they can adjust their strategies based on actual performance rather than theoretical models. It encourages a mindset of experimentation, where hypotheses are tested in practice, leading to informed decisions that enhance product quality and customer satisfaction.

Empirical Process Control is not merely a tactical tool; it is a long-term, systemic enabler of organisational agility. It cultivates an environment where teams can respond swiftly to changing conditions, ensuring that they remain aligned with customer needs and market dynamics. This adaptability is crucial in today’s fast-paced development landscape, where the ability to pivot based on evidence can significantly impact success. By embedding empirical practices into their workflows, organisations can achieve a more resilient and responsive operational model that prioritises value delivery and continuous improvement.

Views:
Subscribe
Product Development

Learn how Kanban practices can be integrated into Professional Scrum teams to improve workflow, transparency, and delivery using the new Scrum.org PSK …

Blog Blog
Read more about Introducing Kanban for Professional Scrum Teams
Product Development

Enhance forecasting in Agile and Scrum. Use empirical data to predict delivery timelines, manage risk, and optimise value delivery.

Tags Tags (11)
Read more about Forecasting
Product Development

Learn Scrum principles, the Scrum Master role, and agile team leadership through hands-on training, with certification and practical skills for …

Course Course
Read more about Professional Scrum Master (PSM) Course with Certification
Product Development

Explores how hypothesis-driven engineering helps teams maximise product value by testing ideas, measuring outcomes, and learning from failure to guide …

Videos Videos
Read more about Maximising Product Value: The Power of Hypothesis-Driven Engineering
Leadership

Learn how evidence-based metrics drive organisational success, avoid negative behaviours, and enable transparent, data-driven decisions for leaders …

Videos Videos
Read more about The Power of Metrics: Why PAL-EBM is Essential for Your Organization
Product Development

Explores how combining theory and hands-on experience in Scrum training leads to deeper understanding, critical thinking, and continuous improvement …

Videos Videos
Read more about Immersive Learning in Scrum: Why Theory and Experience Must Go Hand in Hand
Product Development

Learn how Candan strategies use flow metrics and transparency to reveal workflow issues, drive continuous improvement, and support data-driven …

Videos Videos
Read more about Illuminate Your Workflow: Harnessing Candan Strategies for Continuous Improvement and Transparency
Scrum

Discover how hands-on Scrum training using Minecraft helps learners experience project chaos, apply agile principles, and gain practical insights into …

Videos Videos
Read more about Embrace the Chaos: Transforming Scrum Learning Through Experience and Minecraft
Engineering Excellence

Engineering excellence isn’t perfection—it’s continuous improvement, clean code, and fast feedback. Unlock true agility with modern Agile and DevOps …

Videos Videos
Read more about Engineering Excellence Isn’t Perfection: How Continuous Improvement and Fast Feedback Drive Real Agile and DevOps Success
Product Development

Delaying software releases increases failure risk. Frequent, small releases improve success rates, adaptability, and recovery, as shown by CHAOS …

Signals Signals
Read more about Every delay increases the risk of failure
Product Development

Explores how using metrics and visual tools enhances workflow transparency, helps identify improvement areas, and supports a culture of continuous …

Videos Videos
Read more about Unlocking Continuous Improvement: How Metrics and Visualisation Drive Workflow Success
Product Development

Discover how EPS immersive learning boosts team agility with structured feedback, coaching, and tailored sessions, driving continuous improvement in …

Videos Videos
Read more about Unlocking Agility: How EPS Immersive Learning Transforms Your Team's Performance
Scrum

Explains how Scrum reveals team dysfunctions by clarifying roles and accountability, highlighting its purpose to expose issues that hinder value …

Signals Signals
Read more about Scrum is not a process it is a social technology designed to expose dysfunction
Scrum

Emphasises the importance of flexibility and pragmatism in Scrum, encouraging teams to adapt frameworks to their context rather than rigidly following …

Videos Videos
Read more about Best Scrum advice you ever received?
Product Development

Explores how agile teams can achieve predictable software delivery through quality focus, effective release planning, and continuous improvement, …

Blog Blog
Read more about Release planning and predictable delivery
Product Development

Martin is in EST for 6 months and available for hands-on consulting in North America. This month’s spotlight: How tracking estimation accuracy is …

Newsletters Newsletters
Read more about Martin Hinshelwood in EST: Book Expert Support for Engineering Excellence
Scrum

The Definition of Done can evolve to improve quality but should not be weakened or vary per backlog item. Consistency ensures transparency and …

Blog Blog
Read more about Can the Definition of Done change per Sprint?
Product Development

Delivering working, valuable software at the end of each iteration, ensuring value is incrementally added to the product.

Tags Tags (30)
Read more about Increment
Engineering Excellence

Microsoft’s switch to 3-week Sprints increased team anxiety due to greater transparency, exposing inefficiencies but enabling faster, more frequent …

Signals Signals
Read more about Microsoft shift from 2-year cycles to 3-week Sprints caused team anxiety
Product Development

Explores why teams ignore clear signals from Agile and Scrum, highlighting how culture and fear hinder continuous improvement and effective …

Blog Blog
Read more about You can't stop the signal! But you can ignore it!
Product Development

Explores how rigid adherence to Agile tools and processes can hinder flexibility, and offers strategies to foster team innovation, adaptability, and …

Videos Videos
Read more about Breaking Free from the Plagues of Agility: How to Cultivate Flexibility and Innovation in Your Team
Product Development

Delivering usable, working products frequently is key to reducing risk in Agile. Focus on feedback, automation, and lean practices over excessive …

Blog Blog
Read more about How Usable Working Products Are Your Ultimate Weapon Against Risks
Technical Leadership

Stop chasing tech trends. Learn how evidence, visibility, and clarity empower tech leaders to make confident, strategic decisions—beyond the hype.

Videos Videos
Read more about Stop Chasing Tech Hype: How Evidence-Based Decisions Empower Real Leadership
Kanban

A Definition of Workflow explains how work moves through each stage, using clear rules and limits to make progress visible and support team …

Tags Tags (9)
Read more about Definition of Workflow
Scrum

Step-by-step guide for running a Sprint Review, including presenting the increment, gathering feedback, updating the backlog, forecasting, and …

Recipes Recipes
Read more about Sprint Review Recipe
Scrum

Explains the true responsibilities of a Scrum Master, how to maximise team effectiveness, teach Scrum principles, and address organisational …

Videos Videos
Read more about Understanding the True Role of a Scrum Master
Product Development

A Service Level Expectation predicts how long work items take to complete, helping Scrum Teams improve workflow, identify issues, and set clear …

Tags Tags (4)
Read more about Service Level Expectation
Product Development

Learn how Agile teams can handle harsh Sprint Review feedback by analysing root causes, engaging stakeholders, and deciding whether to halt, pivot, or …

Videos Videos
Read more about What should you do if your Sprint Review delivers harsh, scathing feedback?
Product Development

Explore how immersive, double-loop learning in Professional Scrum Master training helps Scrum Masters apply theory, reflect, and collaborate to solve …

Videos Videos
Read more about Unlocking the Power of Double-Loop Learning: Transform Your Scrum Master Journey with Immersive Training
Scrum

Discover why experienced Scrum practitioners often misunderstand core principles, and how revisiting Scrum fundamentals restores clarity, agility, and …

Signals Signals
Read more about David thought he already knew Scrum
Product Development

Explains how Scrum supports customer acquisition and retention in competitive markets by enabling rapid delivery, feedback, and continuous …

Videos Videos
Read more about In high competition markets, how does scrum product development help acquire and retain customers?
Pragmatic Thinking

Explains the assessment phase in consulting, highlighting continuous learning, agile adaptation, and the value of hands-on engagement over rigid …

Videos Videos
Read more about What Does the Assessment Phase of a Consulting Engagement Look and Feel Like?
Ethos

Explores why continuous organisational evolution, not fixed transformations, is essential for adapting to rapid change, fostering agility, and …

Videos Videos
Read more about Embracing Change: Why Agile Evolution is the Key to Thriving in a Rapidly Shifting World
Kanban

Learn how to design, review, and adapt Kanban boards to accurately visualise workflows, identify bottlenecks, and support continuous improvement in …

Videos Videos
Read more about Mastering Your Kanban Board: A Practical Guide to Visualising and Optimising Your Workflow
Product Development

Explores how immersive, hands-on learning in Agile training fosters real-world application, continuous improvement, and lasting organisational change …

Videos Videos
Read more about The Power of Immersive Learning in Agile Training
Product Development

Explores how immersive, hands-on learning keeps Scrum students engaged and excited, supporting continuous improvement, real-world application, and …

Videos Videos
Read more about Why Immersive Learning Keeps Scrum Students Excited and Engaged
Product Development

Explains why burndown charts hinder agile teams, highlighting the pitfalls of detailed upfront planning and advocating for minimal, adaptive Sprint …

Videos Videos
Read more about Rethinking Sprint Planning: Why Burndown Charts Are Agile Banditry and What to Do Instead
Product Development

Explores how breaking features into small experiments boosts software delivery, enabling teams to deliver more features, reduce risk, and improve …

Videos Videos
Read more about Unlocking Success: How Small Experiments Transformed Feature Delivery from 25 to 150 in Software Development
Leadership

Explores how rigid, judgmental Agile practices stifle creativity and innovation, and advocates for principle-driven, adaptable approaches to foster …

Videos Videos
Read more about 7 harbingers of the Agile apocalypse - Judgement
Product Development

Learn how to identify authentic agile practices, spot common myths, and understand cultural barriers that hinder true agility in modern software …

Videos Videos
Read more about Unmasking Agile: How to Spot Genuine Practices Amidst the Myths
Product Development

Explores how shifting from blame to addressing systemic issues and measurement systems can improve team dynamics, collaboration, and agility in …

Videos Videos
Read more about Transforming Agile: How to Shift from Blame to Systemic Solutions for Better Team Dynamics
Scrum

Learn to use flow metrics like WIP, cycle time, and throughput in Scrum to improve team efficiency, planning, forecasting, and workflow with practical …

Course Course
Read more about Applying Flow Metrics for Scrum
Scrum

Learn how to effectively apply Professional Scrum, overcome common implementation challenges, and improve team performance with practical agile …

Newsletters Newsletters
Read more about April 2023 NKDAgility: Applying Professional Scrum
Product Development

Software development thrives on continuous discovery and adaptation; upfront planning can’t predict everything. Embrace uncertainty, deliver …

Signals Signals
Read more about The Myth of Knowing Everything Upfront in Software Development
Product Development

Explores how peer feedback in immersive Scrum and Agile training enhances learning, fosters real-world application, and supports continuous …

Videos Videos
Read more about The Power of Peer Feedback in Immersive Learning
Technical Leadership

Agentic Software Delivery is a strategy for continuously achieving business outcomes through the deliberate integration of autonomous AI agents, human …

Tags Tags (0)
Read more about Agentic Software Delivery
Product Development

Throughput is a delivery metric used to inspect how much work is completed per unit of time, enabling analysis of flow efficiency and system …

Tags Tags (23)
Read more about Throughput
Product Development

Working software is the tangible, functional output produced during a Sprint, representing a concrete artifact that delivers value to customers.

Tags Tags (77)
Read more about Working Software
Scrum

Inspecting and adapting the increment to ensure transparency and stakeholder feedback.

Tags Tags (10)
Read more about Sprint Review

Our Happy Clients​

We partner with businesses across diverse industries, including finance, insurance, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, technology, engineering, transportation, hospitality, entertainment, legal, government, and military sectors.​

Healthgrades Logo

Healthgrades

Capita Secure Information Solutions Ltd Logo

Capita Secure Information Solutions Ltd

Freadom Logo

Freadom

Emerson Process Management Logo

Emerson Process Management

Slaughter and May Logo

Slaughter and May

ProgramUtvikling Logo

ProgramUtvikling

Slicedbread Logo

Slicedbread

Boxit Document Solutions

Brandes Investment Partners L.P. Logo

Brandes Investment Partners L.P.

Akaditi Logo

Akaditi

Lean SA Logo

Lean SA

Higher Education Statistics Agency Logo

Higher Education Statistics Agency

Kongsberg Maritime Logo

Kongsberg Maritime

Workday Logo

Workday

Bistech Logo

Bistech

Genus Breeding Ltd Logo

Genus Breeding Ltd

Trayport Logo

Trayport

Ericson Logo

Ericson

New Hampshire Supreme Court Logo

New Hampshire Supreme Court

Royal Air Force Logo

Royal Air Force

Washington Department of Transport Logo

Washington Department of Transport

Washington Department of Enterprise Services Logo

Washington Department of Enterprise Services

Ghana Police Service Logo

Ghana Police Service

Department of Work and Pensions (UK) Logo

Department of Work and Pensions (UK)

ALS Life Sciences Logo

ALS Life Sciences

Milliman Logo

Milliman

NIT A/S

Bistech Logo

Bistech

Big Data for Humans Logo

Big Data for Humans

YearUp.org Logo

YearUp.org