TriAgile 2021

We are constantly reminded that Agile transformation needs to incorporate innovation but that is easier said than done. Learn how Duke Energy launched a grass-root innovation initiative in 2020 with no budget and no space. Initially, we were going to set aside a conference room and turn it into a lab but then Covid hit and we all went home to work remotely.

We had to pivot then successfully launched what we call M!ndspace, as a virtual innovation center, leveraging
our Agile Community of Practice.

Some quick background: Before March 2020, Duke Energy launched a brand new innovation center at Optimist Hall, north of Uptown Charlotte. Optimist Hall combines a Duke Energy building and a food court that has become part of the foodie vibe of Charlotte. Optimist Hall is a great building to bring the latest technologies in a lab-type environment to determine best applications for Duke Energy. However, as part of our Agile transformation, we wanted to create grass-root innovation especially for teams outside Optimist Hall.
The motto is “everyone is welcome; all ideas are welcome.”

M!ndspace is where we self-organize in small groups of volunteers, lean coffee style, to work on specific ideas that are brought up and voted on by everyone in attendance.

In this session, we will go over the steps we took to launch it successfully virtually, pitfalls and lessons learned we quickly uncovered, best practices that we have established, and what the plans are for involving more people in 2021.