What if you could double your procurement team’s productivity without adding more hours to your workweek?
Sounds impossible, right?
That’s exactly what I achieved by applying the principles of Scrum to my procurement processes.
Welcome to my fourth experiment, in which I share how I use NotebookLM as a learning tool. In this podcast, I explore how concepts from Jeff Sutherland’s Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time transformed my approach to procurement. I’d love your feedback—did this resonate with you?
When I read Scrum in 2021, I was skeptical. Designed for software teams, could it really work in procurement? Despite my doubts, I decided to test it out. By early 2022, I had implemented twice-weekly, 30-minute standups with my legal team. These weren’t your typical status meetings—they were highly focused, structured discussions aimed at removing blockers, aligning priorities, and fostering accountability.
The results were beyond my expectations. Contracts moved through legal review faster, team members felt more aligned, and productivity doubled. Scrum’s emphasis on transparency, collaboration, and adaptation created a smoother, more agile workflow. It wasn’t just about speed—it was about delivering value with less stress and more clarity.
Of course, there were challenges. Adapting Scrum to a non-tech environment required some trial and error. However, the core principles proved universal: clear goals, regular feedback, and constant improvement can transform any team’s output and morale.
In this episode, I’ll share how I adapted Scrum for procurement and invite you to consider how it might help your team. Don’t forget to share your thoughts—your feedback helps me improve and explore new ideas. Let’s dive in!
Disclaimer: This is a personal learning experiment, not a production of Jeff Sutherland or anyone else mentioned.
FAQ: Scrum-inspired Procurement Process Optimization
1️⃣ What is a Scrum-inspired methodology, and how can it be applied to procurement?
A Scrum-inspired methodology adapts principles from the Scrum framework, commonly used in software development, to streamline processes in other areas like procurement. It emphasizes iterative progress, close collaboration, and continuous improvement through regular feedback loops and adaptation. In a procurement context, this might involve:
Stand-up Meetings: Holding short, focused meetings to discuss progress, roadblocks, and next steps, ensuring alignment between procurement and legal teams.
Sprints: Dividing procurement work into short, time-boxed intervals (e.g., one or two weeks) to deliver incremental progress and adapt to changes efficiently.
Clear Roles: Defining roles like "Scrum Master" (who facilitates the process), "Product Owner" (who represents stakeholder needs), and "Development Team" (procurement and legal professionals executing tasks).
Visual Tools: Utilizing tools like dashboards and burndown charts to track progress, identify bottlenecks, and maintain transparency for all stakeholders.
2️⃣ What are the key benefits of using a Scrum-inspired methodology in procurement?
Increased Efficiency: Streamlined workflows, reduced bottlenecks, and faster processing of procurement requests lead to a significant increase in throughput.
Improved Collaboration: Regular communication and alignment between procurement and legal teams foster a collaborative environment and quicker problem-solving.
Enhanced Visibility: Tracking tools and data-driven reporting provide a clear picture of progress, enabling better decision-making and accountability.
Flexibility and Adaptability: Scrum's iterative nature allows procurement processes to effectively adapt to changing needs and priorities.
Continuous Improvement: Regular retrospectives and KPI analysis help identify areas for optimization, leading to ongoing process enhancement.
3️⃣ How do stand-up meetings contribute to a successful Scrum-inspired procurement process?
Stand-up meetings are short, focused gatherings (e.g., 15-30 minutes) held frequently (e.g., twice weekly) to:
Align Teams: Provide a platform for procurement and legal teams to synchronize efforts, discuss progress, and clarify the next steps.
Identify Roadblocks: Allow team members to raise any challenges or obstacles they are facing, facilitating quick problem-solving and collaborative solutions.
Maintain Momentum: Keep the procurement process moving forward by ensuring regular communication and a shared understanding of priorities.
4️⃣ What role does a procurement orchestration tool play in optimizing the process?
A procurement orchestration tool acts as a central hub for managing procurement requests and contracts, providing:
Workflow Automation: Automates steps in the procurement process, reducing manual effort and ensuring consistent execution.
Visibility and Tracking: The orchestration tool offers dashboards and reports to monitor the status of all agreements, identify bottlenecks, and track key performance indicators (KPIs).
Standardized Reporting: Enables data-driven decision-making by providing clear and consistent data on procurement process performance.
Improved Collaboration: Facilitates communication and information sharing among stakeholders involved in the procurement process.
5️⃣ What are some important KPIs to track in a Scrum-inspired procurement process?
Key performance indicators (KPIs) provide insights into the efficiency and effectiveness of the procurement process. Some crucial KPIs to monitor include:
Total Requests Completed Measures the procurement team's overall output and allows for the establishment of performance benchmarks.
Number of Open Requests: Tracks the workload and helps ensure requests are processed efficiently without overwhelming the team.
Average Time to Complete Requests: Analyzing the duration of different procurement tasks identifies potential bottlenecks and opportunities for improvement.
Contract Type Breakdown: Examining completion times by contract type can reveal trends and areas requiring focused attention.
6️⃣ How can regular KPI reviews with the legal team improve the process?
Monthly KPI reviews with the legal team create a feedback loop for continuous improvement by:
Identifying Bottlenecks: Analyzing KPI data together helps pinpoint specific stages or types of contracts causing delays.
Optimizing Workflows: Collaborative discussions lead to process adjustments, like establishing thresholds for legal review based on contract value or risk.
Enhancing Collaboration: Open dialogue strengthens communication and trust between procurement and legal teams, fostering a more efficient and harmonious working relationship.
7️⃣ What is the significance of the Scrum Master's role in a procurement context?
The Scrum Master acts as a facilitator and champion of the Scrum-inspired methodology, ensuring its successful implementation and continuous improvement by:
Guiding the Team: Facilitates stand-up meetings, keeps the team focused, and helps them adhere to Scrum principles.
Removing Obstacles: Identifies and addresses roadblocks hindering the team's progress, enabling smooth workflow.
Driving Improvement: Monitors KPIs, facilitates retrospectives and leads efforts to optimize the procurement process based on data and feedback.
8️⃣ What tangible results can be expected from adopting a Scrum-inspired approach to procurement?
Organizations can expect the following outcomes from implementing a Scrum-inspired procurement process:
2x to 4x Increase in Efficiency: Streamlined workflows and reduced bottlenecks result in significantly higher throughput, processing more requests in less time.
Reduced Bottlenecks: Improved communication, task clarity, and proactive problem-solving minimize delays and keep agreements moving smoothly.
Improved Stakeholder Satisfaction: Faster turnaround times, increased transparency, and responsiveness to evolving needs enhance satisfaction for both internal and external stakeholders.
Data-Driven Decision-Making: KPI tracking and analysis enable informed decisions for process optimization and resource allocation.
Scalable and Adaptable Process: Scrum's agile nature equips the procurement team to handle increasing workloads and adapt effectively to changing organizational needs.
Share this post