Agile Education Case Study

A Boutique Managed Fund Administration (MFA) Firm (acquired by a major financial services company)

Challenge:

After three years of stalled progress, a high-stakes Private Equity (PE) platform initiative remained stuck. As a result, leadership conflicts, cultural resistance to Agile practices, and misalignment on delivery frameworks paralyzed momentum. The traditional waterfall methodology failed to adapt to the complexity and uncertainty inherent in the PE domain. Additionally, a history of command-and-control processes clashed with the empirical, iterative needs of modern product development, subsequently leaving corporate clients growing increasingly frustrated.

Approach:

Paul’s strategy as the Delivery Coach was grounded in empathy, transparency, and adaptability. He began by reestablishing trust through one-on-ones, listening sessions, and shared learning that modeled the Scrum values of courage, openness, and respect. Rather than enforcing Agile top-down, he co-created a tailored coaching plan using Scrum’s evidence-based methods. He designed and facilitated structured discovery workshops, introduced collaborative backlog creation techniques like story mapping and example mapping, and implemented forecasting through relative estimation and Monte Carlo simulations.

Keys to Success:

• Created the first fully dedicated cross-functional Scrum team in the organization
• Embedded coaching into daily rituals by leveraging Sprint Reviews, Planning, and Retrospectives as live learning experiences
• Introduced behavioral-driven development (BDD) to reduce rework and increase clarity
• Used data-backed forecasting to earn leadership buy-in and aligned expectations

Results:

• Delivered the first PE feature in just 6 months, after 3 years of inactivity
• Velocity increased by 4.5x, from 12 to 54 story points per Sprint
• Rework significantly reduced, leading to more stable Sprints and higher team satisfaction
• The feature is now incorporated into the platform of one of the world’s top private equity fund administrators

Lessons Learned:

• Culture change starts with trust, not process enforcement
• Tailored facilitation and coaching beats off-the-shelf solutions
• Forecasting with both relative estimation and Monte Carlo builds credibility with leadership
• Real-world immersion trumps theoretical Agile training, learning by doing drives adoption

Conclusion:

This case study wasn’t just about implementing Scrum, rather, it was about reigniting belief. By focusing on people, transparency, and a relentless commitment to empirical delivery, he transformed skepticism into sustained momentum. As a result, the PE platform is no longer an aspiration, it’s a delivered, value-generating reality.

About Paul Casanova

Paul Casanova is a Registered Scrum Trainer™ and Certified Working Genius Facilitator who helps teams align strengths, build trust, and deliver with consistency. With over a decade of experience in agile coaching and delivery, Paul blends the structure of Scrum with the insight of Working Genius to reduce friction, improve collaboration, and unlock sustainable performance. His practical, people-first approach empowers teams to thrive, doing work that matters, in ways that work.

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