The Challenge: Bridging Product and Technology
Tesco Online had historically kept its product and technology teams as separate entities. However, after a major restructure, it became evident that these two functions needed to be more closely integrated to enable true agility across the organisation. Communication barriers and misalignment were causing friction, hindering the collaboration necessary for an effective value stream. The restructuring brought significant teething problems, with leaders struggling to foster a unified approach between the teams.

The Solution: Embedding Obeya for Collaboration
To overcome these challenges, we introduced Obeya—a powerful framework for improving communication and decision-making across all levels of the value stream. However, embedding this technique wasn’t without its challenges. Tesco was already in the midst of a complex Agile transformation, and introducing a new methodology met with initial resistance. Product and technology leads were cautious, unsure how Obeya would fit into their already evolving processes.

How We Made It Happen: Alignment and Coaching
The success of Obeya relied on alignment across the organisation, requiring extensive coaching and facilitation to bring it to life. My role was to coach Tesco's leadership teams on how to run effective Obeya sessions, build insightful Obeya Walls, and drive decision-making in real-time. This meant not only teaching the mechanics of the sessions but also guiding them in transforming how they thought about and presented key information.

Throughout the process, I facilitated sessions and carried out maturity assessments to track progress and ensure continuous improvement. This hands-on coaching empowered teams to communicate more effectively, fostering a culture of transparency, collaboration, and agility.

The Outcome: Unified Communication, Agile Decisions
As Tesco Online embraced the Obeya approach, the results were transformative. Leaders and teams began to collaborate more fluidly, communicating critical updates and making decisions in the moment. Product and technology teams, once siloed, were now operating as a cohesive, agile value stream. The new way of working unlocked greater agility, enabling Tesco to deliver value faster and more effectively to its customers.

Unleashing Obeya’s Potential in Your Organisation
The Obeya approach transformed how Tesco Online’s teams communicated and collaborated, driving real-time decision-making and agility across the value stream. If you're struggling with similar challenges, unsure of how to get started with Obeya, let's explore how this powerful framework can unlock new levels of efficiency for your organisation.