Agile Transformation for Retail Business (500+ employees): from designing a new space to implementing an in-house agile framework

Agile Business Transformation In-house Framework Organizational Design Change Management Cross-functional Collaboration Leadership Alignment

In 2016, our organization initiated a large-scale Agile transformation, aiming to shift from traditional hierarchy to an adaptive, innovation-driven operating model. The initiative covered all dimensions of transformation — from developing a custom in-house agile framework and new roles to designing an agile-inspired workspace that supported new ways of working.

Challenge

We had only four months to move from an empty building to a fully functional agile hub — while simultaneously creating a bespoke agile framework that reflected our organization's culture and business realities.

No comparable agile spaces of this scale (for 10+ thousands of employees) existed in Europe at the time. We had to:

Translate agile principles into new governance, roles, and collaboration models.
Design a space supporting small, cross-functional teams and agile rituals.
Keep the transformation aligned with corporate goals and delivered within a tight budget and schedule.

Approach

In just four months, we worked in all directions — creating a new workspace, an in-house agile framework with defined roles and ceremonies, a new organizational structure, and new patterns of team interaction.

Co-designing the organization's first agile framework, including roles, ceremonies, and delivery model tailored to retail operations.
Helping define the agile strategy and implementation roadmap aligned with leadership vision.
Leading the retail sector's integration into the transformation process, ensuring relevance and adoption across business units.
Launching three pilot floors to test collaboration patterns, spatial layouts, and role interaction dynamics.
Facilitating cross-departmental and cross-partner collaboration, aligning contractors, HR, IT, and business stakeholders.
Ensuring rapid delivery through iterative feedback loops, visual progress tracking, and agile retrospectives at every stage.

Result

The project was delivered on time and above expectations, setting a new internal standard for transformation initiatives.

The new agile framework and roles became the foundation for organization-wide adoption.
The workspace enabled agile rituals, boosted creativity, and improved team performance.
The project — later branded "Agile Home" — won "Best Office of the Year" twice and became a reference point for subsequent transformations.
Its principles were later scaled to five additional buildings, embedding agile culture into everyday work.

The initiative not only transformed the environment but also redefined how the organization collaborated, delivered, and evolved.