Last month, I attended a training on Scaled Agile, and it got me thinking—what does this mean for User Research? Here are my key takeaways.
First, what is Scaled Agile?
Think of Scaled Agile as Agile on steroids. It’s a framework designed to help large enterprises stay nimble, ensuring that even with size, governance, and coordination, delivery remains fast and user-focused—just like in smaller startups.
Agile itself is all about adapting to change. As defined by the Agile Alliance, it’s a set of frameworks and practices that prioritises people, collaboration, and delivering value over rigid processes and heavy documentation. If you’d like me to break down Agile from a UXR perspective in a future newsletter, let me know!
Now, onto my top 3 reflections as a User Researcher working within Scaled Agile:
1. User Research has a place in delivery
Scaled Agile emphasises delivering value early and often—and what is “value” if not something that actually meets user needs?
Agile defines value as working software.
User Research ensures that what’s being built is not just functional but useful and usable.
2. Exploring multiple design options matters
One key principle of Scaled Agile is resisting the urge to jump straight into building the first idea.
Instead, teams are encouraged to test multiple options before committing—just like how User Research helps de-risk bad investments by testing ideas early.
3. Continuous learning is built-in
Scaled Agile acknowledges that you can’t know everything upfront. Learning cycles are embedded in the process, reinforcing that iteration and user feedback are key—a mindset that aligns perfectly with User Research.
Final Thoughts
Scaled Agile is not without its challenges in practice.
And no methodology is perfect; but one thing is clear: As long as people use a product, User Research will always be essential. Whether Agile, Scaled Agile, Waterfall, or another approach, we need to balance technology, business, and engineering priorities (and more) with user-centered thinking.
Curious to learn more? Check out Scaled Agile’s official site.
I’d love to hear your thoughts! Feel free to reply or reach out to me at [email protected] to share your feedback or continue the conversation.
