Can agility on a large scale truly transform the way public organisations operate? How can we reconcile institutional constraints, public expectations and the need for rapid innovation? From reimagined governance to new collaborative practices and a culture of experimentation, the public sector now has concrete tools at its disposal to improve efficiency and adaptability. Insights from Laurent Vandewalle, an expert in agility and project management.
Agility is no longer merely a management fad. It has become a fundamental response to contemporary challenges: the growing complexity of public policy, the demand for transparency, the need for rapid implementation, and the accelerating pace of digital transformation. However, rolling out agility on a large scale in the public sector involves much more than simply introducing a few Scrum-based practices. It is a profound cultural and organisational transformation.
In practical terms, a public authority might start with a high-profile service – for example, an online procedure that generates a large number of enquiries at service counters or contact centres. The aim is not to «make the whole organisation agile», but to solve a specific problem: reducing processing times, simplifying a form, improving the completion rate of a process, or minimising frustrations for users. This use-case approach makes agility visible, measurable and directly beneficial.
Understanding the specific challenges facing the public sector
Unlike the private sector, the public sector operates within a highly regulated environment. Regulatory frameworks, budgetary controls, compliance obligations and political cycles shape decision-making. At first glance, this reality may seem incompatible with agility, which is often associated with flexibility and rapid adaptation.
Yet the public sector is facing growing uncertainty: health crises, environmental transitions, technological innovations and changing public expectations. Traditional hierarchical models are proving inadequate in the face of this complexity. Lengthy, sequential processes delay the implementation of policies and stifle innovation.
Agility therefore offers a pragmatic solution: working in short cycles, testing before rolling out, involving stakeholders from the design stage onwards, and continuously adapting solutions. On a large scale, this means aligning several teams, departments and, at times, several organisations around a common vision and shared priorities.
The fundamentals of agility at scale
Rolling out agility across a government department or local authority does not simply involve setting up a series of Scrum teams. It is about rethinking governance.
This approach is based on three pillars:
1. A clear strategic vision
Agility does not replace strategy: it acts as a catalyst for it. Public organisations must set out a clear vision, translated into measurable objectives that everyone can understand. This shared vision enables local initiatives to be aligned with national or regional priorities.
2. Appropriate governance
Large-scale agility frameworks (such as SAFe or Scrum at Scale) provide mechanisms for aligning teams: synchronising cycles, agile portfolio management and incremental planning. In the public sector, these mechanisms must be adapted to budgetary constraints and political trade-offs.
The key challenge lies in breaking down silos. Public sector projects often involve legal, finance, business and IT departments. Large-scale agility encourages the formation of multidisciplinary teams responsible for a product or service from start to finish.
3. Value-based management
In the public sector, performance is traditionally measured by adherence to procedures and budgets. The agile approach introduces a framework centred on the value delivered to the user. This involves defining impact indicators: citizen satisfaction, reduced processing times and simplified procedures.
3 common mistakes to avoid
- Rolling out Scrum without changing the governance structure
- Introducing more tools without clarifying responsibilities
- Wanting to transform the entire organisation all at once
The human and cultural drivers of agility at scale
Agile transformation is not primarily about methodology: it is, above all, about people.
Leadership and setting an example
The role of senior leaders is crucial. Without a clear commitment from top management, agility remains confined to a handful of pioneering teams. Managers must embody the principles of openness, transparency and the right to make mistakes.
Empowerment and autonomy
Agility on a large scale involves delegating decision-making to the level closest to the front line. This can disrupt a historically top-down administrative culture. However, giving teams autonomy strengthens their commitment and speeds up problem-solving.
A culture of experimentation
Test, measure, adjust: this iterative approach stands in contrast to projects designed entirely in advance. In the public sector, experimentation can be perceived as risky. It is therefore essential to establish a clear framework: a limited scope, defined evaluation criteria and transparent communication.
The first signs of success
- Faster decisions
- Reduction in the number of interim validations
- Better cooperation between business units and IT
Use cases for agility at scale: public sector organisations undergoing transformation
Several French and European public authorities have launched large-scale agility initiatives.
Case 1 – Rapidly digitising administrative procedures
In response to the proliferation of paper forms and email correspondence, DINUM has developed ‘Démarche Numérique’ (formerly ‘Démarches simplifiées’) to enable public authorities to quickly create online forms and centralise the processing of applications. The aim is to avoid having to launch a specific IT project for each individual procedure. Today, the service is used by over 14,000 partner government bodies and has facilitated the submission of more than 20 million applications. It exemplifies a product philosophy: starting with a practical need, delivering quickly, and then continuously improving the service.
Case 2 – Resolving complex administrative bottlenecks more quickly
In some major cities, citizens find themselves in urgent situations involving several different organisations: social benefits, access to entitlements, financial difficulties. The problem is that those seeking help have to contact each government department separately, with little insight into the progress of their case. Administration+ was designed as an inter-agency messaging system enabling users to report a complex case to several public sector contacts at once. Initially trialled at a local level, the tool now processes more than 12,000 reports per month. According to beta.gouv.fr, 75 % of requests are resolved in under 5 days, making the benefit directly measurable.
The benefits observed are tangible: shorter implementation times, better cross-departmental collaboration, improved user satisfaction and enhanced skills among teams.
The challenges of agility at scale in the public sector
However, large-scale agility in the public sector presents specific challenges:
- the rigidity of annual budgetary processes, which is not particularly compatible with adaptive planning
- the frequent turnover of leaders linked to political cycles
- cultural resistance to challenges to established ways of doing things
To overcome these obstacles, the transformation must be gradual, supported and well-resourced.
Where to start ?
- Identify a priority service
- Putting together a cross-functional team
- Defining a user-centred indicator
Taking action: practical guidance
For public sector leaders wishing to embark on a large-scale agility initiative, there are several key steps that can serve as a guide.
- Carry out an organisational assessment: agile maturity, managerial culture, process mapping.
- Define a clear vision and objectives, aligned with strategic priorities.
- Run pilot schemes in controlled environments before rolling them out more widely.
- To train and support managers so that they become facilitators rather than controllers.
- Introduce indicators focused on value for the user.
Change management is a key factor in success. It is not simply a matter of implementing a methodological framework, but of bringing about a lasting transformation in managerial and collaborative practices.
To conclude, agility on a large scale is not an end in itself. It is a means to a broader ambition: to make public action more responsive, more collaborative and more citizen-centred. Public organisations that can combine institutional rigour with the ability to adapt will have a decisive advantage in responding more effectively to contemporary challenges, whilst strengthening staff engagement and public trust. The question is no longer whether the public sector should become more agile, but how to undertake this transformation without losing the coherence and stability that are essential to public action.
