Fast Flow 2024: A Recap of Key Insights and Lessons Learned

Fast Flow 2024, held in London, was a resounding success, bringing together experts and practitioners from around the globe to discuss the latest trends and best practices in Team Topologies. Armakuni, as a founding organiser and sponsor, is proud to have contributed to this impactful event.

Key Themes and Takeaways

The conference focused on building from the discussions held in previous years. Key areas of focus this year included:

• Organisational Adaptability: How organisations can utilise Team Topologies to navigate rapidly changing markets and remain competitive.
• Team Interactions and Boundaries: Strategies for improving team interactions, defining clear roles, and managing cognitive load to enhance organisational effectiveness.
• Scaling and Implementation Challenges: Practical advice for large organisations seeking to scale Team Topologies and address common challenges.

BT's Journey to Accelerating Digital Delivery

At Fast Flow 2024, Victoria Tuck from Armakuni presented alongside Sarah Waters, a representative from BT—one of the UK's largest telecommunications and broadband providers. Since November 2023, BT has partnered with Public Digital and Armakuni to unlock the next level of digital delivery capability. Their collaborative efforts involve a thorough examination of BT's business processes and engineering culture to identify blockers to flow and opportunities for acceleration.

In their talk, they emphasised that BT's complex history, stemming from its origins in the public sector and subsequent mergers, presents unique challenges. This is a situation many organisations face globally.

Key Takeaways from BT’s Experience

• Holistic Analysis: Understanding barriers to flow requires a comprehensive look at both the business processes and engineering practices within the organisation.
• The Need for Modernisation: Central to their discussion is the recognition that culture and systems—including funding, planning, and prioritisation—must modernise to support fast flow within delivery teams.
• Team-Based Insights: By using insights from delivery teams, BT and Armakuni have created a customised capability uplift approach, allowing them to implement practical changes that drive sustainable improvements.

Practical Steps for Organisations Seeking Faster Flow

For organisations looking to improve their software delivery, here are some next steps based on the insights from Fast Flow 2024:

1. Conduct a Full Analysis: Look at both business processes and engineering culture to find what’s slowing down delivery.
2. Update Systems and Culture: Consider where modernisation is needed to support faster, more efficient delivery.
3. Utilise Team Feedback: Gather input from teams to develop specific plans for capability improvements.
4. Implement Gradually: Start with small, manageable changes and scale up to avoid overwhelming your teams.

Final Thoughts 

Fast Flow 2024 provided invaluable insights and practical guidance for organisations looking to enhance their software delivery capabilities. By understanding the complexities of Team Topologies and the challenges associated with legacy systems, organisations can take proactive steps toward becoming more adaptable and efficient.

At Armakuni, we recognise that the journey to faster flow is not just about implementing new technologies; it’s about transforming cultures and processes to support sustainable change. Our expertise in modern engineering practices and cloud-native solutions helps organisations like BT to navigate these challenges effectively.

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