McKenna Agile Consultants has completed the initial phase of agile training and hands-on coaching with the City of York Council, partnering closely with the Digital Development team to strengthen delivery capability across key roles and disciplines. Our work focused on practical, public-sector-ready agile methods that improve the flow of value to residents and internal stakeholders.
During this phase we carried out a capability baseline, delivered tailored Agile and Scrum training, and embedded coaching for Product Owners, Scrum Masters, Delivery Managers and engineers. We introduced clear cadences for planning, reviews and retrospectives, strengthened backlog management and prioritisation, and supported teams adopting Scrum and Kanban to increase predictability, transparency and quality. The result is a confident foundation for agile delivery in local government, with better alignment between strategy, policy and day-to-day digital service development.
To learn more about the approach, outcomes and next steps, please read the full case study in the Our Work section of the website.
Agile in the Public Sector
Local government digital teams face a unique set of challenges when adopting agile. They operate under strict procurement rules, serve diverse citizen needs, and must balance innovation with accountability and transparency. Off-the-shelf agile training rarely addresses these realities, which is why tailored coaching makes such a difference.
Our engagement with the City of York Council's Digital Development team was designed from the outset to address the specific context of public sector delivery. Rather than delivering generic Scrum training, we worked with the team to understand their existing workflows, stakeholder landscape, and delivery constraints before designing a programme that would actually stick.
What the Training Covered
The programme combined formal training in Scrum and Kanban with hands-on coaching sessions. Topics included:
- Backlog management and refinement techniques
- Sprint planning and review cadences
- Effective retrospectives that drive real improvement
- Work-in-progress limits to manage flow and reduce context switching
We also worked with team leads and managers on the leadership behaviours needed to support agile teams — creating space for self-organisation while maintaining clear strategic direction and governance. Our agile services are designed to cover this full spectrum of team and leadership development.
Outcomes and Lasting Impact
The most important outcome was not the training itself but the capability it left behind. The Digital Development team finished the engagement with the skills and confidence to run their own ceremonies, manage their backlog independently, and continuously improve their ways of working without ongoing external support.
This is the approach we take with all our public sector clients — build internal capability rather than create dependency on consultants. If you are considering an agile assessment or training programme for your organisation, book a free consultation to discuss your needs.
