LOVE the energy and absolutely LOVED your approach to distill down the priorities for this workstream. Thank you so much for everything, Kate - we are killing it !!!! You are a great coach.
Biz/Org
Delivery Leadership, Kaiser Permanente
Year
2023 - 2024
Operations
Coaching
Overview
Teams were moving, but not always in the right direction. I co-led Kaiser Permanente’s Delivery Practice Improvements (DPI) initiative, working across product, delivery, and program leaders to identify systemic blockers and drive strategic change. Our focus: help squads deliver the right value - faster and with more clarity.
Co-led a multi-quarter strategy focused on value delivery, efficiency, and team empowerment
Created shared OKRs to unify coaching and metrics across delivery orgs
Embedded product coaches and launched monthly experiments to test improvements
Designed KPI dashboards tracking lead time, completion rate, and forecast accuracy
Ran value stream mapping, RACI/RAPID alignment, and backlog triage sessions
Goals
How might we help delivery teams move faster and smarter - without falling into the trap of more process for process’s sake?
We set out to improve delivery without increasing complexity. Teams were overwhelmed by shifting expectations, unclear roles, and inconsistent feedback loops. By focusing on experimentation and shared outcomes, we helped teams regain velocity and confidence.
Aligned roadmaps with outcome-based OKRs and delivery metrics
Mapped systemic blockers like ADA-related rework and dependency underestimation
Validated changes through actual performance data, not just perception
Created toolkits and templates to support scaled coaching and self-sufficiency
Challenges
Inconsistent delivery maturity - ranging from PMO-style to modern agile
Skepticism toward new process layers in already-overloaded teams
Disconnected views of “value” between squads, execs, and stakeholders
No centralized data on delivery trends or lead time causes
Solutions
Developed an experiment calendar to test process changes with minimal friction
Embedded KPI dashboards to visualize cycle time, blockers, and delivery confidence
Facilitated squad-level sessions using value stream maps and feedback loops
Created narratives and playbooks to drive buy-in at executive, coach, and squad levels
Identified and addressed root causes like last-minute ADA requirements and UX rework
Outcome & Impact
Decreased average feature delivery lead time across key squads
Increased percentage of stories tied to OKRs and outcomes
Surfaced invisible blockers that had derailed previous delivery efforts
Empowered 300+ product org members to better align roadmaps, roles, and rituals
Scaled repeatable playbooks for ongoing coaching and agile improvement
