The failed brands? Why?
Discuss why they fell behind competition.
How do you find the atmosphere in this Blockbuster?
This scene is from my fave film ‘Holiday’. Here you can see two characters, Jack Black and Kate Winslet, in Blockbuster. The new generation might not have heard of it but for me it’s a bit of nostalgia. Back in the day, we used to rent one or two movies a week. Now we are mostly glued to Netflix without the need to go out. Going out was part of all the fun.
See what YouTubers have said about Blockbuster after watching this clip:
This is why I miss Blockbuster. Looking for good movies with friends and loved ones. It’s not the same with Netflix.
Poor kids today will never know the joy of going to a video store.
Phones have ruined the world, no places like this anymore, no cool record stores.
How ‘agile’ is your way of thinking: why some fail and some succeed
In business, some companies succeed because they adapt quickly, while others fail because they refuse to change. Today, we will explore famous business failures and successes, focusing on how Agile thinking helps companies stay competitive.
Your task is to analyse real-world examples, reflect on key lessons, and contribute to our Failure and Success Boards.
🚨 Failure Board: When Companies Refuse to Adapt
These businesses failed because they ignored innovation, resisted change, or made poor decisions.
📌 Examples of Business Failures
💿 Blockbuster (Declined to Buy Netflix)
What Happened? In 2000, Netflix offered to sell itself to Blockbuster for $50 million. Blockbuster laughed at the idea. Today, Netflix is worth billions, and Blockbuster is gone.
Lesson Learned: Ignoring digital transformation can lead to irrelevance.
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📱 Nokia (Lost Market Share to Apple & Android)
What Happened? Nokia was once the top mobile phone brand but failed to innovate in smartphones. Apple and Samsung took over.
Lesson Learned: Companies must evolve with market trends.
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📷 Kodak (Invented the Digital Camera… But Ignored It!)
What Happened? Kodak engineers created the first digital camera in the 1970s, but executives feared it would hurt film sales and refused to develop it. Digital cameras became the future, and Kodak lost its dominance.
Lesson Learned: Disrupt yourself before someone else does.
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🚗 Toyota (2010 Recall Crisis – Poor Agile Response)
What Happened? Toyota delayed responding to customer complaints about safety issues, resulting in millions of recalls and damaged reputation.
Lesson Learned: Fast problem-solving and customer feedback are key.
🌟 Success Board: Companies That Embraced Change
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These businesses succeeded because they stayed flexible, innovative, and user-focused.
📌 Examples of Agile Business Successes
🎵 Spotify (Agile Squads & User-Centered Approach)
Why It Succeeded: Spotify uses small Agile teams (“squads”) that make quick updates and improvements based on user feedback.
Lesson Learned: Continuous innovation keeps companies ahead.
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🏠 Airbnb (Pivoting and Scaling Fast)
Why It Succeeded: Airbnb started as a way to pay rent but adapted quickly based on demand. Now, it’s one of the biggest travel platforms in the world.
Lesson Learned: Testing and adapting ideas lead to success.
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🚗 Tesla (Iterative Product Development & Over-the-Air Updates)
Why It Succeeded: Tesla constantly improves its cars with software updates, even after purchase.
Lesson Learned: Never wait for a “perfect” product—launch, improve, and update.
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📦 Amazon (Customer-Centric & Fast Innovation)
Why It Succeeded: Amazon dominates e-commerce by focusing on customer experience, fast delivery, and constant experimentation.
Lesson Learned: Always find ways to improve efficiency and user experience.
📝 Student Activity: Contribute to the Boards
🔹 Step 1: Reflect and Write
Think about a business you know that has either failed or succeeded. Write down:
The business name
What happened?
What is the key lesson?
Should they have used Agile thinking? How?
🔹 Step 2: Add to the Boards
If your example is a failure, place your sticky note on the Failure Board.
If your example is a success, place it on the Success Board.
🔹 Step 3: Discuss and Debate
Why do some companies refuse to change?
Which success story inspires you the most? Why?
Can you think of a recent business failure due to poor adaptability?
🔹 Bonus Challenge: Debate “Fixed vs. Agile Mindset”
One group defends traditional business models.
One group argues for Agile innovation.
Discuss which approach works best today.
✅ Key Takeaways
1️⃣ Companies that resist change often fail (Blockbuster, Kodak).
2️⃣ Successful businesses adapt and innovate (Spotify, Tesla).
3️⃣ Agile thinking helps companies stay competitive and relevant.
4️⃣ We can apply these lessons to our own learning, work, and problem-solving skills!
🚀 Final Thought: The business world is always changing. Will you adapt and innovate, or will you be left behind?
Agile at Spotify (20 min): How Does It Work?
Explain Spotify’s Agile Framework using simple terms:
- Squads → Small teams with full ownership of their work.
- Tribes → Multiple squads working towards a shared goal.
- Sprints → Work in short, focused timeframes.
- Retrospectives → After each sprint, teams discuss what went well & what needs improvement.
📝 Mini Task:
Each team names their Squad and chooses a Product (e.g., Smart Study App, AI Travel Bot, Sustainable Fashion Brand).
Sprint 1: Product Planning (30 min)
Each Squad does the following:
- Define their MVP (Minimum Viable Product): What is the simplest version of their product?
- Create a User Story (e.g., “As a student, I want an app that helps me plan my studies so I can manage my time better.”)
- Write down three key features they will work on first.
📌 Task: Teams place their MVP ideas on the Squad Task Board (To Do Column).
Sprint 2: Development and Problem-Solving (40 min)
- Squads begin sketching their product features (draw rough wireframes, flowcharts, or key screens).
- Obstacles appear! → Each squad a Challenge Card (unexpected Agile problem).
🎭 Quick Discussion: Squads solve the challenge using Agile teamwork.
📌 Task: Teams move completed features to “Done” on the Task Board.
Sprint 3: Presenting the Product (30 min)
Each squad pitches their product in 2 minutes using:
✔ Product Name and Purpose
✔ How they used Agile
✔ What obstacles they overcame
📝 Peer Feedback: You give one strength & one improvement suggestion to another squad.
Agile Retrospective (15 min): What Worked and What Didn’t?
- You return to the Failure & Success boards.
- On sticky notes, you write:
- “What was hard?” (Place it on Failure Board)
- “What did we learn?” (Place it on Success Board)
Wrap-Up and Takeaways (10 min)
- Recap Agile lessons:
🏆 “Fast feedback is better than perfect planning!”
🔄 “Small, constant improvements lead to success.” - Ask: “How can you use Agile thinking in school or life?”
🎁 Final Thought: Spotify is successful because it never stops improving. Apply that to your own goals!
Agile Challenge Cards – Business Sprint Activity
How to Use These Challenge Cards
During your Agile sprint, unexpected challenges will arise—just like in real businesses! Each squad will draw a challenge card at random and must find a solution using Agile thinking. Discuss how your team will respond and update your sprint plan accordingly.
🚨 Challenge Cards
1️⃣ Unexpected Team Conflict
📌 Problem: Two members of your squad strongly disagree on which feature to prioritize. One wants to focus on design, while the other insists on functionality first. 🛠 Agile Response: How will your team resolve this conflict while staying productive?
2️⃣ Customer Feedback Shifts Priorities
📌 Problem: After releasing an early test version of your product, customer feedback suggests a completely different feature is needed instead of what you’re working on. 🛠 Agile Response: Will you change direction mid-sprint? How do you balance feedback and deadlines?
3️⃣ Tight Deadline – Unexpected Delay
📌 Problem: One of your key team members is suddenly unavailable due to an emergency, and your sprint deadline is in just a few hours. 🛠 Agile Response: How can you redistribute tasks and ensure delivery without overloading the team?
4️⃣ Technical Failure
📌 Problem: The software or system your team relies on suddenly crashes, making it impossible to test your new feature. 🛠 Agile Response: How do you adapt and keep progressing without waiting for the system to be fixed?
5️⃣ Leadership Challenge
📌 Problem: Your squad leader is struggling to keep the team organized, and communication is breaking down. Tasks are unclear, and deadlines are slipping. 🛠 Agile Response: How can your team improve collaboration and redefine leadership roles?
6️⃣ Budget Cuts & Resource Shortage
📌 Problem: Midway through the sprint, your team is informed that you have fewer resources than expected—less time, money, or tools. 🛠 Agile Response: How will you prioritize the most important features and still meet your goal?
7️⃣ Last-Minute Feature Request
📌 Problem: A major stakeholder (investor, customer, or manager) suddenly requests a new feature that was never part of the original sprint plan. 🛠 Agile Response: How do you decide whether to adjust the sprint or push back against scope creep?
8️⃣ Team Morale Drops
📌 Problem: Your team members are frustrated, tired, and struggling to stay motivated because of repeated obstacles. Productivity is slowing down. 🛠 Agile Response: What Agile strategies can you use to boost team morale and keep motivation high?
9️⃣ Security or Ethical Dilemma
📌 Problem: Your team discovers that a planned feature might create security risks or ethical concerns (e.g., privacy issues, biased AI, misleading advertising). 🛠 Agile Response: Will you go ahead, modify the feature, or scrap it completely? How do you make ethical decisions under pressure?
🔟 A Competitor is Moving Faster!
📌 Problem: A rival company has just released a similar product before you finished yours, and it’s getting great reviews. 🛠 Agile Response: Do you rush to launch your product, change your strategy, or improve your original idea?
📌 Student Instructions
Draw a Challenge Card randomly during your sprint.
Discuss the Problem with your squad and brainstorm solutions using Agile principles.
Decide on an Action Plan – Will you adapt your sprint? Change priorities? Keep going as planned?
Present Your Solution at the end of the sprint.
🔹 The key to Agile success is flexibility, teamwork, and fast problem-solving! 🚀
