"Furusato Choice," operated by Trust Bank, is one of Japan's largest comprehensive hometown tax sites, used by over 90% of municipalities nationwide (as of June 2021). It has evolved into a platform that supports regions through various initiatives, including government crowdfunding and disaster relief.
Since the team members are also users of the service, the company believed that creating teams that approach regional issues with a sense of personal 'ownership' would lead to further growth. We spoke with CTO Mr. Yamazaki, who is leading the charge in organizational improvement.
Throughout his career, Mr. Yamazaki seen many organizations where engineers were isolated as 'specialized technicians,' distanced from actual field issues. Trust Bank was no exception; the focus was more on meeting deadlines and ensuring quality than on creating user value, leaving the 'why' and 'for whom' unclear.
He felt a sense of crisis that a team indifferent to regional challenges would become a fatal bottleneck. To build a team with a strong sense of ownership capable of solving these issues, he decided to implement Scrum.
Believing that an expert capable of teaching systematic knowledge was essential to launching a self-sustaining team, Mr. Yamazaki reached out to Odd-e Japan. Having worked with them in a previous role, he knew their expertise was unparalleled in Japan.
In addition to foundational workshops, we implemented practical training such as pair programming for technical skill-up and decision-making exercises centered on 'user value.' Experimental study groups were also held to bridge the gap between theory and actual development.
As a result, a mindset focused on delivering value—asking, 'Is this feature good for the customer?'—spread throughout the team, marking the first step toward autonomy. Mr. Yamazaki notes that Odd-e's coaching style was a pleasant surprise.
Many Scrum trainers tend to be dogmatic, focusing strictly on following processes. However, Odd-e's agile coaches prioritized the fundamental mindset: how to create an environment where the team can maximize customer value. They avoided a textbook-only approach, which exceeded my expectations.
This flexible approach energized the team. An engineer appointed as a Scrum Master with no prior experience initially felt anxious but, with Odd-e's support, discovered the joy of resolving team impediments to maximize product value. They now say, 'I don't ever want to leave this team.'
Looking back after a few months of Scrum adoption, Mr. Yamazaki shares:
While the team previously focused on developing what they were told, they have grown into a group that takes initiative. Our next challenge is to generate business value proactively as a team.
He shared his vision for the future of the development team:
I want us to aim for being 'multi-skilled professionals,' where coding is just one of many skills, rather than settling for being a technical group that only follows instructions. Humans are capable of mastering diverse skill sets.
The adoption of Scrum has transformed the organization from one focused on deadlines and documentation into one that pursues maximum customer value. A foundation has been built that allows the development team to connect with the business side in ways previously unreachable.
By building on these successes, the company will accelerate its business under the vision of "creating autonomous and sustainable regions," continuing to deliver new value to local communities.
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A Scrum team is a living organism that constantly evolves. At the start, the team must acquire correct knowledge; without a systematic foundation, the team will grow in the wrong direction.