Organisations often try to change workplace culture through policies, frameworks or large initiatives. But what if meaningful change begins with something much smaller, like a simple experiment?
At the upcoming Regional Scrum Gathering Cape Town 2026, leaders from Khanyisa Real Systems (KRS), a Cape Town-based software development company founded almost four decades ago, will invite participants to explore how small, everyday experiments can help teams learn, reflect and grow.
For software teams working in fast-moving development environments, this approach offers a practical way to evolve team culture without disruptive change programmes.
On 12 March at the Lagoon Beach Hotel & Spa, Cape Town, KRS CEO Lorraine Steyn and HR Director Ayesha Bagus will present: “Learning at the Speed of Change: How Small Experiments Transformed Our Culture”, a 95-minute session designed to move beyond theory and provide practical, actionable strategies.
A rare blend of technical precision and human leadership
Steyn, who founded KRS in 1987 and remains hands-on with production code, and Bagus, who has a background in law and Scrum mastery, bring a unique perspective to organisational change. Their partnership bridges the gap between engineering discipline and human-centred development – a combination that has previously taken them to international stages, including DDD Europe.
“The same mindset that helps us write better code can help us build better teams,” explains Steyn. “As developers, we write multiple small tests to get a larger feature working. These unit tests guide us in fixing our approach and allow us to take each change in small steps.
“The same approach, broadly speaking, can help teams embrace bigger shifts while each step remains small and safe,” she continues. “These iterative experiments allow the team to own their own change, learning and improving as they go.”
From theory to practice
The workshop goes beyond inspiration to provide concrete, replicable examples from KRS’s journey. Participants will explore initiatives such as dedicated learning hours, leadership check-ins and team-driven reflection practices.
During the session, attendees will work in small groups to design an experiment they can take back to their own organisations.
By the end of the session, participants will:
- Understand how small experiments can drive meaningful cultural change.
- Learn a practical framework for designing and testing “people experiments”.
- Explore how leadership behaviours influence learning and trust within teams.
- Leave with a ready-to-run experiment they can implement in their own workplace.
“Culture isn’t created by slogans,” says Bagus. “It emerges from the system people work in every day. When we a create safe space for small experiments, teams can observe, learn and adapt together.”
She continues: “Over time, those small changes reshape the system itself, and learning becomes part of how the organisation naturally works.”
As organisations struggle to keep pace with rapid change, the Khanyisa Real Systems approach offers a practical alternative to transformation fatigue. By focusing on small, incremental experiments, companies can achieve meaningful cultural change without the disruption and resistance that often accompanies large-scale initiatives.
A collaboration grounded in systems thinking and leadership
This presentation continues the speaking collaboration between Bagus and Steyn, who have previously presented together at international conferences, including DDD Europe, on topics such as systems thinking. They are also scheduled to present together again at DDD Europe in 2026.
Their partnership combines decades of hands-on technical experience with deep expertise in people leadership, Scrum practices and organisational learning.
Event details
What: Regional Scrum Gathering Cape Town 2026
When: 12-13 March 2026 (KRS Workshop: 12 March, 95-minute session)
Where: Lagoon Beach Hotel & Spa, Cape Town
The two-day event brings together Agile practitioners, technology professionals and organisational leaders to share insights, learn from real-world experiences and explore practical approaches to improving how teams work together.
Tickets include full access to both conference days, all-day catering, an event goodie bag and a one-year Agile Academy membership.
Tickets and programme details are available at: https://sgza.co.za.
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Khanyisa Real Systems
Khanyisa Real Systems is a Cape Town-based software development company with nearly four decades of experience delivering bespoke software solutions. The company has built a reputation for technical excellence, a strong learning culture, and a commitment to mentoring the next generation of developers.
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