What is Agile?
Note: This article is updated at What is Agile?
“Becoming limitless involves mental agility; the ability to quickly grasp and incorporate new ideas and concepts with confidence.” -- Lorii Myers
I was asked to give an Intro to Agile talk to a group in Microsoft, in addition to a talk on Getting Results the Agile Way.
It worked out well.
The idea was to do a level set and get everybody on the same page in terms of what Agile is.
I thought it was a great chance to build a shared vocabulary and establish some shared mental models. I believe that when people have a shared vocabulary and common mental models, they can take a look from the balcony. And, it makes it a lot easier to move up the chain and take things further, faster.
Anyway, here is how I summarized what Agile is:
- Agile is a framework of values and principles to manage teams and projects.
- Agile is an alternative approach to traditional project management. It embraces change while traditional project management fights change.
- People across functional teams work together as one team, rather than different groups working in phases or stages.
- More human communication, interaction, and face-to-face.
- Continuous feedback from users and stakeholders.
- Iterations, shorter development cycles, and more frequent releases.
- Visibility of progress and transparency of process.
That said, I need to find something a bit more pithy and precise, yet insightful.
If I had to put it in a simple sentence, I’d say Agile is empowerment through flexibility.
One thing I’ve noticed over the years is that some people struggle when they try to go Agile.
They struggle because they can’t seem to “flip a switch.” And if they don’t flip the switch, they don’t change their mindset.
And, if they don’t change their mindset, Agile remains just beyond their grasp.
Agile is like happiness, grow it right under your feet.