The Elements of Agile

Agile outcomes

Satisfying the customer. This is the #1 Agile principle. (It’s also Amazon’s #1 management principle).

Agile outputs

  • Experiments to reduce uncertainty/risk
  • Simple systems. Simple implementation. This makes it easier to adapt in future. Simplicity is the #2 Agile principle. Another Agile principle is technical excellence.
  • Working products. Product data can be valuable feedback. Demos give richer feedback than documents or slides.

Agile inputs

  • Deep collaboration. Deep collaboration between developers. Deep collaboration between different disciplines. An Agile principle is, “The most efficient and effective method… is face-to-face conversation”.
  • Customer collaboration is an Agile value. Collaboration (“people and interactions”) within the team is another Agile value.
  • An agile principle is, “Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project” (and not just 10 minutes in daily standup).

Other Agile principles

  • Adapt to change. Feedback loops. The Agile manifesto values, “responding to change over following a plan”. It also states the principle, “harness change for competitive advantage”. Adapting applies not just to the product but the team’s way of working.
  • People over processes and tools. “Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job doneThe best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams”.

One day i’ll make this more visual with a picture!

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