In 2001, experienced software developers met in Utah to network. None of the experts involved anticipated the cross-industry impact that would emerge from this occasionally spirited gathering.
What united the participants was a deep frustration with the established development methods of the 1990s and the hope for a paradigm shift. The enormous time gap between customer requirements and the delivery of technologies that met them led to many projects being discontinued. Like Martin Luther before them, they formulated theses—or more precisely, four values and twelve principles—The Agile Manifesto (of software development). Today, many draw inspiration from the insights of the software industry and examine whether the agile values and principles are also valid in other industries and areas.
The Four Values of the Agile Manifesto
- Individuals and interactions take precedence over processes and tools. It seems logical to value people more highly than processes or tools. After all, it is people who respond to business requirements and drive the product development process forward. In the opposite case, these people would rigidly adhere to procedures and be less able to respond to changes and customer needs.
- Working products take precedence over comprehensive documentation. A new product or feature always involves taking a certain business risk. The agile movement does not want to abolish documentation per se, but rather reduce it to what is necessary. It should give colleagues what they need to do their work without getting lost in details.
- Collaboration with customers takes precedence over contract negotiation. In many industries, product development begins with contract negotiation and ends with acceptance. In agile projects, however, the customer should be involved in product development from the very beginning.
- Responding to change takes precedence over following a strict plan. It quickly becomes clear to everyone that strict plan adherence is not the method of choice, especially for innovative product development and where the rate of change in requirements is high. The goal is to create opportunities to respond flexibly and quickly to new client requirements.
Everything Goes Agile: The Manifesto Beyond Software
The values in the Manifesto were not new, but the publication of this document triggered an ongoing cultural transformation. The Agile Manifesto sharpened awareness of agile software development, but also of the ideas behind agility in general. Since then, leaders and thinkers from various organizations have been working to transfer the core values of the agile approach to all areas. This often leads to misunderstandings. In many cafeterias and meeting rooms, the buzzwords “agile” and “lean” circulate. The former is often translated as carelessness, and the latter is associated with cost-cutting rationalization. Others become agile fundamentalists and confuse the Manifesto with the Bible, the Quran, or similar texts.
Here it is worth taking a playful look at the original… Try it out: Replace the word software with something else, for example with values, systems, or solutions!
The Twelve Principles of Agile Working
- Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software (products).
- Radical changes in requirements are welcome, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer’s competitive advantage.
- Deliver working software (products) regularly, within a few weeks or months, preferring the shorter timescale.
- Subject matter experts and developers must work together daily throughout the project.
- Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need and trust them to get the job done.
- The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation.
- Working software is the primary measure of progress.
- Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.
- Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility.
- Simplicity—the art of maximizing the amount of work not done—is essential.
- The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams.
- At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective and adjusts its behavior accordingly.
A brief summary from our agile expert Alexander Schaaf.
At a Glance
The four core values of the Agile Manifesto:
- Individuals and interactions take precedence over processes and tools.
- Working (software) solutions take precedence over extensive documentation.
- Collaboration with customers takes precedence over contract negotiation.
- Responding to change takes precedence over following a strict plan.
