Agile Coaches Confused: Are They Misinterpreting the True Essence of Agile?
Yesterday, I stumbled upon a LinkedIn post where a project professional earnestly inquired about Agile compared to other practices. If you've ever attended my training or talks, you might recall my saying, " If you want to pick a fight with a group of agile coaches, simply ask them what agile is." That's precisely what unfolded. The thread was brimming with conflicting definitions, many startlingly inaccurate. Most surprisingly, the weakest explanations came from prolific content creators.
The Genesis of Agile
The Agile movement (for lack of a better word) began with Kent Beck's invitation to leading experts for a weekend retreat in Snowbird in 2001. These experts shared profound insights that reshaped our world in that brief period. Shortly after, they published the Manifesto For Agile Software Development (MFASD), available at https://agilemanifesto.org
It seems few respondents to that LinkedIn post have truly read the MFASD – not just skim-read it but deeply pondered its contents.
Comprehension 101
As a high school student, I loathed language classes, especially English, and barely exerted effort. Dissecting Shakespeare and tackling comprehension exercises were my nemesis. Whether I learned anything or missed the point entirely, you can decide.
The MFASD begins with:
We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it. Through this work we have come to value:
Q. What work are the authors referring to?
It’s obvious if you ask me. They are busy figuring out how to build software better. But not just yapping about it but actually doing it by putting their new ideas into practice. Finally, they are helping others do it too. Not that hard.
Q. What does "Through this work we have come to value:" imply?
It signifies that their experiences in uncovering better ways have yielded valuable lessons, detailed next in the four values and twelve principles.
Q. What is the purpose of the MFASD [leading question]?
It is to help others (us) do it too.
The Essence of MFASD
Q. Is MFASD about rigidly adhering to its four values and twelve principles?
Merely following these values and principles won't transform an organisation into an Agile one. Implementing Agile in a superficial manner has led many to fail; you know that, and I know that. Just look at what is happening right now in the agile field.
What is the crux ?
It's nuanced. One could interpret it as applying the values and principles directly, but that's ineffective. Alternatively, we can embrace the ethos of actively seeking better ways and supporting others in this quest, using the values and principles as guiding beacons.
The Role of Agile Coaches and Leaders
As Agile coaches, Scrum Masters, and Leaders, we're not blind implementers of the values and twelve principles. Nor are we there to impose a methodology, framework or tool. Instead …
We are there as a catalyst for change.
Q. What do we do as a catalyst?
What's required is for us to help the organisation “uncover better ways” but actually “do it”. As lessons are learned, then to “help others in the organisation do it too”.
The Ultimate Mission
Our objective mirrors the MFASD's opening line: “We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it.”
This is the heart and essence of agile. It is that relentless mission of continuous improvement. It is also about using the values and principles that so many people beyond the original 17 to be invaluable as a guide in the right direction.
If someone asks me what agile is? I tell them agile is about “We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it.”; and as a coach, my job is to be a catalyst to help bring change.
Concluding Thoughts
This ethos of relentlessly pursuing improvement resonates deeply with my core values as a coach and leader. It's ingrained in my approach to product and service creation and the approaches I employ. The essence lies in constant enhancement, learning, and setting higher standards.
Regrettably, I observe that this fundamental principle is often overlooked in agile communities, overshadowed by a focus on rigidly applying methodologies or frameworks. I advocate for a different approach let's boldly explore and innovate, striving to enhance our processes and outcomes, whatever form that might take.
The mission, what is agile, its purpose and the goal of agile is about “We are uncovering better ways of developing products by doing it and helping others do it.”
See also
While the MFASD is software-centric, I've taken the liberty to modernise it with a broader focus on product development, not just software. You can find this adapted version at https://blog.womplers.com/p/manifesto-for-agile-product-development.