Agile is a project management and product development approach that emphasizes flexibility, collaboration, and customer satisfaction.
It emerged as a solution to the limitations of traditional waterfall methods, which often struggled with changing requirements and market conditions.
Created in 2001 by 17 software developers, the Agile Manifesto outlines four core values:
Over processes and tools
Over comprehensive documentation
Over contract negotiation
Over following a plan
While there's value in the items on the right, Agile values the items on the left more.
The Agile Manifesto is supported by 12 principles that guide Agile development:
These principles form the foundation of all Agile frameworks and practices.
| Factor | Waterfall | Agile |
|---|---|---|
| Approach | Sequential, linear | Iterative, incremental |
| Flexibility | Low - Changes difficult | High - Embraces change |
| Customer Involvement | Limited to beginning and end | Continuous collaboration |
| Delivery | Single final delivery | Frequent small deliveries |
| Testing | Separate phase at the end | Continuous throughout |
Adapt quickly to changing requirements and market conditions
Continuous feedback ensures product meets customer needs
Working features delivered in weeks rather than months
Continuous testing and refinement leads to better products
Most popular framework with defined roles, events, and artifacts
Visual workflow management system focusing on continuous delivery
Focuses on technical excellence and frequent releases
Focuses on maximizing value by minimizing waste
Scrum is the most widely used Agile framework. It's lightweight and simple to understand but difficult to master.
3 defined roles
5 ceremonies
3 main artifacts
Represents stakeholders and customers, manages the product backlog, and defines priorities
Facilitates the Scrum process, removes impediments, and ensures the team follows Agile practices
Cross-functional group that designs, develops, and tests the product increment
Time-boxed iteration (typically 2-4 weeks) where work is completed
Team plans work for the upcoming sprint
15-minute daily meeting for synchronization
Demonstration of completed work to stakeholders
Team reflects on the sprint and plans improvements
Prioritized list of all desired work on the product
Set of Product Backlog items selected for the sprint
Sum of all completed Product Backlog items during a sprint
These artifacts provide transparency and opportunities for inspection and adaptation.
Kanban is a visual workflow management method that focuses on continuous delivery without overburdening the team.
Using a Kanban board with columns representing process stages
Restrict the number of items in each column to improve flow
Monitor and optimize the movement of work items
Agile teams use relative estimation techniques rather than absolute time estimates:
Assign points based on complexity, effort, and uncertainty
Consensus-based estimation technique
XS, S, M, L, XL for quick relative sizing
Focus on relative sizing rather than precise time estimates allows for better predictability.
User stories are the primary vehicle for expressing requirements in Agile:
Characteristics of good user stories (INVEST principle):
Key metrics to track team performance and process improvement:
Average story points completed per sprint
Visual representation of work left vs time
Time from request to delivery
Time from starting work to completion
Metrics should be used for improvement, not punishment.
Agile principles are being successfully applied in various industries:
Organizations often face these challenges when adopting Agile:
Overcoming established processes and mindsets
Insufficient training and coaching
"Water-Scrum-Fall" - mixing Agile with waterfall
Other departments not adapting to Agile teams
Key strategies for successful Agile adoption:
Tools that support Agile implementation:
Comprehensive project and issue tracking
Simple Kanban-style task management
Virtual whiteboard for collaboration
Communication and collaboration tools
Remember: Tools support processes, they don't define them.
Agile is more than a methodology - it's a mindset focused on delivering value through collaboration, adaptability, and continuous improvement.
Next steps for your Agile journey: