Agile Principles and Mindset - Part 1
Just as we as a society evolve, so should the approach to project management. Today's established project management practices originate from the industrial era, where producing cars and single-family homes followed defined repeatable processes. However, as more work has shifted from bronze to brain-intensive specialties, the ability to scope out and plan upfront has become more complex. The shift from industrial to knowledge-based work, which utilizes knowledge to create or improve goods and services, calls for a more flexible strategy. The Agile methodology, conceived in 2001 via the Agile Manifesto, seeks to tackle the unpredictable nature of today's complex work across many industries through its established values and principles.
The Agile Mindset
To be agile is to be able to adapt to a shifting environment. When managing the uncertainty and empirical processes related to knowledge work, an agile mindset allows immediate and effective adjustments to the project course. Agile requires not only implementing associated processes but understanding and leading with agile's guiding principles and values. If internalized and practiced successfully, agile can create positive systemic organizational change.
To embrace the agile mindset, one must understand its components. The qualities generally prescribed to the agile mindset are found within the Agile Manifesto's four values and twelve principles. Another well-regarded resource for understanding agile is the "Declaration of Interdependence" (DOI), created in 2005 by the now-named Agile Leadership Network, which follows:
We increase return on investment by making continuous flow of value our focus.
We deliver reliable results by engaging customers in frequent interactions and shared ownership.
We expect uncertainty and manage it through iterations, anticipation, and adaptation.
We unleash creativity and innovation by recognizing that individuals are the ultimate source of value and creating an environment where they can make a difference.
We boost performance through group accountability for results and shared responsibility for team effectiveness.
We improve effectiveness and reliability through situationally specific strategies, processes, and practices.
While the DOI's target audience at the time was project leadership, it can serve as a high-level reference to capture the general characteristics of agile. The six statements emphasize working within a team that adheres to strategies and practices to boost the individuals' effectiveness, so that high-quality, novel work can consistently generate value for the business. While Part 2 of this series includes the specific strategies, processes, and practices used in agile, adopting the agile mindset is essential. There is a critical distinction between manifesting team and organizational change through individual advocacy rather than arbitrary external methods alone.
One key distinction between predictive project management and the agile mindset is the inversion of the triple constraints or the iron triangle. The triple constraint highlights the relationship between the fixed scope and time and cost variables in traditional project management. The inversion of this triangle on agile teams means aiming to deliver maximum value by X date within X budget. Given the unique nature of knowledge work of endless refinement, this inversion lends itself well to the empirical processes in many agile projects. Establishing constraints (time and cost) for the project will refine the possible work scope.
The Four Values
The four values outlined in the Agile Manifesto can guide the agile team when facing obstacles. The structure of the four values read as A over B, but this does not mean disregarding B. When examining both parts in an agile environment, more consideration should go to A, while understanding B will sometimes be required.
Individuals and interactions over processes and tools. People are the core of agile teams; therefore, emphasis should be on those individuals.
Working software over comprehensive documentation. Focus on the business value rather than the paperwork. Documentation should be just enough to cover immediate needs and at the last moment (to avoid constantly updating) or produce as requested.
Customer collaboration over contract negotiation. Given the unpredictable and changing nature of agile projects, it is essential to be flexible and accommodating.
Responding to change over following a plan. Initial plans will eventually grow stale due to the lack of information we have at the very beginning of the project. Knowledge work changes over time, so plans must be adapted accordingly.
The Twelve Principles
The twelve principles included in the Agile Manifesto are less ambiguous and require less explanation. Combined with the agile mindset and guiding values, the twelve principals round out the framework necessary to understand an agile approach to project management. They are as follows:
Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software.
Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer's competitive advantage.
Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference to the shorter timescale.
Business people 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, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.
Many industries today are solving novel challenges and business objectives requiring expertise in many different domains. The knowledge shared and ideas applied through various projects require collaborative, ongoing effort. A nimble approach to project management is necessary due to the evolving nature of these projects, and agile serves as an effective solution.
