The Spirit and Practice of Agile
A growing number of people are suggesting that we are entering a “Post-Agile” period. So far, I’ve seen no sign of this. The mistake people make is conflating specific implementations like scrum and kanban with Agile philosophy. When we start diverging from the Agile Manifesto, only then will we be in a Post-Agile world.
I’ve been involved in software development for a long time. For most of it, I’ve been doing what is now called “waterfall.” We didn’t have a name for it back them. We just called it…software development. I’ve also done considerable work in the manufacturing industry. While engaged there, I learned a lot about Lean Principles.
Later, I started hearing about this newfangled approach to software development called “Agile.” I decided to learn all about it, so I went to the source. When I joined an organization that was practicing “Agile,” I learned Scrum. Kent Beck, the original signatory of the Agile Manifesto, has said publicly that Scrum is a way to sell Agile. He is concerned. In some sense, the “ceremonies” prescribed in the Scrum approach to Agile are actually anti-Agile.
Let me explain. What I noticed early on is that Agile is just Lean for software development. The parallels are undeniable and at least a few of the progenitors of Agile have manufacturing backgrounds. Both start with the primacy of the customer. Both exalt people as the most important asset. Most importantly, both place learning and growth in the service of continuous improvement at their core.
The Scrum rituals can and sometimes do take on a life of their own. People start going through the motions of stand-ups and backlog grooming without really focusing on the underlying goal of continuous improvement. I have experienced this in other organizations.
As a Scrum Master, part of my role is to encourage experimentation. When I first started at ITHAKA, I quickly became aware that different teams had different practices. This, to me, was a good sign. It meant that teams are free to experiment and keep what works, while throwing out what doesn’t. This observation has been borne out by my subsequent experience.
Despite causing some disruption for others within the ITHAKA organization, one of the teams I’m on switched to using a Kanban system instead of Scrum. The team had some healthy skepticism, but agreed to give it a try and now it seems to have become part of our operating mode. Sometimes we run up against the desire for management to have some common practices by which to monitor overall organizational performance, but for the most part, we are free to explore opportunities to improve the way we work together.
The ability to question all assumptions is the essence of Agile. If that means questioning the value of ceremonies prescribed in the temple of Scrum, then so be it. We should always ask what value any activity brings to our ability to deliver quality results to our customers. If the answer is little or none — throw it out or change it. Nothing should be sacred in pursuit of excellence…except the customer.
