Agile Manifesto

History

1. In February 2001, 17 experienced software developers gathered to address frustrations with slow, rigid, and documentation-heavy software development methods common in the 1990s.

2. These traditional methods, often called "waterfall," made it hard to adapt to change and delayed delivering value to customers.

3. The group met at The Lodge at Snowbird ski resort in Utah to discuss better ways of working.

4. Each member brought their own background and methods (such as Extreme Programming, Scrum, Crystal, etc.), but all agreed the current approaches were not effective.

5. Their goal was to find common ground and create guiding values and principles for more flexible, collaborative, and responsive software development.

6. Over three days, they discussed, debated, and created the Manifesto for Agile Software Development.

7. The manifesto outlined four core values and twelve principles centered on people, collaboration, delivering working results, and adapting to change.

8. The group called themselves the "Agile Alliance."

Importance

1. The Agile Manifesto marked a major shift in how teams approach complex work, not just in software but in many industries.

2. It moved the focus from heavy processes and paperwork to teamwork, customer feedback, and adaptability.

3. This shift enabled projects to become faster, more flexible, and better aligned with customer needs.

How It Applies Today

1. The ideas from the Agile Manifesto are now used worldwide across various industries.

2. Teams use Agile to work more efficiently, communicate better, and deliver value sooner.

Key Takeaway

• The Agile Manifesto was created out of a need for change.

Its history is about experts challenging old ways and creating a new, people-focused approach that still shapes how teams work today.

1. Individuals and Interactions over Processes and Tools

Expanded Definition:

This value emphasizes the importance of people—team members, stakeholders, and customers—and their communication and collaboration, rather than rigidly following processes or relying solely on tools. Agile recognizes that skilled, motivated individuals and effective teamwork are the primary drivers of project success, and that processes and tools should support—not replace—human interaction.

Examples:

1. Hold daily stand-up meetings where team members discuss progress, blockers, and plans, fostering direct communication instead of relying only on status-tracking tools.

2. Encourage spontaneous problem-solving sessions or pair programming, allowing team members to collaborate face-to-face (or via video call), rather than waiting for scheduled process reviews.

3. In a hospital, nurses and doctors hold daily briefings to discuss patient care, adjusting routines based on real-time feedback rather than strictly following a fixed shift checklist.

4. In a restaurant, the kitchen and wait staff openly communicate about customer preferences or allergies, making real-time adjustments to orders rather than rigidly following a standardized order slip process.

2. Working Product over Comprehensive Documentation

Expanded Definition:

Agile prioritizes delivering functional, usable outputs (such as working software or products) over producing exhaustive documentation. While documentation is not eliminated, it is kept lean and relevant, ensuring that the team’s main focus remains on delivering value to the customer quickly and iteratively.

Examples:

1. Deliver a working prototype to the customer for feedback, rather than spending weeks writing detailed design documents before development begins.

2. Maintain lightweight user stories or acceptance criteria in a backlog, instead of producing extensive requirements documents for every feature.

3. In a construction project, the team prioritizes completing a functional section of a building (like a finished room) for inspection and feedback, rather than creating exhaustive blueprints and reports before any building begins.

4. In education, a teacher develops and tests a new lesson plan with students in the classroom, gathering feedback and iterating, rather than writing an extensive curriculum document before any teaching occurs.

3. Customer Collaboration over Contract Negotiation

Expanded Definition:

This value stresses the importance of ongoing, active engagement with customers or stakeholders throughout the project, rather than limiting their involvement to the initial contract or requirements phase. Agile teams seek continuous feedback and partnership, ensuring the product evolves to meet real needs.

Examples:

1. Involve customers in sprint reviews or demos, allowing them to see progress, provide input, and adjust requirements as needed.

2. Schedule regular check-ins or workshops with stakeholders to clarify priorities, discuss changes, and align expectations, rather than relying solely on the original contract terms.

3. In event planning, the organizer regularly meets with the client to adjust details like catering, seating, or entertainment based on evolving preferences, instead of sticking strictly to the original contract.

4. In product design (e.g., furniture making), the maker invites the client to review prototypes and suggest changes, rather than finalizing all specifications up front and only delivering the finished piece at the end.

4. Responding to Change over Following a Plan

Expanded Definition:

Agile values adaptability and flexibility, recognizing that requirements and environments can change rapidly. While planning is important, Agile teams are prepared to adjust their course based on new information, feedback, or shifting business needs, rather than rigidly sticking to a predetermined plan.

Examples:

1. Update the product backlog and sprint goals in response to customer feedback or market changes, even if it means altering previously agreed-upon plans.

2. Pause a current sprint to address a critical bug or urgent customer request, reprioritizing work to deliver the most value.

3. In farming, a farmer changes planting schedules or crop selection in response to unexpected weather patterns, rather than following the original seasonal plan.

4. On a film set, the director adjusts scenes and shooting schedules due to unforeseen actor availability or location issues, rather than sticking to the original shooting script no matter what.

1. Satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable work.

Expanded Definition: Focus on delivering usable increments to customers as soon as possible, ensuring their needs are met and feedback is incorporated regularly.

Examples:

1. Release a minimum viable product (MVP) to users within the first month and gather feedback for improvements.

2. Schedule bi-weekly demos with stakeholders to showcase progress and collect input.

2. Welcome changing requirements, even late in development.

Expanded Definition: Embrace and adapt to changes, understanding that evolving requirements can lead to a better product.

Examples:

1. Adjust the product backlog during sprint planning when new priorities arise.

2. Incorporate last-minute regulatory changes into the current sprint without resistance.

3. Deliver working outputs frequently, with a preference for shorter timescales.

Expanded Definition: Aim for rapid, incremental releases to provide value and reduce risk.

Examples:

1. Deploy new features every two weeks instead of waiting for a major release.

2. Use continuous integration and deployment pipelines to push updates daily.

4. Business people and project teams must work together daily.

Expanded Definition: Foster daily collaboration between stakeholders and the development team to ensure alignment and quick decision-making.

Examples:

1. Hold daily stand-up meetings with both developers and business representatives.

2. Use shared chat channels for real-time communication between business and technical teams.

5. Build projects around motivated individuals; give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done.

Expanded Definition: Empower team members by providing autonomy, resources, and encouragement.

Examples:

1. Allow team members to choose the tools and methods they prefer for their tasks.

2. Recognize achievements publicly and offer opportunities for professional growth.

6. The most efficient and effective method of conveying information is face-to-face conversation.

Expanded Definition: Prioritize direct, real-time communication to minimize misunderstandings and speed up problem-solving.

Examples:

1. Use video calls or in-person meetings for critical discussions instead of lengthy email threads.

2. Organize regular brainstorming sessions where everyone can contribute ideas openly.

7. Working outputs are the primary measure of progress.

Expanded Definition: Value tangible results over documentation or plans; progress is demonstrated by completed, usable outputs.

Examples:

1. Track progress using a visible Kanban board showing completed user stories.

2. Review and test completed features at the end of each sprint.

8. Agile processes promote sustainable development; teams should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.

Expanded Definition: Avoid overworking the team and ensure a healthy work-life balance to sustain productivity.

Examples:

1. Limit overtime and encourage regular breaks to prevent burnout.

2. Set realistic sprint goals based on past team velocity.

9. Continuous attention to excellence and good design enhances agility.

Expanded Definition: Strive for high-quality work and robust design to make future changes easier and reduce technical debt.

Examples:

1. Conduct regular code reviews to maintain code quality.

2. Refactor code as needed, even during sprints, to improve maintainability.

10. Simplicity—the art of maximizing the amount of work not done—is essential.

Expanded Definition: Focus on delivering only what’s necessary, avoiding unnecessary features or complexity.

Examples:

1. Prioritize the most valuable features and defer or drop low-impact items.

2. Use simple, proven solutions instead of over-engineering.

11. The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams.

Expanded Definition: Trust teams to make technical and process decisions, leveraging their collective expertise.

Examples:

1. Let teams choose their own workflow and tools for managing tasks.

2. Encourage collaborative design sessions where all team members contribute ideas.

12. At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.

Expanded Definition: Hold frequent retrospectives to identify improvements and implement actionable changes.

Examples:

Conduct sprint retrospectives after each iteration to discuss what went well and what could be improved.

Experiment with new practices (like pair programming or new estimation techniques) and review their impact in the next retrospective.