Agile

Basic idea

A family of adaptive process methodologies that deliver value in short iterations, prioritise responding to change over following a plan, and treat customer collaboration as the source of truth.

Key facts

• Four Agile Manifesto values: individuals > processes; working SW > docs; collaboration > contracts; responding to change > plan.
• Iterations (sprints): 1-4 weeks; produce shippable increments.
• Practices: daily stand-up, retrospective, backlog grooming, velocity tracking.
• SCRUM, XP, Kanban are common implementations.

• Focusses on adapting to change.
• Reliant on constant and regular feedback.
• Focuses on iterative outcomes delivering value as quickly as possible and collaboratively.
• Small manageable actions and activities.
• Involvement and ownership across the team.
• Customer focus over formalised sign offs.

Pros

• Retains flexibilty while continually producing outcomes - less rework.

• Greater communication and engagement - increased buy in across the team of the end outcome.

  Cons

• Difficult to do without experience - especially an experienced Scrum master.

• Large projects - co-location a problem.

• Difficult to contract suppliers.

Siblings

• Prince2
• Project initialisation
• Project Management
• project manager
• Project Screening
• Projects
• Waterfall