Agile Approach – 6 Simple Mantras [#Agile #AgileApproach]

Agile Approach – 6 Simple Mantras [#Agile #AgileApproach]

MANTRA #1: CHANGE IS GOOD
MANTRA #2: SOFTWARE—SHIP FAST AND SHIP IT RIGHT
MANTRA #3: TRUST, MOTIVATION, SELF-ORGANIZATION—BUILD THE RIGHT TEAM
MANTRA #4: CONVERSATIONS MATTER
MANTRA #5: REFLECTION—IMPROVE CONTINUOUSLY
MANTRA #6: SATISFY THE CUSTOMER

MANTRA #1: CHANGE IS GOOD
In software, as in life, things do not go as planned. Successful teams are those that can deal with the changes. A change is not just a problem to deal with—rather, it must be seen as an opportunity to improve the outcome. A change represents potential and possibilities, and teams that are nimble enough to utilize this are the ones who stay in the game.

MANTRA #2: SOFTWARE—SHIP FAST AND SHIP IT RIGHT
The primary measure of progress is working software. The emphasis is on time as well as quality. So within a time-boxed period, you ship a functional product / update. You release a basic viable version in an iteration and then refine it in the following iterations.

MANTRA #3: TRUST, MOTIVATION, SELF-ORGANIZATION—BUILD THE RIGHT TEAM
When passionate, motivated individuals work together, they create something of value. The Agile culture places a lot of importance on individuals and recognizing the unique skill sets each brings to the table. People who are driven by passion, motivated by criticism, excited by new technology, and seamlessly self-organizing make the perfect Agile team.

MANTRA #4: CONVERSATIONS MATTER
Communication between the stakeholders and the development team is equally as important as communication within the development team. The Agile Manifesto advocates constant feedback and constructive discussion as a necessary catalyst for shipping the best results. It also insists on face-to-face communication being the best medium to achieve this.

MANTRA #5: REFLECTION—IMPROVE CONTINUOUSLY
At fixed intervals, teams pause to reflect on their Agile process and decide how it could be improved. In the Agile culture, everything is constantly improvised, and what is more important than the Agile process itself?

MANTRA #6: SATISFY THE CUSTOMER
The immutable idea that cements all of these together is customer satisfaction. The Agile Manifesto was born to bridge the gap between customer expectations and the end-product. “Does this benefit the customer?” should be the question that drives the decisions in an Agile team. There could be 7 new uber-cool ways to send a file over the internet, and the technology might be exciting to work with, but which one is most useful to our end-user? This can help keep the team grounded about their priorities.

ADAPTED FROM
What is Agile Project Management
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