I recently came across some negative sentiments about Agile, including news articles, comments, and Youtube videos that suggest a dislike for the methodology. I was curious to understand the reasons why someone might disapprove of Agile. It seems that no matter how involved and dedicated the people are, processes and workflows can still sometimes fail. Let's see why in this article.
If we go at its foundation and examine the Agile manifesto, it presents four core values, that are positive and provide a good input for product development and fostering client relationships.
These values place an accent on the importance of individuals and interactions, ensuring that team members and stakeholders communicate effectively to construct the desired product. I hope we can all agree that the focus should not be on who is right or wrong, but rather on the end result.
Another key point is the creation of a functional product - not final, not perfect, but operational and which delivers value to stakeholders.
I particularly appreciate the value placed on customer collaboration. My approach has always been to form a strong partnership with the customer, whether internal or external, paying close attention to their needs and priorities. From my experience, I understand that communication isn't just about expressing thoughts; it's about making sure the intended message is received and understood. And this goes both ways.
Lastly, the ability to adapt to change and current realities is vital. Otherwise, the product can become obsolete. And nobody wants that.
I've observed that despite the best efforts and intentions, company processes and workflows can sometimes fail, leading to project failures, dissatisfied customers, unhappy teams, and decreased productivity, with no apparent solution in sight. This can happen due to communication gaps, heavy processes, or lack of collaboration between various departments. Agile then often becomes the scapegoat and people choose to blame Agile.
However, in my opinion, the issue usually runs deeper.
When facing challenges, I believe the key is to acknowledge the problem and recognize the need for improvement. It's about honestly assessing the situation, identifying what still works - and giving credit where due - while also understanding how far off the mark we are in other aspects. In this latter case, external assistance may be needed to repair connections and guide towards improved outcomes.
In the idea of placing a mirror in front of the team, we have thought about the first step: a fair assessment.
The question lies in: are you prepared to accept the results as they are?
Can you, as management, handle the results as they are and start working on a proposed plan after an assessment? Do you trust your team to improve itself to its full potential and also allow the team members to make decisions together?
The first step towards change is always the toughest (don’t some of us make promises that starting next Monday we will go to the gym but never actually do? ?).
When you wish to improve, it’s best to simply start from where you currently are and grow from there, as there is no such thing as one size fits all.
Our Agile assessment serves as an essential instrument for companies seeking to gain a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of their current Agile practices. The goal is to perform a thorough analysis that assesses the effectiveness of teams working within the Agile framework and their skill in implementing Agile techniques.
Bianca Enache is a PMP, CSPO, PAL, ITIL 4 Strategist DPI, SAFe 6 Agilist-certified is the Head of Agile Consulting at eSolutions, boasting over 6 years of experience in the Software Development area and more than 15 years of experience in managing clients and teams. She currently works in the IoT department at eSolutions, where she successfully leads projects with global impact.
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