In 1991, Geoffrey Moore refined the classic technology
adoption model with an additional element he called the “chasm.”[1] He advanced a
proposition specific to disruptive innovation that there is a significant shift
in mentality to be crossed between the early adopter and the early majority
groups. Disruptive innovation is the development of new values that forces a
significant change of behavior to the culture adopting it. In this case, Agile
is that disruptive force that insists on applying a set of values and
principles within a specific culture of “being Agile” to be successful and for the
organization to realize the full business benefits of Agile.
At first glance, it would appear that many companies have
adopted Agile. I believe, however, that this perception is specious, in view of
the further observation that the majority of companies that are “doing” Agile have
not actually adopted the new values and principles and not made the cultural
shift to actually “being” Agile. Such companies look at Agile as a set of skills,
tools, and procedural changes and not the integrated behavioral and cultural
change it truly is. In other words, they think they have crossed the chasm, but
they have not made the significant change of behavior required to make the leap.
My experience in the field leads me to posit a refinement
on Moore's chasm concept as applied to Agile. First, there is the real Agile
chasm between those on the left side who have made the organic behavioral
changes consistent with the values of being Agile―and
those on the right side who are just doing” Agile mechanically. Second, there
is a fake chasm, which many organizations pride themselves on having crossed by
virtue of adopting some mechanical features of Agile, whereas they have not
been willing or able to make the behavioral changes and adopt the values required
to cross the real chasm. Although many companies say that they are doing Agile
in some form, a large proportion of these are actually doing Fragile ("fake
Agile") or some other hybrid variant that cannot deliver the business
benefits of Agile.
I cannot overstate this point: many companies and their teams
are mechanically doing some form of Agile without having actually crossed the Agile
chasm, not discarding the behavioral baggage that is keeping them from behaviorally
and culturally being Agile. Until a team attains the state of being Agile, the
business benefits that Agile can provide will be elusive. I contend that the
industry has barely entered the early majority of true Agile cultural
transformation, and many companies continue to struggle to leap the Agile
chasm. What have you noticed across the Agile landscape? Have companies crossed the Agile chasm?
Note: If you are looking for more insight in crossing the Agile
chasm, consider reading the book Being Agile. This book lays the foundation
for those who want to cross the Agile cultural chasm, understand the behaviors
that need to change, and gauge progress along the way. It provides an Agile
transformation roadmap to the destination of achieving better business results.
