Saturday, September 28, 2024

What does the 10th Agile Principle (Simplicity) look like in Action?

What does it mean to be agile? It starts with aligning with Agile values and principles. In this article, I expand on the tenth principle to better understand what it means. More importantly, I attempt to identify evidence to determine if there is alignment with the principle and if a culture change may occur. Let’s take a deeper dive into this principle. 

Simplicity—the art of maximizing the amount of work not done—is essential. Striving to eliminate unnecessary work is the goal. This should include identifying the minimum number of features needed for a customer release (MVP) to be successful. It should include reducing non-value-added work that team members are asked to do. It may involve reducing unnecessary steps of a process to deploy a release. 

To simplify, you need to proactively remove the seven wastes in software development as defined by Mary and Tom Poppendiek in their book Lean Software Development: An Agile Toolkit. This includes eliminating partially done work, extra features, the need to relearn, hand-offs, task switching, delays, and bugs. 

Agile thinking focuses on short iterations and small increments. This way you can fail fast, learn, eliminate waste, and then succeed more quickly. You may also right-size your documentation with a focus on documenting decisions and why you made them. What actions exhibit simplicity? 

  • There is continuous focus on staying lean and removing waste via retrospectives. 
  • During demonstrations, customers are asked not only what they need but what they don’t need. 
  • The Product Owner applies continuous prioritization via the backlog with a focus on minimum viable product (MVP). 
  • Documentation is right-sized and includes key decisions and their rationales. 

Do you believe in simplicity, removing waste, and continuously prioritizing requirements based on customer value? It is up to you to determine what supporting evidence looks like. It is worth experimenting with this as it will help you better understand and embrace the Agile principles. The ultimate question is, do you believe in the benefits of “Simplicity”? 

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Learn more about what other Agile Principles look like in action:









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Wednesday, August 21, 2024

What does the 9th Agile Principle (Technical Excellence) look like in Action?

What does it mean to be agile? It starts with aligning with Agile values and principles. In this article, I expand on the ninth principle to better understand what it means. More importantly, I attempt to identify evidence to determine if there is alignment with the principle and if a culture change may be occurring. Let’s take a deeper dive into this principle. 

Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility. To strive for technical excellence, you need team members who have knowledge and experience to produce sound architecture, good design, and quality software. It is important to have the capability of making the best technical decisions balancing design, usability, and maintainability. Such capability requires a seasoned and professional team. In Agile, employees should want to do the work in the context of career learning and growth. 

To strive for technical excellence, effective done criteria should be established that include engineering standards in design, UX, development, technical writing, configuration management, building, and testing. Achieving quality may include implementing various XP practices, such as continuous integration and build, coding standards, pair programming, refactoring, simple design, and test-driven development, which are applied to improve the technical excellence of a product. In addition, the use of retrospectives helps the team reflect on opportunities to build their skills and further achieve technical excellence. What actions exhibit technical excellence? 

  • Team members motivate each other toward technical excellence, including collaborating on and agreeing to technical practices for the team. 
  • Team members are applying continuous integration and build, coding standards, pair programming, simple design, refactoring, code reviews, and test-driven development. 
  • Team members apply done criteria that include engineering disciplines needed to deliver a quality product. 
  • Team members employ learning plans that include a focus on technical excellence that are actively managed. 

Do you believe in applying technical practices that promote technical excellence and provide technical educational opportunities for employees? It is up to you to determine what supporting evidence looks like when a company believes in sustainable development for employees to maintain a constant pace indefinitely. It is worth experimenting with this as it will help you better understand and embrace the Agile principles. The ultimate question is, do you believe in the benefits of “Technical Excellence”?

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Learn more about what other Agile Principles look like in action:




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Wednesday, July 31, 2024

What does the 8th Agile Principle (Sustainable Pace) look like in Action?

What does it mean to be agile? It starts with aligning with Agile values and principles. In this article, I expand on the eighth principle to better understand what it means. More importantly, I attempt to identify evidence to determine if there is alignment with the principle and if a culture change may be occurring. Let’s take a deeper dive into this principle.  

Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely. The concept of sustainable pace has been quantified by Kent Beck, who recommends working no more than 40 hours a week and never working overtime for more than one week at a time (not consecutively). When you maintain a reasonable pace, you can sustain a constant pace indefinitely. Studies have shown that when you consistently work more than 40 hours a week, overtime produces lower-quality software and reduces productivity.

Another driver for sustainable pace is the concept of social responsibility: the obligation to benefit the people as a whole and maintain a work/life balance. Another key to a strong Agile team is the notion that no one succeeds unless everyone succeeds. This promotes team spirit, whereby members collaborate and help each other out so that no one or two people are burdened with extra work while others have free time. To do this, each team member should gain secondary skills so they can ramp up quickly and support other work should there be a bottleneck. Even building tertiary skills are a consideration. A side effect of sustainable pace is that it often leads to improved team morale. Folks do not feel burned out and come to work with fresh minds, which can lead to innovative and creative ideas. Now that we better understand the principle, what actions exhibit working software as the measure of progress?

  • Each member of the team works only 40 hours a week and never overtime for more than one week. 
  • Velocity may be used as a measure to define the number of story-points a team can complete in an iteration or sprint to help maintain a sustainable pace. 
  • Management trusts the team’s sizing of the work and team’s velocity without question. 
  • Management does not force the team to work longer hours or initiate death marches. 
  • All team members have secondary skill sets and pitch-in with other team members when needed. 
  • Team members willingly engage in meaningful and relevant problems or opportunities exhibiting creativity and critical thinking. 

It is up to you to determine what supporting evidence looks like when a company believes in sustainable development for employees in order to maintain a constant pace indefinitely. It is worth experimenting with this as it will help you better understand and embrace the Agile principles. The ultimate question is, do you believe in the benefits of “Sustainable Pace”?

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Learn more about what other Agile Principles look like in action:
  • 1st Agile Principle (Satisfying Customer with Valuable Software) at: https://cmforagile.blogspot.com/2023/09/many-want-to-go-agile-or-claim-to-be.html
  • 2nd Agile Principle (Welcome Change to Requirements) at: https://cmforagile.blogspot.com/2024/01/do-you-have-evidence-to-support-2nd.html
  • 3rd Agile Principle (Frequent Delivery) at: https://cmforagile.blogspot.com/2024/02/what-does-3rd-agile-principle-frequent.html
  • 4th Agile Principle (Business and Development Work Together) at: https://cmforagile.blogspot.com/2024/03/what-does-4th-agile-principles-business.html
  • 5th Agile Principle (Motivated Individuals who are Trusted) at: http://cmforagile.blogspot.com/2024/04/what-does-5th-agile-principle-motivated.html
  • 6th Agile Principle (Face-to-Face Conversation) at: https://cmforagile.blogspot.com/2024/05/what-does-6th-agile-principle-face-to.html
  • 7th Agile Principle (Working Software as Measure of Progress) at: https://cmforagile.blogspot.com/2024/06/what-does-7th-agile-principle-working.html


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Thursday, July 18, 2024

What do the first 6 Agile Principles look like in Action?

What does it mean to be Agile? It starts with aligning with Agile values and principles. In this short guide, I provide insight into the first 6 Agile principles in an attempt to identify what evidence would look likes to determine if there is alignment with these principles, if a culture change may be occurring, and to prove the assertion that you are indeed Agile. 

Let’s take a closer look at each of the first 6 Agile principles and what they might look like in action.

It is up to you to determine what supporting evidence looks like when a company believes in each of the Agile Principles. It is worth experimenting with this as it will help you better understand and embrace the Agile principles. Good luck on your Agile journey!

PS - Stay tuned for articles that provide insight into the next 6 Agile principles.





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Monday, June 17, 2024

What does the 7th Agile Principle (Working software is the measure of progress) look like in Action?

What does it mean to be agile? It starts with aligning with Agile values and principles. In this article, I expand on the seventh principle to better understand what it means. More importantly, I attempt to identify what evidence looks like to determine if there is alignment to the principle and if a culture change may be occurring. Let’s take a deeper dive into this principle.  

Working software is the primary measure of progress. From an agile perspective, working software is the best measure of progress. Working software must be produced at the end of each time-boxed period (sprint). You may use other measures to help gauge progress, such as Sprint Burndown, but they should be minor in relation to the criterion of working software. 

The reason for this new thinking on measures is that when you follow a waterfall process, you may be 50 percent through the project schedule and have no working software. From a customer perspective, you haven’t accomplished anything. Although there may be internal benefits to gathering requirements, preparing a plan, and doing design and development work, an external paying customer only values the actual working software. You don’t get credit for in-progress stuff, only the working software. 

This is why, at the end of each time-boxed period, working software is delivered and validated with the customer during the demo. In addition, working software must meet "done criteria" to ensure high quality of the result. Now that we better understand the principle, what actions exhibit working software as the measure of progress?

  • There is a measure that tracks progress associated with working software (e.g., features, functionality, etc.) that is available in UAT and production.
  • Sprint Reviews are conducted to demonstrate the working software and gain customer feedback.
  • There are measures associated with customer usage and customer satisfaction of working software. 
  • There is a measure (i.e., Sprint Burndown) that tracks teamwork done and work remaining. 
  • Done criteria are established that reflect engineering standards that are applied to user stories to determine if the work is done. 

It is up to you to determine what supporting evidence looks like when a company believes that Working software is the measure of progress and the advantages it brings. It is worth experimenting with this as it will help you better understand and embrace the Agile principles. The ultimate question is, do you believe in the benefits of “Working software is the measure of progress”?

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Learn more about what other Agile Principles look like in action:

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Sunday, May 19, 2024

What does the 6th Agile Principle (Face-to-Face Conversation) look like in Action?

 Many want to go Agile or claim to be Agile. The question is, will you align with the Agile values and principles? In this article, I expand on the sixth principle to better understand what it means and attempt to identify what evidence looks like to determine if a culture change may be occurring. What is this principle?  

The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation. Agile puts a premium on face-to-face communication. Because of the nonverbal cues built into communication, there is a benefit of harvesting visual cues during interpersonal interactions. Face-to-face discussion improves the overall communication experience and understanding. From an Agile perspective, a team (about seven people +/-) should be as collocated as reasonable or use technology to emulate face-to-face interaction as much as possible. 

With communication comes the importance of listening. Listening means hearing and understanding what the other is saying and what they are not saying (hence the importance of nonverbal cues). Face-to-face also helps with understanding silence. Is silence due to a lack of understanding, not being engaged, or other reasons? Face-to-face nonverbal cues can help probe the reason. Another aspect of collaboration is being assertive. Quietly listening does not lead to building ideas. Therefore, communication is a balance between being a collaborative speaker and a respectful listener. With this in mind, what tangible actions exhibit promoting face-to-face communication? 

  • A team is collocated or, if not, then when meeting, the cameras are on.
  • Teams are kept small (about seven +/-).
  • Conference rooms or team rooms are available for face-to-face conversation.
  • Technologies are used to emulate face-to-face discussion whenever collocation is not possible.
  • Whiteboards in the collocated team room or technologies used to emulate whiteboards as means to visualize, brainstorm, and collaborate on topics.
  • Listening and collaboration skills are emphasized.

It is up to you to determine what supporting evidence looks like when a company believes in face-to-face communication and the advantages it brings. It is worth experimenting with this as it will help you better understand and embrace the Agile principles. The ultimate question is, do you believe in the benefits of face-to-face conversations?

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Learn more about what other Agile Principles look like in action:


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Friday, April 19, 2024

What does the 5th Agile Principle (Motivated Individuals who are Trusted) look like in Action?

Many want to go Agile or claim to be Agile. The question is, will you align with the Agile values and principles? In this article, I expand on the fifth principle to better understand what it means and attempt to identify what evidence looks like to determine if a culture change may be occurring. What is this principle?  

Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done. Agile recognizes providing employees with ownership of their work can increase engagement, productivity, and happiness. There are strategies to get employees engaged, continually educated, and building on their strengths. Management values employee opinions, appreciates them, and trusts that they can get the work done. 


With communication comes the importance of listening. Listening means hearing and understanding what the other is saying and what they are not saying (hence the importance of nonverbal cues). Face-to-face also helps with understanding silence. Is silence due to a lack of understanding, not being engaged, or other reasons? Face-to-face nonverbal cues can help probe the reason. Another aspect of collaboration is being assertive. Quietly listening does not lead to building ideas. Therefore, communication is a balance between being a collaborative speaker and a respectful listener. With this in mind, what tangible actions exhibit promoting face-to-face communication?

  • Teams have the ability to make decisions, such as how to complete and size their own work.
  • Management trusts team decisions and minimizes command and control.
  • Teams are kept whole and members are treated like people, not fungible resources.
  • Management provides transparency in decision making.
  • Management provides organizational goals such as employee engagement. 
  • The PO provides release and sprint goals.
  • Team members demonstrate their working software during sprint reviews.
  • The Scrum Master provides a servant–leader approach.

It is up to you to determine what supporting evidence looks like when a company believes in motivating individuals and trusting them to get the job done. It is worth experimenting with this as it will help you better understand and embrace the Agile principles. The ultimate question is, do you believe that business and development should work continuously together as a team?

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Learn more about what other Agile Principles look like in action:

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