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