The name of the current site is Agile2Success. Today more software development organizations are adopting Agile and implementing methods such as Scrum or Kanban. I often hear people say “our company is now agile”. When I ask them to explain what that means, I find that little has changed in how they are working. At best the adoption means some form of “hybrid” agile, and it is justified by saying the word agile implies we can pick and choose what to adopt.
So why are companies at least attempting to be Agile? In several surveys, data shows that Agile projects are significantly likely to be more successful or have fewer failure than traditional Waterfall projects. Successful means that the project delivered value (enough features) on time and within budget. Failure means the project did not complete or only had little value that did not meet the needs of the customer.
I like to use analogies when describing Agile. I talk about new young drivers taking Drivers Education training before getting a license because data has shown in general they are better drivers and have fewer accidents. However it does not guarantee that the new driver will be free from an accident. Likewise an Agile project can fail but the odds will be better at succeeding or getting a better product. But it takes dedication and may involve bringing in an agile coach.
There are other benefits realized with Agile that include delivering greater value earlier, receiving customer feedback often, increasing the morale of team members, reducing risk, and adapting to changing requirements. In order to best achieve these benefits, it is important to be committed to the principles of Agile. Sometimes, the word “hybrid” may imply a dysfunction or lack of desire to change, thus preventing you from really achieving the ultimate benefits. Examine your “hybrid” processes to understand the reasons for them and how they may actually be hindering your goals of achieving success.
We will talk more in future posts about the steps to becoming more successful with Agile transformations. We will define and describe the meaning of the word success within software development.
Hope you will follow and jump into the discussion to share your experiences. Stay tuned.
