When I was going through my friend Tushar Paunikar’s post “Agile is not the GOAL!!!” I was filled with a few thoughts myself. I hear many software development teams or organizations busy with their agile implementation, or agile roll-out. As an agile coach, I am asked if there are any agile implementation framework which such teams can use and quickly implement agile.
Let me start with a very basic question. What does the term “implementation” mean? To me, “implementation” means an endeavor which is going to end soon. (Sounding like the PMI’s definition of a project? That’s right.) I am bringing in the “temporary” nature of any “implementation”.
As per Wikipedia, implementation is the “realization of an application, or execution of a plan, idea, model, design, specification, standard, algorithm, or policy.”
So what’s the point I wish to make here?
Agile is neither a policy, nor a model which we can implement. Rather it’s a slow and steady culture change. No doubt, you can surely kick-start with implementing a few agile “practices” like Test-First Development, Continuous Integration, Pair Programming, etc. and may wish to be called as agile practitioner. BUT THE QUESTION that you will need to answer is whether your team (aka. organization) has become truly agile with just a handful of these practices, or there is more to achieve in your agile journey.
“Implementing Agile” is more like a revolutionary change. On the contrary, “Becoming Agile” is the evolutionary change. By being agile, you will have the right value system in place. To mention a few of these values: Respect for people, collaboration, respond to change, etc. (Refer the Agile Manifesto). Most importantly, it will set you in the mindset of continuous improvement, in small increments and sustainable pace.
Be Agile, Scale Up!
Please feel free to put forward your comments or reach out to me for a personal discussion at [email protected].
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this post are the author’s own. The author welcomes and respects any difference of opinion.