When Agile Learning Labs started in 2007, our focus was helping organizations find “a better way to better software.” We taught and coached software product development organizations how to apply scrum and related agile practices. We used the Manifesto For Agile Software Development as a reference for what it means to develop software in an agile way.
Today, we often work with organizations that do other kinds of complex work: marketing, research, bio-tech, even architecture. What would the Agile Manifesto look like if it was generalized to describe doing any kind of complex work in an agile way? With the help of participants in my regular online open office hours, I’ve generalized the values and principles from The Manifesto For Agile Software Development, so that they might better apply to any type of complex work.
Agile Manifesto For Complex Work
Values
We are uncovering better ways of creating value for stakeholders by doing it and helping others do it. Through this work we have come to value:
- Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
- Value delivered to stakeholders over comprehensive documentation
- Continuous collaboration over up-front negotiation
- Responding to change over following a plan
That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more.
Principles
- Our highest priority is to satisfy the stakeholders through early and continuous delivery of value to them.
- Agile processes welcome and harness change, even late in the process, in order to deliver more value.
- Frequently delivering to stakeholders gives them greater ability to guide the work toward the most valuable outcomes.
- Stakeholders and the people creating the value should collaborate frequently to ensure the work is creating the desired outcomes.
- Build teams of motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done.
- The most efficient and effective method of collaborative communication is real-time, face-to-face conversation.
- Deliverables provided to stakeholders along with their feedback about the value created, is the primary measure of progress.
- Agile processes promote healthy, sustainable work environments. Everyone involved should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.
- Continuous attention to quality and design enhance agility.
- Simplicity－the art of maximizing the amount of work not done－is essential.
- The best results emerge from empowered, self-managing teams which are closely connected to their stakeholders.
- At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.
It’s a little scary to reinterpret a document as important as the Manifesto For Agile Software Development. How did we do? What would you do differently? Leave a comment and let us know.
Cheers,