Myths about Agile

Myth #1: Agile = Scrum

What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word agile? For many of us it’s a daily stand up meeting. Or maybe it’s creating a backlog of user stories that get delivered in a two-week sprint. Fact is, these are all elements of Scrum, a popular project management methodology used by many agile teams. Scrum is a framework for developing and managing work, while agile is an umbrella term for approaches like Scrum that share a common set of principles. Scrum is just one of many methodologies that build on agile principles (others include Lean, Kanban, Test-Driven Development and Xtreme Programming). Simply “doing Scrum” doesn’t mean you’re practicing agile management.

Myth #2: Anything can be changed anytime

Adopting Agile does not imply that anything can be changed anytime. It also does not imply that changes can be done without impact analysis or without planning.

Adopting agile only means we accept that fact that changes are part of life. We are open to changes and we are skilled to handle changes in efficient way.  We still need to time the changes , we still need to plan and we still need to do impact analysis.

Myth #3: Agile Doesn’t Believe in Documentation

It’s true that the Agile Manifesto values “working software over comprehensive documentation” However, this doesn’t mean documentation has no place in agile processes.

Documentation is done only when it adds value to the project or business.

Big and lengthy documents are replaced by minimum viable information that needs to be capture. Also there is a big stress on how documents can be prepared in collaborative way, shared easily and can be continually improved.

Myth #4: Agile Development Does not scale

In general, software development itself has scaling issues. This is clearly not a methodology-specific problem.

Large Scope implies greater probability for failure

Greater the team size, the greater the communication risk and complexity.

Agile development simply accepts these realities and recommends smaller projects, shorter delivery time frames and smaller teams.

This does not mean organizations should avoid solving large problems. Agile simply suggests that there is a different approach to solving the same problems. Agile methods promote taking large projects and breaking them down into a coordinated series of smaller projects staffed by smaller, cross-functional teams. The various teams’ work is integrated at least every iteration in order to reduce risk and ensure functional and technical compatibility. There are clearly other processes that need to be instituted in order to facilitate communication, integration, architectural design and standards and decision-making amongst the teams

Myth #5: Agile Doesn’t Need Project Managers

Agile project involves as much planning as any other project and for that project managers are required.

The only difference is that agile project managers won’t be telling people what to do or when to do it. That’s because agile methodologies value self-managing teams—whose success relies on collaboration, localized decision making, regular communication and tools for visualizing and sharing work in process.

Myth #6: Agile Only Works for Developers/Software

Agile is a change in mindset. It about changing the way you thinking. Agile is about breaking down work into smaller steps having independent value. This can be adopted in any domain. This can be adopted as way of life.

Myth #7: Agile Will Fix All Our Problems

A single methodology cannot fix all the problems. It helps in improving your way of working.