Have you ever noticed how naturally we reflect Agile principles in our everyday experiences, yet encounter significant hurdles when trying to apply them within our organizational settings, facing obstacles, challenges, and often formidable barriers?
1. Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
Officer Over Traffic Signals
While traffic signals and road signs serve as essential tools for managing traffic flow at intersections, there are occasions where unforeseen circumstances overwhelm their capabilities. In such instances, human intervention becomes paramount, with officers stepping in to override the signals and guide traffic effectively.
What Agile Says About It?
While processes and tools undoubtedly play crucial roles, their purpose is to enhance and streamline our work. Yet, there are instances where rigid adherence to processes and reliance on tools can impede rather than facilitate progress. In such scenarios, it's imperative that the human element—individual judgment and interaction—takes precedence over established protocols.
Challenges In Implementation
Many organizations, in their adoption of Agile, often attempt to enforce processes under the guise of Agile principles, without realizing that the true essence of Agile lies not in blindly adhering to a set of procedures, but rather in cultivating a culture of flexibility and collaboration.
2. Working software over comprehensive documentation
Functional Bridge Over Entire Project
Imagine a bridge being built to connect two cities over a wide river. The project is expected to take several months to complete due to its size and complexity. Would people prefer getting periodic progress updates alongside the project plan, or would they favor the opening of a functional section of the bridge for traffic while construction continues on the other side?
What Agile Says About It?
Agile doesn't disregard documentation but underscores the reality that a project plan nearing 90% completion can encounter setbacks, delays, or even fail to materialize. Therefore, having a functioning portion of the project provides tangible progress instead of a false sense of advancement or completion.
Challenges In Implementation
Many product owners tend to view new features or enhancements as complete entities and progress reporting is then traditionally based on percentage complete which although easy to understand but is very unreliable.
Agile methodologies introduce a fresh perspective by breaking down large work items into smaller, manageable chunks and tracking progress through iterative cycles. Consequently, adjusting to this approach can be challenging for some, as it requires a shift in mindset.
3. Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
Saving Lives Over Contracts (Rules)
Red Light, its a signals to Stop. However, if an ambulance or emergency vehicle urgently needs to navigate through traffic and jumps a red light, it's widely accepted because collaboration and prioritizing human life take precedence over rigidly following traffic rules.
What Agile Says About It?
Remember old days when Project mangers used to make the customers pay for small oversights or minor changes? Agile recognizes that the needs and requirements of customers can evolve throughout a project, and rigid contracts may not always accommodate these changes effectively.
By promoting collaboration, teams can work closely with customers to understand their evolving needs, provide solutions iteratively, and adapt to changes more effectively. This approach leads to greater customer satisfaction, higher-quality products, and ultimately, better business outcomes.
Challenges In Implementation
More than often Agile is adopted at team level, leaving other organizational functions behind in understanding the Agile mindset. Lack of comprehension, along with genuine constraints at the top tier leadership and budgeting functions of organization often results in hard-coded numbers and commitments. Any deviation raises questions and concerns about team and individual performance appraisals.
4. Responding to change over following a plan
Detour In Response To a Road Incident
Imagine driving home after a long day's work, with your car navigation guiding you toward your destination. You diligently follow the planned route until suddenly, you encounter a blocked road due to an unfortunate crash. In this moment, you find yourself faced with two options:
Following The Plan: You could stubbornly stick to the original route outlined by the GPS, hoping that the roadblock will clear up soon.
Responding To Change: Alternatively, you could adapt to the situation by using the GPS to reroute and find an alternative path to your destination.
What Agile Says About It?
Agile methodology incorporates multiple levels of planning, each with varying degrees of detail. While a 90-day plan provides a high-level overview, a sprint plan delves into finer details, and daily planning (such as the Daily Standup) offers even more granular insights. This mirrors the functionality of navigation systems, which provide a bird's-eye view initially but offer detailed lane navigation as you approach an exit.
Agile does not recommend fully detailed end-to-end planning and when circumstances change the planning adapts accordingly. This approach aligns with common practices in life – when situations evolve, plans adjust accordingly.
Challenges In Implementation
Many organizations face challenges in prioritizing responsiveness to change over rigid adherence to plans. Hierarchical decision-making structures often hinder this shift. While small-scale changes within teams may be manageable, broader impacts across multiple teams, along with resource allocation and budgeting, can pose significant obstacles, particularly in environments lacking an agile mindset.
Conclusion
Agile principles prioritize human judgment, adaptability, and collaboration over rigid processes and tools. Analogies such as officers overriding traffic signals and taking detours emphasize the importance of individual and interactive decision-making in unforeseen circumstances. While Agile doesn't dismiss documentation or processes, it highlights the necessity of tangible progress, customer collaboration, and responsiveness to change. However, implementing Agile practices faces challenges such as hierarchical decision-making and a lack of organizational agility. Overcoming these hurdles demands a cultural shift towards flexibility, collaboration, and prioritizing human needs over procedural adherence.
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