Episode 5 – doing it and helping others do it
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To understand what Agile means today, we should start with the Agile Manifesto and its origins. The Agile Manifesto came from a group of people who had considerable experience in software development. They had found, by experiment, that some techniques appeared to be more successful than others.
This podcast is AI-generated based on material from the “Agile Plays” website and book.
Transcript
Alright. So we're diving into the Agile manifesto today. Really trying to get at what it actually means, especially for software development. You know? Yeah.
We hear Agile everywhere. Right? Like, it's become such a buzzword. Yeah. Definitely.
And I think this deep dive is about well, it's about going deeper than the hype, like, getting to a real understanding. Absolutely. And I think, you know, it's more relevant than ever, the Agile manifesto. It's not just for tech anymore. It's really like a playbook for how to build adaptable organizations and in any field, really.
Okay. Playbook. I like that. So where do we even begin with this playbook? I think a lot of people misunderstand the Agile Manifesto to really grasp it.
We need to understand the context first. It helps to go back to the 19 eighties, actually, and look at the research of Takuchi and Onaka. They were starting how innovative companies developed products successfully. The eighties. So, like, walkmans and shoulder pads.
What were these companies doing? That was so different. Think less shoulder pads and more groundbreaking ideas. What they found was successful companies were moving away from, you know, rigid step by step development and moving toward a more flexible team based approach. They actually compared it to a rugby team.
So instead of a relay race where you just hand off the baton and that's it, it's more like a rugby scrum where everyone is working together, adapting in real time. Yeah. That's a great way to put it. And this dynamic rugby like approach, it's really at the heart of the Agile manifesto. It's about embracing flexibility Yeah.
And collaboration. But and this is key. It's not about throwing traditional project management out the window. So it's not like everything you learned before is wrong? Not at all.
Remember that line from the manifesto? While there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more? That's crucial. The agile manifesto is built on understanding and valuing the traditional approach while offering, you know Mhmm. A new, more scalable way to work.
Okay. So it's about evolution, not revolution. Can we dig into those values on the left a bit? Absolutely. Let's start with the first one.
Individuals and interactions over processes and tools. So it's about prioritizing the who over the how. That's the essence of it. We're seeing this reflected in modern workplaces where the manager's role is shifting from boss to enabler. There's this focus on building teams where people feel psychologically safe.
Wait. Do you unpack that a bit? Yeah. What does psychologically safe even mean in a work setting? It means creating an environment where everyone feels comfortable, sharing ideas, taking risks, and admitting mistakes without fear of being judged or punished.
Google actually did a study. It was called Project Aristotle, and they found that psychological safety was the number one factor. In high performing teams That makes sense. You can't innovate if you're constantly looking over your shoulder, worried about making a mistake. Exactly.
And that leads perfectly to the second value, working software over comprehensive documentation. This isn't saying documentation is bad. It's about prioritizing tangible results. It's like Yeah. Would you rather have a detailed blueprint of a house or the actual house to live in?
I take the house. Blueprints are great, but I need somewhere to actually live. So agile is about getting to the house, the working product Right. As soon as possible. Right.
It's about delivering value to the customer quickly and then iterating based on feedback. Now the third value, it kinda flips the script. On traditional contract negotiations, it's customer collaboration over contract negotiations. It's customer collaboration over contract negotiation. So does that mean agile just says no to contracts?
Not really. No. It's more about shifting the focus Yep. From rigid agreements to flexible partnerships where both sides can win. Think of it like royalty payments, royalty payments.
Based on how well the product performs, the better the product does for the customer, the more everyone benefits. Okay. So it's about building that shared incentive for success into the agreement itself rather than just sticking to a fixed set of deliverables. Exactly. And this ties into the 4th and final value, which is responding to change over following a plan Right.
In today's world. Things change so rapidly. The Agile manifesto acknowledges and encourages teams to adapt rather than clinging to a rigid plan. It's like the difference between having a map and a compass. Oh, yeah.
A map is great if you know exactly where you're going. Mhmm. But in uncharted territory, you need a compass to guide you. That's a great analogy. Agile is all about navigating complexity.
You need to be able to adjust course as you go, which brings us to an interesting point about the term backlog. Oh, yeah. And you mentioned this earlier. I'm curious. Tell me more.
Okay. So imagine a medieval fireplace. To keep it burning steadily, you need a backlog of wood. Right? Right.
This backlog is the fuel that sustains the fire. And in agile, the backlog is that steady supply of tasks that keeps the team moving forward. So the backlog isn't just a to do list. It's more like the energy source Yeah. For the whole operation.
Exactly. And this ties back to Agile's focus on a sustainable pace. So instead of constantly forming and disbanding teams, for each project, you have stable teams with a continuous flow of work coming from the backlog. It's like that medieval fireplace always burning, always Okay. I'm starting to see how these pieces fit together.
Now let's shift gears a bit and tackle a topic that I know can be a bit thorny, estimation. I think there are a lot of misconceptions about how agile approaches estimation. Yeah. You're right. People often think estimation is about locking down a specific date and sticking to it no matter what, but that's not the agile way at all.
So if agile estimation isn't about predicting the future, then what is it about? Agile estimation is about understanding the relative size of the work, not about committing to a rigid timeline. It's about getting a sense of the effort involved so you can plan accordingly, but always with the understanding that things might change. Okay. That makes sense.
So much of the stress around estimation comes from those unrealistic expectations Yeah. And that fear of missing deadlines. That sounds like Agile aims to address that Yeah. By embracing flexibility. Absolutely.
And that leads us to an interest development within the agile community, the rise of the hashtag no estimates movement. Have you heard of this? Yeah. It's the idea that sometimes it's better to just dive in and start delivering value quickly rather than getting bogged down. And trying to predict an end date.
Exactly. And there's definitely merit to that approach. In certain situations, sometimes a quick iterative approach is the best way to go. Other times, a bit more planning and estimation might be needed. It really depends on the context.
Okay. So how do we decide which approach is right? Do we go full hashtag no estimates or stick with more traditional estimation methods, like t shirt sizing or story points. There's no one size fits all answer. It depends on your team, the project, your comfort level with uncertainty, and a whole host of other factors.
Think of t shirt sizes as a quick high level estimate, like a gut feeling, while story points are a more granular approach, offering a bit more precision. So t shirt sizes for when you need a quick check, story points for when you need to measure more carefully, and hashtag no estimates for when speed is a top priority. Interesting. So it sounds like Agile is less about strict rules and more about finding what works for you and your team. That's a great way to put it.
This idea of adapting to your context is a major theme in agile. Well, speaking of adaptation, I think we need to talk about Yeah. Another crucial agile concept, work in progress or YP. Yes. This is a big one.
Excessive YP can be a silent killer of productivity. Imagine a car factory trying to build multiple cars at the same time, parts scattered everywhere, workers constantly switching between tasks. Oh, man. Sounds like a recipe for disaster. It's like when I try to juggle a dozen tasks at once, I end up feeling scattered, and nothing ever seems to get done.
Exactly. And that's precisely what happens in software development. When you have too much work in progress, it leads to constant context switching. Context switching. What do you mean by that?
Context switching is that feeling you get when you're constantly, like, shifting your mental gears from one task to another, and research shows that it can be a major drain on productivity. Yeah. It's like you never really get into a flow state with any one task because you're constantly being interrupted and pulled in different directions. Yeah. That's exactly it.
So in agile, limiting your YYP is crucial for maintaining a smooth flow and maximizing productivity. It's about focusing on finishing what you start before taking on new things. It's about creating that streamlined assembly line where everyone is working together effectively. Okay. So we've covered a lot of ground here from the historical roots of agile to its core values and even some practical tips on things like estimation and managing work in progress.
What's the key takeaway for our listeners today? What do they really need to walk away understanding about the Agile manifesto? The Agile manifesto, it isn't a rigid set of rules. It's a set of guiding principles for building more adaptable responsive organizations. Right.
It's about embracing flexibility collaboration and a focus on delivering value to your customers. It's about empowering your teams, trusting them to find the best solutions, and being willing to change course when needed. It's like having that playbook but knowing when to call an audible with the line of scrimmage. Exactly. And one of the most important things to remember is that agile is all about doing it and helping others do it.
It's not enough to just read about agile. You have to put it into practice and learn from your experiences. So it's not just a theoretical framework. It's a way of working you refine over time through practical experience. Absolutely.
And that continuous learning and improvement is a core part of the agile philosophy. That makes a lot of sense. It's like any skill, really. You get better by doing it and by learning from others who are doing it. Right.
And remember, what works for one team might not work for another. It's all about finding the right approach for your specific context. Well said. Now before we wrap up, I wanna leave our listeners with a final thought provoking question. We've talked a lot about how agile is different from traditional management if traditional management is all about controlling chaos.
What does leadership look like in an agile world where change is constant? That's a great question. It really challenges us to think differently about what it means to lead in a complex ever changing world. It does so, listeners, as you continue your agile journey. Keep that question in mind.
It might just lead you to some fascinating insights. Thanks for joining us on this deep dive into the Agile manifesto.
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