What are agile values?

Agile values are the four suggested ways of working, as defined in the Agile Manifesto.

Even though the Agile Alliance published its manifesto in 2001, agile values remain relevant for development teams today.

Indeed, as the agile approach continues to gain traction — being utilized by teams and departments across a wide range of businesses — the lessons learned from the agile ideals are becoming even more critical than they were twenty years ago.

The Importance of Agile Values

Long-term value is created through change, according to the Agile Manifesto. As a result, it is essential to welcome and embrace change.

However, if you want to be agile, there is a ‘proper’ method to go about it.

The inability to make decisions quickly does not result in added value. The alternative is for organizations to react swiftly and maintain short cycle times between iterations.

In this approach, change can be a constant aspect of the development process – you can adjust priorities, add new features or updates, and the process can be iterated.

People over processes are emphasized, as is the use of “working software” to get products to market quickly. As is the ethos of agile, the values emphasize being adaptable and collaborative, prioritizing people over processes, and using “working software” to get products to market as quickly as possible.

What are the Agile Values

The Agile Alliance’s four guiding principles are as follows:

Individuals and interactions take precedence over processes and tools in this case

The manifesto places the needs of people first and foremost. People are the most valuable resource for any team in agile environments.

Yes, you are free to conduct as much research and preparation as possible. You can even invest in the most cutting-edge technology. However, in the end, the success or failure of your project is determined by the involved individuals.

Individuals and interactions require significant attention and investment in agile to do this. Indeed, they are the most crucial factor in achieving your product or company vision.

A strong team of motivated, collaborating individuals is far more critical than any method or tool they may employ.

Working software is preferred over detailed documentation

The Agile Manifesto abolished the notion that product teams were required to prepare voluminous amounts of documentation before developers could even begin writing the first line of code.

As a result, the agile ideals emphasize getting the software to customers as rapidly as possible and collecting direct input from users at the earliest possible stage of the process.

To be clear, this does not imply that thorough documentation is not necessary. Yes, it is! Nonetheless, this agile value strives to minimize delays caused by cumbersome documentation, smoothing the path for software release from beginning to end.

Collaboration with customers takes precedence over contract negotiation

As we saw above, people are critical to the success of agile projects.

Consequently, value number three of the agile manifesto focuses on the particular importance of working closely with customers throughout the development process.

This could entail receiving direct feedback and criticism from the user and collaborating on developing new products based on study findings.

Alternatively, doing user experience research to gain a thorough understanding of the demands and needs of users.

Instead of adhering to negotiated contracts with a set of deliverables, the agile methodology incorporates user feedback into the development process and encourages ongoing communication.

As a result, what happened? A greater degree of adaptability and a greater likelihood of delivering to market the most useful, engaging, and economically successful product possible.

Make Sure you follow a plan while responding to a changed situation

Change can be costly in terms of both time and money. As a result, development procedures did everything they could to avoid it in the past. You created detailed plans to ensure that every contingency was covered and serve as a guide for future actions.

The agile perspective is distinct

Having been assigned to value number four in the agile manifesto, this one emphasizes that constant review and rewriting of a plan is a positive thing. Due to this transformation, the project plan is transformed from a static map into a dynamic strategy.

If shifting your focus or direction makes tactical sense, the agile value urges you to go for it! And to avoid getting caught in a rut by continuing in a course that no longer makes sense.

 The benefits of following the Agile Values

When properly implemented, the agile values make the team more adaptable and flexible in the face of change. As a result, it becomes easier to identify and – even better — to respond to opportunities. A more agile firm is better positioned to react to changes in the marketplace and adapt its product offering to meet customers’ needs in a changing environment.

Furthermore, agile teams are more adept at dealing with development concerns, allowing clients to have their problems resolved more quickly.

On the other hand, the agile values might be easily misunderstood if not applied correctly.

As a result of all of these, adopting an agile approach can

benefit most development teams. Of course, there are objections (mainly that the Values don’t live up to the hype) and scenarios in which adopting agile values does not yield the desired results.

Challenges in applying the Agile Values

Because of a lack of understanding, teams may mistakenly believe they are “agile.” They have merely abandoned a slew of established norms and replaced them with improvisational behavior. Changing your priorities on the spur of the moment, for example, does not constitute being ‘flexible.’ A shift in emphasis should always be supported by sound strategic logic.

However, as long as you don’t consider the agile values etched in stone, they can benefit practically every organization.

Conclusion

 

The open question that remains is, of course – How much value will the agile values provide to your team?

Keep in mind that agile values are not rules

 

These methodologies and processes are neither a set of rules to follow nor are they a specific manner of building things or software.

Put another way, they’re a way of thinking and a set of values and beliefs that assist foster innovation, make product and software development more successful and more reactive. Furthermore, agile values also allow teams to adapt more quickly and directly to what their customers’ actual needs and wants are.