AGILE

Question 1

Means to be able to move quickly and easily and be nimble. It’s the ability to change direction quickly, intentionally, and with finesse.

Answer 1

Agile

Question 2

The ________ _______ promotes collaborative, cross-functional teams and a way of working that allows for fast feedback and change of direction.

Answer 2

Agile Mindset

Question 3

Standard Agile teams have common features, here are three:

1. Cross-functional: Teams have everyone they need to deliver value.
2. Collaboration: Teams deliver value together, both in their team and with customers.
3. Fast Feedback: Teams constantly measure if they are delivering value and adjust if needed.

Question 4

Manifesto for Agile Software Development

We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it.
Through this work we have come to value:

1. Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
2. Working software over comprehensive documentation
3. Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
4. 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.

Answer 4

Agile SAFe Translation

1. We focus on the people doing the work and on direct communication.
2. We focus on building the solution and getting frequent feedback.
3. We work to delight customers by working with them to achieve the best results.
4. We need to respond to customer needs when they occur to enable success.

Question 5

We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it.
Through this work we have come to value:

• Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
• Working software over comprehensive documentation
• Customer collaboration over contract 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.

The final phrase of the manifesto is important and sometimes overlooked. It is possible to misinterpret the value statements as a binary decision between two choices (e.g., working software versus comprehensive documentation), but that’s not the intended meaning. Both items have value; however, the item on the left has more value (i.e., working software). The Agile Manifesto is not rigid or dogmatic. Instead, it embraces the need to balance the values based on the context. Now, let’s look at each value in the Agile Manifesto.

Question 6

Individuals and interactions over processes and tools

Agile processes in frameworks like Scrum, Kanban, and SAFe do matter. However, a process is only a means to an end. When we’re captive to a process that isn’t working, it creates waste and delays. So, favor individuals and interactions and then modify processes accordingly.

In a distributed environment, tools are critically important to assist with communication and collaboration (e.g., video conferencing, text messaging, and wikis). This is especially true at scale. However, tools should supplement, rather than replace, face-to-face communication.

Question 7

Working software over comprehensive documentation

Documentation is important and has value. But creating documents for the sake of complying with potentially outdated corporate governance models has no value. As part of a change program, governance, often captured by documentation standards, needs to be updated to reflect the Lean-Agile way of working. Rather than create detailed documentation too early — especially the wrong kind — it’s more valuable to show customers working software to get their feedback. Therefore, favor working software. And document only what’s truly needed.

Question 8

Customer collaboration over contract negotiation

Customers are the ultimate deciders of value, so their close collaboration is essential in the development process. To convey the rights, responsibilities, and economic concerns of each party, contracts are often necessary — but recognize that contracts can over-regulate what to do and how to do it.

No matter how well they’re written, they don’t replace regular communication, collaboration, and trust. Win–lose contracts usually result in poorer economic outcomes and distrust, creating short-term relationships instead of long-term business partnerships. Instead, contracts should be a win-win proposition that favor customer collaboration

Question 9

Responding to change over following a plan

Change is a reality that the development process has to reflect. The strength of Lean-Agile development is in how it embraces change. As the system evolves, so does the understanding of the problem and the solution domain. Business stakeholder knowledge also improves over time, and customer needs evolve as well. Indeed, those changes in understanding add value to our system.

The manifesto phrase “over following a plan” indicates that there is, in fact, a plan! Planning is an important part of Agile development. However, plans need to adapt as new learning occurs, new information becomes available, and the situation changes.

Question 10

This section will briefly cover the 12 principles of the Agile Manifesto that support its values. These principles take those values a step further and specifically describe what it means to be Agile. The combination of values and principles in the manifesto creates a framework for what the Snowbird attendees believed was the essence of Agile.

1. Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software.
2. Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer’s competitive advantage.
3. Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference to the shorter timescale.
4. Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project.
5. Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done.
6. The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation.
7. Working software is the primary measure of progress.
8. Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.
9. Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility.
10. Simplicity - the art of maximizing the amount of work not done - is essential.
11. The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams.
12. At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.

Question 11

The Lean-Agile Mindset

As you’ve seen, the Lean-Agile Mindset is the combination of beliefs, assumptions, attitudes, and actions of SAFe® leaders and practitioners who embrace the concepts of the Agile Manifesto and Lean thinking. It’s the personal, intellectual, and leadership foundation for adopting and applying SAFe® principles and practices. SAFe® is firmly grounded in two bodies of knowledge: Lean and Agile. In fact, the genesis of SAFe® was to develop guidance for enterprises on how to apply the principles and practices of Lean and Agile in the world’s largest organizations.

For leaders and practitioners, it requires a broader and deeper Lean-Agile Mindset to drive the organizational change required to adopt Lean and Agile at scale across the entire enterprise. The Lean-Agile Mindset forms the cornerstone of a new management approach and an enhanced company culture that enables Business Agility. It provides leadership with the tools needed to drive a successful SAFe® transformation, helping individuals and the entire enterprise achieve their goals.