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20 years ago today a bunch of people argued together on a mountain and put forth a website and it was used for some awesome things and some awful stuff and there was much ado about it
Happy anniversary
https://agilemanifesto.org/
Happy anniversary
https://agilemanifesto.org/
I have seen and lived a trough a lot of oppressive stuff done in the name of it.
I have consecrated two talks to untangle why that happens (oppressive systems, power dynamics , capitalism etc) and things we could try (mutual aid, anti racism, critical pedagogy etc)
But:
I have consecrated two talks to untangle why that happens (oppressive systems, power dynamics , capitalism etc) and things we could try (mutual aid, anti racism, critical pedagogy etc)
But:
I do actually believe the 4 core values exposed are really solid so to celebrate let’s do a quick deep dive on them
First if the manifesto is but 4 values
It becomes important to ask ourselves: what is a value ?
For the sake of this thread I’ll go with this working definition :
A value is something you’re ready to be a pain in the ass about
It becomes important to ask ourselves: what is a value ?
For the sake of this thread I’ll go with this working definition :
A value is something you’re ready to be a pain in the ass about
A pain in the ass because
When the pressure of the system is to not do the thing you open your mouth to push people to do it
Hence being a pain in the ass about it ?
If you’re not ready to bring it when it would be easier to shut up about it ? Not a value .
When the pressure of the system is to not do the thing you open your mouth to push people to do it
Hence being a pain in the ass about it ?
If you’re not ready to bring it when it would be easier to shut up about it ? Not a value .
So the manifesto is basically 4 things those 17 people wanted to convince you to be a pain in the ass about
Each one of those 4 things is a tension point
<something I value more> over <something I still value a lot>
The point being that you want to maximise <thing I still value a lot> up until the point is detrimental to <thing I value more>
Like any heathy habit it is balance
<something I value more> over <something I still value a lot>
The point being that you want to maximise <thing I still value a lot> up until the point is detrimental to <thing I value more>
Like any heathy habit it is balance
The values are:
Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
Working software over comprehensive documentation
Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
Responding to change over following a plan
But what do we talk about when we talk about that?
What is Agile?
Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
Working software over comprehensive documentation
Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
Responding to change over following a plan
But what do we talk about when we talk about that?
What is Agile?
Let's dive into each: a meta-thread
Part I: Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
Part II: Working software over comprehensive documentation
Part III: Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
Part IV: Responding to change over following a plan
Part I: Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
Part II: Working software over comprehensive documentation
Part III: Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
Part IV: Responding to change over following a plan
Once I said all that, I have covered the "What" but then a very common question becomes the "Why"
Why agile? why should we care about those 4 values at all?
Why agile? why should we care about those 4 values at all?
Because the manifesto hand-waives that completely ! It pushed that under "better ways" without defining "better"
brilliant right?
And that, friend, is because there is no why, at least no unified why! See... https://twitter.com/malk_zameth/status/1359900134117695488
brilliant right?
And that, friend, is because there is no why, at least no unified why! See... https://twitter.com/malk_zameth/status/1359900134117695488
those 17 dudes? Looked from afar, they were very similar, at least they did very similar things, which got them to discuss about what they had in common, and what they had in common was 4 things they were a pain in the ass about, what they did not have in common? The why they did
(the actually had a whole lot not in common I mean there are two dudes in the lot that are openly for trump etc, but you get my idea?)
The little I could piece together by asking them is:
you had basically 5 warring camps with 5 different whys
one camp had a why very in line with Lean : optimising global value people like @jeffsutherland where there
you had basically 5 warring camps with 5 different whys
one camp had a why very in line with Lean : optimising global value people like @jeffsutherland where there
Another camp wanted to maximise productivity, even if it meant wasting value, @TotherAlistair told me once he was in that camp and that he was young and that he regrets it
Another camp wanted to "solve the software crisis" they had a social agenda of reducing suffering even if that meant reducing value I am told people like @KentBeck and @RonJeffries where part of that
Me personally when my work was mostly with software people that used to be my why https://twitter.com/malk_zameth/status/654710109214371841
This is all very partial and caricatural and the above cited can probably do a better clarification, but the thing is: it is awesome that they did not had a unified why, it is precious, it is one of the most amazing things
Because Agility then became that one thing that could unify people hungry for bottom line and the people fighting for better social conditions
Is this small and precious thing that both me and a moderate and a fash can probably agree upon and that precious
Is this small and precious thing that both me and a moderate and a fash can probably agree upon and that precious
And that explains also partially why it became so big a movement containing so many people that hate each other
but also why it is so precious : even 20 years later it has momentum and you can try to use it to change things for the better in useful ways in your company today
and for me that is reason enough
and for me that is reason enough
But also the manifesto starts with "We are uncovering"
Agility is not static
You are never Agile
there is no end state https://twitter.com/malk_zameth/status/1254829011848646657
Agility is not static
You are never Agile
there is no end state https://twitter.com/malk_zameth/status/1254829011848646657
Anyway this thread is a transcript of 1h talk a give A LOT to clients (twice per month probably) but have never given at a conference (the reasons is obvious : what conference would still want an agile 101 talk ?)
I am glad to publish it in some form somewhere publicly tho
I am glad to publish it in some form somewhere publicly tho
thanks to the 17, for the manifesto
@KentBeck
@mikebeedle †
@arievanbennekum
@TotherAlistair
@WardCunningham
@martinfowler
@jwgrenning
@jimhighsmith
@PragmaticAndy
@RonJeffries
Jon Kern
@marick
Robert C. Martin
Steve Mellor
@kschwaber
@jeffsutherland
@pragdave
@KentBeck
@mikebeedle †
@arievanbennekum
@TotherAlistair
@WardCunningham
@martinfowler
@jwgrenning
@jimhighsmith
@PragmaticAndy
@RonJeffries
Jon Kern
@marick
Robert C. Martin
Steve Mellor
@kschwaber
@jeffsutherland
@pragdave
