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Agile

The Future of Agility at Scale

July 17, 2023
Agile, Alien tech, Antimatter principle, Article, Business, Capability development, Improvement, Quintessence
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The Future of Agility at Scale

Has the world of Agility at Scale got you feeling crazed by all the mendacity and false promises? Like a Zorkian maze of complex, twisty little methods and frameworks? Are you tired of cookie-cutter solutions that just don’t fit organisations’ needs? Do you wish for an approach that values principles over prescriptive practices, while respecting existing organisational structures and cultures? And yes, actually DELIVERING on its promises?

We are on the brink of unveiling a groundbreaking, open source approach that addresses these questions head-on, and we’d love your help to make its roll-out a reality. This approach, steeped in real-world experiences and collaborative wisdom, promises to empower organisations to become intrinsically agile, not just ‘do’ agile.

Our approach, uniquely designed to align with any organisation’s specific needs and context, respects existing structures and cultures, and focuses on the practical application of agility at scale. But the real power lies not in dogmatic practices or one-size-fits-all fremeworks, but in principles – guiding beacons that inspire continuous learning, adaptation, and respect for people and relationships.

Uniquely, this approach is open source. It thrives on collective wisdom, and we invite you to be a part of this journey. Yes, we are calling for enterprise agility† enthusiasts, practitioners, leaders, and teams worldwide to join us in launching and delivering this approach.

Your insights, experiences, and perspective will add to this rich melting pot, refining and evolving this approach for the betterment of all. After all, agility at its core is about people, their interactions, their ability to adapt, and their collective capacity to create remarkable value.

So, are you curious enough to look into becoming a part of this journey and helping shape the future of enterprise agility? It’s an open invitation‡, your chance to make a significant impact on how organisations navigate the complex world of agility at scale.

Stay tuned for the big reveal, and in the meantime, get ready to dive in, contribute, and be a part of an open-source agility revolution.

 

†Enterprise Agility is a comprehensive concept that pertains to an organisation’s ability to swiftly adapt, evolve, and innovate in response to dynamic business environments. It extends way beyond the implementation of agile methods in software development or project management, encompassing all areas of the organisation. This includes strategic planning, leadership, decision-making, operations, culture, and more. Organisations that demonstrate enterprise agility can rapidly respond to market changes, customer needs, technological advancements, and other external factors. They cultivate a culture of continuous learning and improvement, empowering employees at all levels to drive innovation, solve problems, and create value. In essence, enterprise agility is not just about ‘doing’ agile, but ‘being’ agile at every level of the organisation.

‡If you know me well, and are interested, then we can grant you access to the ever-growing collection of materials in our Google Docs repository. If you’re interested but don’t know me so well, then write me outlining your interest and how you might contribute. Or arrange for a chat. I look forward to your response.

 

Beyond Agile: Embrace the Toolbox, Not Just One Tool!

July 13, 2023
Agile, Article, Business, Quintessence
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Beyond Agile: Embrace the Toolbox, Not Just One Tool!

Someone saying, “Don’t touch it. It’s not Agile.” isn’t really helpful or convincing advice. It’s like they’re saying Agile is the only way to do things, such as software development, or running a business, and that’s just not true. Agile is only one among many way to get stuff done, like one tool in a big toolbox.

Just like you wouldn’t use a hammer to fix everything, you wouldn’t use Agile for everything. There are lots of other tools (or approaches) you can use, and sometimes they will be even better for the job at hand.

So, when someone says, “Don’t touch it. It’s not Agile.” they’re kind of limiting your options. It’s like refusing to recommend anything but a hammer, even when a screwdriver would work better. They’re missing out on other ways to attend to folks’ needs or get things done.

What’s really important is not whether something is Agile or not, but whether it’s the best tool, or even a good-enough tool, for the job. Just like picking the right tool from your toolbox, you need to pick the right method for your task. That’s the kind of advice that’s really helpful!

The Fall of Agile Consulting and the Rise of Systems Thinking

June 22, 2023
Agile, Alien tech, Article, Careers, Coaching, Culture change, Improvement, Organisational effectiveness, Quintessence, Reinvention, Rightshifting, Software development, Systems thinking
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The Fall of Agile Consulting and the Rise of Systems Thinking

In the shifting tides of the business landscape, staying afloat requires more than just clinging to the past. Twenty years ago, Agile consulting was the golden ticket, but now, that ship has sailed. Welcome to the era of Systems Thinking, where a holistic approach to business reigns supreme. Brace yourself for a journey into the next business revolution that’s taking the world by storm.

A Golden Era Passes

Two decades ago, in the early 2000s, the business world was going through a significant transformation of their approach to software development. Organisations were moving away from traditional waterfall (and ad-hoc) approaches and adopting Agile, shifting from a linear, sequential approach to a more iterative, collaborative one. Agile coaches, project managers, and consultants found themselves in high demand, guiding teams and organisations through the transition and reaping significant rewards. For these individuals, it was a golden era, as companies in all sectors scrambled to understand these new ways of working and better respond to change.

Terminus

However, as the saying goes, nothing lasts forever, and so it was for the Agile consulting boom. Fast forward to the present, twenty years later, and the Agile market has senesced. Most organisations are now familiar with at least the term. The consulting gold rush has tapered off; that particular gravy train has reached its terminus.

Paradigm Shifts

Today, the buzz is all about whole systems approaches and systems thinking. In this approach, businesses are considered as complex systems, an interconnected network of components rather than isolated departments or teams. This perspective encourages organisations to break down silos and consider the wider impact of decisions and changes, leading to more sustainable and holistic solutions.

With the rise of this new perspective, the focus has shifted from software and individual project management methods to an overarching, systemic focus. The challenge is now about understanding and managing complexity, facilitating interconnections, identifying feedback loops, and shifting paradigms.

Reinvention

Can the Agile consultants, coaches, Scrum masters, etc., of yesteryear evolve and learn to navigate this new landscape so as to remain relevant?

Inspect and Adapt?

In conclusion, trends come and go, and those who can adapt thrive. “Inspect and adapt”, anyone? Twenty years ago, Agile was the buzzword; today, it’s systems thinking. Who knows what the next twenty years will bring? It’s a constant reminder that the only thing consistent in business (and life) is change.

Note: If this post has given you cause for concern, I’m always happy to talk things through, one-to-one.

More About the Agile Trap

June 21, 2023
Agile, Alien tech, Article, Culture change, Marshall Model, Memeology, Organisational Therapy, Paradigm shifts, Quintessence, Rightshifting
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More About the Agile Trap

Have you ever wondered why the so-called Agile approach to software development, despite its charismatic promises, so often seems to miss the mark? You’re not alone in this predicament. Many are left puzzled as their Agile transformations fall short of expectations, leading to a mixture of confusion, disappointment, and ennui. The resolution to this problem doesn’t lie specifically within the Agile philosophy itself but within a broader, widely neglected perspective.

Not Designed for Adoption

From the get-go, Agile was never designed for easy adoption by traditional organisations. It demands a departure from conventional beliefs about work and collaboration, and this makes its implementation a real challenge, with its promises of flexibility, adaptability, and rapid delivery. However, Agile often fails to live up to its impish promises. The question remains, why?

The answer doesn’t lie within the intricacies of the approach, but rather with a comprehensive understanding of the organisation as a whole.

The Local Optimisation Trap

Accordingly, Agile transformations almost always degrade into local optimisations – offering immediate and visible local improvements but overlooking the bigger picture, such as flow efficiency across the entire organisation.

The Holistic Viewpoint

This is where alternative approaches such as the Theory of Constraints (ToC) come into the picture. They compel us to go beyond individual departments and silos, taking a holistic view of the organisation, identifying bottlenecks, and developing solutions that consider the broader operational flow.

Paradigm Shift

The shift from local to organisation-wide optimisation isn’t insignificant; it’s a PARADIGM shift. It necessitates a move from focusing on isolated components to recognising the wider interdependencies throughout the organisation.Truly a fundamental culture change.

Regrettably, this holistic view is rarely appreciated in organisations. It’s hard to grasp, challenging to execute, contradicts the prevalent silo-structures, and requires a readiness to collaborate – or even better, to integrate – multiple silos.

It’s a daunting journey, but it’s essential for building a resilient, adaptable, and more efficient organisation.

When we ask, “why does Agile often stumble?”, the answer isn’t found in Agile’s principles or methods. Rather, it’s embedded within the broader organisational mindset (a.k.a. the Analytic mindset), one that often misses the organisation-wide perspective. The journey from Agile’s local optimisation to a broader, organisation-wide approach is not an easy one. Here, Organisational Psychotherapy can help show the path towards significant improvement

Aspire to More

Let’s not limit our aspirations to enhance only the software development sector. Let’s aim to build a balanced, steady, and high-performing workflow across the organisation. This discourse is about reevaluating our understanding, going beyond our existing practices, and embracing the journey towards a more synergistic mindset, and a more holistic approach.

Agile and Beyond

June 18, 2023
Agile, Article, Improvement, Organisational effectiveness, Product development, Productivity, Rightshifting, Software development
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Agile and Beyond

Has the thought ever crossed your mind that you could be wrong, just plain wrong, about the whole Agile thing?

Ever found yourself musing on a quiet afternoon, over a comforting cuppa, if there’s a smidgeon of possibility you could be mistaken about Agile? That perhaps, despite all the hubbub, Agile wasn’t as marvellous an idea as you’ve pegged it to be?

As an observer now on the outside of your community, I can’t help but wonder at the sheer dedication with which you all have embraced Agile. However, every coin has two sides, and it’s not in anyone’s interest to overlook the flip side, is it?

There’s no shame in contemplating that members of the Agile community might’ve got it all arse about face. After all, progress lies not in being unerringly correct, but in learning from our miscalculations and adapting accordingly?

Feel free to comment your thoughts below or reach out privately if this little question has ever tickled your curiosity.

Here’s to open dialogue and continued learning!

Beyond the Agile Trap

June 17, 2023
Agile, Alien tech, Article, Culture change, Flow, Flow•gnosis, Flowchain, Software development, Systems thinking
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Beyond the Agile Trap

Failure Writ Large

Have you ever questioned why Agile so often falls short of delivering on its impish promises? You’re not alone. Many find their Hail Mary agile initiatives underdelivering, leaving everyone perplexed, frustrated and embarrassed. The answer isn’t hidden within Agile, but it’s found in the overlooked, holistic mindset called “systems thinking”.

Cuckoos

Like a cuckoo, Agile’s brood parasite nature has strong-armed it a significant place in the field of software development, with its proponents’ knavish boasting of flexibility, adaptability, and rapid value delivery. However, despite its siren qualities, Agile frequently disappoints. But why?

The answer isn’t nestled in the details of Agile approaches, but rather within an organisation’s broader perspective.

Agile almost inevitably promotes mere local optimisations – approaches with immediate and tangible improvements that miss the context for organisation-wide benefits such as flow.

Systems Thinking

This is where systems thinking approaches like the Theory of Constraints (ToC) comes into play. This perspective urges us to look beyond individual silos and examine the system as a whole, identifying bottlenecks and developing comprehensive flow-oriented solutions. The move from local to system-wide optimisation isn’t a minor tweak; it’s a sea change. It requires a transition from concentrating on isolated elements to understanding the wider interdependencies of the entire system.

Rarely Seen

Regrettably, true systems thinking is rarely seen in organisations. It’s challenging to grasp, tough to implement, antithetical to the near-ubiquitous silo style of organisation, and calls for an open mind to coordinate – or better yet, merge – multiple silos.

However, it’s a crucial journey, a leap of faith necessary to build a robust, resilient, and more effective organisation.

Summary

When we ask, “why does Agile fail so often?”, the response isn’t found within Agile’s principles or practices. Instead, it lies in the broader organisational mindset that often overlooks the system-wide view. Moving from Agile’s local optimisation to the more comprehensive approach of system-wide optimisation isn’t a simple journey. Still, it’s a journey towards enlightenment. Let’s not settle for improving just the software development silo. Let’s strive to create a balanced, stable, and impressive flow chain. The essence of this conversation is about challenging our views, moving beyond our current practices, and welcoming the rewarding shift towards systems thinking. Here’s to building a future that doesn’t merely copy blindly, but optimises and truly excels.

Considering an Agile Transformation?

June 9, 2023
Agile, Alien tech, Article, Culture change, Improvement, Innovation, Interactive books, Management, Organisational effectiveness, Paradigm shifts, Quintessence, Rightshifting
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Considering an Agile Transformation?

Are you pondering an Agile transformation for your organisation? Here’s the rub: at best, you’re merely going to catch up with practices from two decades ago. Agile transformation, in essence, is the process of transitioning an entire organisation from its existing approach to work, to an Agile approach. This could mean adopting Scrum, Kanban, or a hybrid of multiple Agile frameworks.

So, you’ve successfully transitioned to Agile. Congratulations, but what have you actually gained? It’s now the norm, not the exception. (And Lame Agile is the prevailing norm). Agile is the minimum, not the cutting edge. It’s high time organisations moved past Agile, seeking innovative, post-Agile approaches, such as “Quintessence“.

There’s no real benefit to running a marathon, only to realise you’re still miles and decades behind the frontrunners.

Get in touch if you’re curious…

Retrospectives In Context

May 18, 2023
Agile, Article, Capability development, Culture change, Improvement, Retrospectives, Teambuilding
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Retrospectives In Context

The goal of retrospectives (an Agile ceremony) is *improvement*. If no one on the team needs to improve the way their work works, then their retrospectives are BOUND to be totally lame (and a pointless waste of everyone’s time).

I’ve never seen a team with the motivation / need to improve (out of hundreds of teams). Hence, I’ve never seen a retrospective provide any value.

Maybe one day…

 

A Voice in the Wilderness

May 18, 2023
Agile, Article, Lamentation
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A Voice in the Wilderness

The Agile House of Cards

The Agile-technical industry complex can indeed be likened to a house of cards, precariously balanced yet vulnerable to the slightest disturbance. Agile, the software development model touted for its adaptability and focus on incremental, customer-centric progress, is often lauded as the ideal approach. However, the complete absence of any scientific or theoretical underpinning for Agile is a glaring shortcoming. And one that nobody wants to talk about.

Its practices and methodologies are founded on heuristics and anecdotal experiences rather than robust empirical data or time-tested theories.

Moreover, Agile’s supposed benefits, such as enhanced productivity, increased customer satisfaction, and expedited delivery, largely rest on unverified claims. There is an alarming dearth of rigorous, peer-reviewed studies that confirm these benefits definitively.

Furthermore, Agile’s emphasis on adaptability and quick response to change, although seemingly beneficial, can lead to volatile project scopes, ever-shifting deadlines, and mounting technical debt. These factors can undermine the stability and predictability crucial to the success of a project.

In essence, the Agile paradigm, despite its current dominance, appears to be an edifice built on sand. Its fundamental principles lack rigorous theoretical grounding, and its touted advantages are not substantiated by empirical evidence. Like a house of cards, it seems Agile may be one disruptive breeze away from collapsing, and its dominance in the tech industry is more a result of hype, ignorance and trend-following rather than any solid, scientific foundations.

Fads Debunked

April 5, 2023
Agile, Article, Gullibility
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Fads Debunked

I’ve lost count of all the faddish theories of yesteryear, now thoroughly debunked, yet to which proponents still cleave.

Examples:
• Myers-Briggs (MBTI)
• Growth Mindset
• The Agile software development approach
• Learning Styles
• The 10,000 hour rule
• The Pygmalion effect
• The Hawthorne Effect (?)
• The left brain/right brain myth
• The myth of multitasking being OK
• Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)
• Jim Collins – Good to Great / Build to Last (?)
• The Stanford Prison Experiment (?)
• The Milgram Experiment (?)
• Stockholm Syndrome (?)
• The Cone of Learning / The Learning Pyramid
…and so on.

#StayCurious #StayAbreast

Beneath the Agile Mirage: Unmasking the Lipstick-Smeared Swindle of Modern Software Development!

March 19, 2023
Agile, Article, Debacles, Lamentation, Organisational effectiveness, Product development, Software development
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Beneath the Agile Mirage: Unmasking the Lipstick-Smeared Swindle of Modern Software Development!

💡 Prepare to embark on a thrilling exposé, where we unravel the tangled web of Agile’s alluring illusion, and reveal the startling truth lurking beneath its glossy veneer – a revelation that will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about software development!

➡ You know, there’s an old saying that goes, “You can put lipstick on a pig and call it Agile, but it’s a waste of your time and annoys the pig.” It’s such an apt description of the Agile approach to software development, don’t you think? I mean, people talk about how Agile is the be-all and end-all solution to software development woes, but in reality, it’s just one big lipstick-covered pig.

Even when organisations follow Agile to the letter, it never seems to work out as expected. The whole system is supposed to be about flexibility and adaptability, but so often it just ends up being a convoluted mess. Sure, you have all these meetings, sprints, and stand-ups that give the appearance of progress, but it’s really just a bunch of people running in circles.

And let’s not even get started on the endless stream of buzzwords and jargon that’s constantly thrown around in Agile environments. It’s like some twisted game of corporate Mad Libs that doesn’t actually result in any tangible improvements.

So yeah, you can slap a coat of Agile lipstick on your development pig, but don’t be surprised when it doesn’t magically transform into a streamlined, efficient machine. More often than not, you’ll just end up with a frustrated pig and a whole lot of wasted time.

Another Dark Aspect of Agile: The Erasure of Contributions

March 17, 2023
Agile, Article, Culture change, Dialogue, Fellowship, Innovation
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Another Dark Aspect of Agile: The Erasure of Contributions

💡 The Agile community has some kudos for promoting collaboration and its revisionary approach to software development. But lurking beneath the surface lies a hidden crisis stalling progress: the deliberate dismissal of invaluable contributions from its very own members.

➡ While the Agile community has made some notable contributions to software development and project management, it’s important to acknowledge that it isn’t without its flaws. One issue that many people don’t discuss is the intentional act of hiding, erasing, and ignoring contributions made by current and former members. These issues contribute to the stultification of the whole field of software development, hindering its growth and improvement.

Addressing this issue requires understanding the community’s strong focus on collaboration and teamwork. The Agile Manifesto itself emphasises “individuals and interactions over processes and tools,” which, at its core, promotes the importance of people and their relationships. However, in practice, this mindset sometimes leads to an environment where individual contributions are overshadowed by the status quo. This can stifle the innovation and creativity needed for software development to evolve beyond the narrow confines of the Agile approach.

Moreover, a more sinister aspect of this erasure exists. Some prominent figures within the Agile community focus more on maintaining their status and reputation, rather than nurturing a healthy, progressive environment. This behavior leads to the intentional sidelining of members who have made significant contributions, especially if they challenge the status quo or introduce innovative ideas that could potentially outshine the work of established figures. This self-serving attitude has stagnated the Agile approach by suppressing diverse perspectives and fresh ideas.

The Agile community might choose to confront this issue, as it contradicts the very principles it represents. The community might choose to cultivate a more inclusive and transparent environment that recognises and uplifts the contributions of all its members, regardless of their background or standing.

As members of the software development community, we might choose to actively advocate for those whose contributions have been ignored, and support a culture of openness and genuine collaboration. By doing so, we can ensure that the software development community continues to evolve beyond the Agile approach, embraces diverse ideas, and continues to progress in a healthy, positive direction.

A Lament for Agile Software Development

March 9, 2023
Agile, Article, Lamentation, Ode, Poem
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A Lament for Agile Software Development

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Agile development, we loved thee so,
Yet now thy flame is flickering low,
And all the world grows dimmer in our sight.

Once thou wert young and full of fire,
A new way of working, a bright new dawn,
We dreamed of all the things thou couldst spawn,
And all the ways thou couldst lift us higher.

But now we mourn thy fading grace,
Thy light that once shone bright and bold,
Now flickers weakly, frail and old,
And leaves us lost in this darkened space.

No more the sprints that flew so fast,
No more the stand-ups sharp and bright,
No more the retrospectives to shed light,
On how to improve, how to make it last.

Agile development, we bid thee adieu,
Thou wert a bright star in our sky,
And though now we say our fey goodbye,
We’ll hold onto the lessons we learned from you.

Scrum Masters Are a Waste of Time and Money

March 9, 2023
Agile, Article, Culture change, Scrum
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Scrum Masters Are a Waste of Time and Money

I completely agree with the statement that Scrum Masters are a waste of time and money, and I don’t hesitate to say that we should get rid of them. While the Scrum approach can be somewhat effective when implemented correctly, the role of Scrum Masters often becomes redundant and futile when the culture of the organisation in which they operate is a blocker to progress.

Scrum Masters are supposed to facilitate the adoption of Scrum, invite the removal of impediments, and improve the overall effectiveness of the team. However, in most cases, the company culture and policies are too rigid to allow the Scrum Master to operate effectively. This results in the Scrum Master being unable to drive change, improve the team’s performance, or add any significant value.

Furthermore, the cost of hiring a Scrum Master can be exorbitant, and it is an unnecessary expense when a team can adopt the Scrum methodology on their own. Smart team members can learn the Scrum framework and apply it to their projects, without the need for a dedicated Scrum Master.

In conclusion, Scrum Masters are a waste of time and money if the culture or organisation in which they operate is not receptive to change (which is most organisations). Therefore, I strongly advocate for companies to evaluate their need for a Scrum Master based on their willingness to change their culture, and thus their ability to adopt and implement Scrum effectively, rather than blindly hiring one because it is the norm.

The Certainty of Certifications: Why They’re Much More Harmful Than Helpful

February 27, 2023
Agile, Article, Capability development, Coaching, Culture change
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The Certainty of Certifications: Why They’re Much More Harmful Than Helpful

Certifications can be seen as a quick fix for professional success. They offer a way for experts to show off their skills and knowledge in a particular area. However, the dark side of certifications is that they are often surface-level and bear no relation to an individual’s capabilities.

One of the most outrageous examples of this is with Agile and Scrum certifications. Many courses will certify you after just a few days of training, which is simply not enough time to truly grasp the intricacies of these methodologies. Scrum, in particular, demands a deep comprehension of team dynamics, communication, and the capability to adapt to change. These abilities can’t be acquired in a two-day course or even in two weeks, two months, or two years.

The problem is exacerbated by the patent naivety of busy managers who believe that certification is equivalent to competence. They see a certificate on a CV and assume that the individual has a profound understanding of the subject matter. This assumption is utterly false and can lead to expensive mistakes and project failures.

The complete inadequacy of classroom learning is also a significant issue. While there is value in conventional learning, it’s entirely insufficient to prepare individuals for the difficulties of the real world. Classroom learning typically focuses on theory, while real-world circumstances are way more complex and require a more profound understanding of the subject matter, especially in matters like organisational culture and interpersonal relationships.

In conclusion, certifications are essentially worthless at best and deeply harmful at worst. They create a false sense of security and don’t genuinely measure an individual’s abilities. It’s crucial to remember that certifications are in no way a substitute for experience and extensive knowledge.

The Agile Community Has Failed Upper Management

December 12, 2022
Agile, Article
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The Agile Community Has Failed Upper Management

Request to ChatGPT

Write a polemic on how the Agile community has failed to assist upper management in making the cognitive shifts necessary for effective adoption of the Agile approach to software development, and to business success more generally.

Response from ChatGPT

The Agile community has failed upper management. It has failed to assist them in making the necessary cognitive shifts to effectively adopt the Agile approach to software development and, more generally, to achieve business success.

Upper management is often resistant to change, and the Agile community has not done enough to help them understand the benefits of the Agile approach. Instead, the Agile community has focused on teaching technical practices and methodologies, neglecting the psychological and cultural shifts that must take place for Agile to be successful.

The Agile community has also failed to adequately communicate the value of Agile to upper management. Many executives see Agile as a fad or a set of buzzwords, and the Agile community has not done enough to demonstrate the tangible benefits of Agile in terms that upper management can understand and appreciate.

Furthermore, the Agile community has not done enough to address the concerns of upper management. Many executives are hesitant to adopt Agile because they fear it will disrupt their existing processes and power structures. The Agile community has not done enough to assuage these fears and show upper management how Agile can be integrated into their organisations in a way that is smooth and beneficial.

In short, the Agile community has failed to assist upper management in making the necessary cognitive shifts to effectively adopt the Agile approach. It is time for the Agile community to refocus its efforts on helping upper management understand and embrace the benefits of Agile, and to address their concerns and resistance to change. Only then will the Agile approach be able to truly fulfill its potential and bring success to the organisations that adopt it.

First Steps With ChatGPT

December 11, 2022
Agile, Article
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Me: “Write, in the style of Christopher Hitchens, a scathing critique of Agile software development as a religious phenomenon.”

ChatGPT: “Agile software development is nothing more than a religious phenomenon, a cult-like devotion to a set of vague and arbitrary principles that are masqueraded as a rational approach to software development.”

“The so-called Agile manifesto is a hodgepodge of buzzwords and platitudes that has little connection to the realities of software development. It elevates nebulous concepts like “agility” and “adaptability” over the hard work of actually building software. It is a gospel of buzzwords, a collection of empty phrases that are repeated ad nauseam by its disciples without any real understanding of what they mean.”

“The Agile movement is dominated by a priesthood of gurus and experts who claim to have a monopoly on the truth. They demand unquestioning obedience to their edicts, and dismiss anyone who dares to question their authority. They demand that software developers become “agile” without ever defining what that means, and punish those who do not conform to their rigid and arbitrary rules.”

“The Agile movement is a religion of the status quo. It is a refuge for the lazy and the mediocre, who seek to avoid accountability for their lack of productivity by hiding behind the cloak of Agile principles. It is a crutch for those who are afraid to challenge their own assumptions and biases, and who seek to avoid the hard work of critical thinking and problem solving.”

“In short, Agile software development is a sham, a pseudoscientific fantasy that has no basis in reality. It is a religious movement that is more concerned with maintaining its own power and influence than with actually producing useful software. It is a fraud, a scam, and a waste of time and resources. It should be rejected and denounced by anyone who cares about software development.”

Quickie: Tosh, Tosh And More Tosh

May 23, 2022
Agile, Experts, Lamentation, Lemons, Organisational Therapy, Quickies
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There is helpful and useful content out there. But finding it amongst all the dross is a massive challenge.

I despair of the boatloads of naive advice, misinformation, and just pure tosh that so-called “Agile” people spout on a daily basis. (Not limited to just “Agile” people, of course.)

Caveat lector!

And just in case you’d like a sanity check on anything suspect or dubious, I’m always happy to support your natural scepticism. Just get in touch for non-partisan help.