The Agile Manifesto
Origin
In February 2001, seventeen critics of process-based production models gathered at the Snowbird ski resort in Utah—at the invitation of Robert C. Martin—to discuss software development. This meeting had a precedent in a gathering organized the previous spring in Oregon by Kent Beck, author of the book that explained the new methodology known as Extreme Programming.
The members summarized in four postulates what has come to be known as the "Agile Manifesto," which are the values on which these methods are based.
The four postulates
We value individuals and interactions over processes and tools
This is the most important value of the manifesto.
Processes support work and tools improve efficiency, but some tasks require talent and need people who bring it with the right attitude. Process-based production seeks to make the quality of the outcome a consequence of the know-how made explicit in the processes, rather than of the knowledge contributed by people. In agile development, processes are an aid, a support; the uncompromising defense of processes leads to the claim that, with them, extraordinary results can be achieved with mediocre people, which is not true when creativity and innovation are needed.
We value working software more than comprehensive documentation
Being able to anticipate how the final product will work by observing prototypes or parts already built provides stimulating feedback that generates ideas impossible to conceive when writing a requirements document at the start of the project.
The Agile Manifesto does not declare documentation useless, only unnecessary documentation. Documents record historical information and are mandatory in many legal or regulatory contexts, but their relevance should be lower than that of the final product. Communication through documents does not offer the richness achieved by direct communication or by interaction with product prototypes.
We value customer collaboration over contract negotiation
Agile practices are suited to products whose details are difficult to foresee at the outset and to contexts where unstable requirements are expected due to the pace of change in the business environment.
The goal of an agile project is not to monitor execution against plans, but to deliver the greatest possible value to the product. An ongoing relationship of involvement and collaboration with the customer is more appropriate than a contractual one that sets boundaries of responsibility.
We value responding to change over following a plan
When developing products with unstable requirements, for which change and rapid, continuous evolution are inherent factors, the ability to respond is far more valuable than the ability to follow plans and ensure they are met. The main values of agile management are anticipation and adaptation, as opposed to those of orthodox project management: planning and control.
The 12 principles
Following the four values, the Agile Manifesto sets out these twelve principles:
- Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software.
- Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer's competitive advantage.
- Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference to the shorter timescale.
- Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project.
- Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done.
- The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation.
- Working software is the primary measure of progress.
- Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.
- Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility.
- Simplicity—the art of maximizing the amount of work not done—is essential.
- The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams.
- At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.
Common Misconception
Treating the four values as absolute statements. The values in the Manifesto do not deny the usefulness of processes, documentation, contracts, or plans; rather, they assert that the other elements in each pair are more valuable. An Agile team uses documentation, contracts, and plans—it simply does not make them the primary objective. Ignoring this nuance leads to both "Agile without structure" (abandoning all processes) and "Agile in name only" (following all the rituals without adopting the underlying values).
References
- Beck, Kent. (2000). Extreme Programming Explained: Embrace Change. Addison-Wesley Professional.
- Beck, Kent et al. (2001). Manifesto for Agile Software Development. agilemanifesto.org.
See also
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