Barbara Roberts has been involved with Agile approaches since helping create DSDM in 1994 and has led many Agile transformations. This document aims to dispel common myths and misconceptions about Agile, such as that it is a "silver bullet," only applies to small, simple projects, or that governance and documentation are not needed. Roberts explains that Agile must be tailored to each situation and industry constraints still apply, but that Agile principles can help most organizations become more adaptive and deliver value faster.

1. Dispelling
myths and misconceptions
that surround Agile
Barbara Roberts
Director for Professional Development, Agile Business Consortium

2. Helped create DSDM (the first Agile approach) in 1994
 Ran one of the DSDM Early Adopter projects in 1995
Have been running Agile transformations in UK (and beyond) ever since
 All sectors e.g. insurance, finance, military, public sector, telecoms, transport
Creation of AgilePM was my original idea
 (AgilePM is based on DSDM)
Have been a director for Agile Business Consortium for many years
(previously called DSDM Consortium)
Still love all things agile 
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Why Me?

3. There is a lot of hype around agile
Agile appears very simple
 Resulting in misconceptions and misunderstandings which spread like wildfire
Information is power
Knowing what agile is (and what it isn’t) helps position
some of the “information” you will be given
All of the examples here are real,
based on personal experiences
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Why this topic?

4.  Agile cannot solve the impossible
 Agile still complies with the laws of physics
 6 months work will take 6 months
 Agile can reduce wasted time
 Shortens the lines of communication
and encourages collaborative working
 Gets the right people talking directly to one another
 Fails fast
 If it’s the wrong thing, find out early and stop or readjust
 Prioritises
 Focuses on the important things – MoSCoW
 It is rare that everything is genuinely a Must Have
 Accepts that some things are much less important / valuable
 Applies the Pareto rule
Mis-selling Agile - A real example…..
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Agile = “A Silver Bullet”

5.  “Dirty” - Probably true in the early days of Agile
 Mid 80s - RAD – Rapid Application Development
 RAD cowboys – focused on short-term solutions – the fun parts!
 In 1994 DSDM created an agile approach
combining “Rapid” and “Business engagement” from RAD
with “control” and “quality” from traditional
 These days, Agile – done properly – demands a high level of professionalism
 Quality measures such as ISO 900x and CMMI Level 5 not a problem
 Agile not necessarily faster
 Ensures delivery of the right solution at the right time
 Rather than 100% delivered late
 May deliver sooner (than traditional) by focusing
on the important (higher priority) things
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Agile is “Quick and Dirty”

6.  This may be true for some Agile approaches
E.g. Scrum, eXtreme Programming etc
 DSDM has always been about more than IT
 The logic of agile applies to all types of projects
 And to life in general!
 A non-IT Agile example………….
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Agile = “Only applies to IT”

7.  Complex projects need “corporate strength” agile
 For example Agile Business Consortium product set includes
 Agile Project Management (AgilePM)
 Agile Programme Management (AgilePgM)
 Agile Portfolio Management (AgilePfM - release imminent)
“Corporate-strength” agile has successfully delivered..
 Ministry of Defence military aircraft project
 Complex contractual collaboration between 3 defence suppliers
 A major offshore oil project
 A project to streamline shop-floor manufacturing processes
building aircraft engines
.. Oh, and it can also do small, simple projects
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“Agile is only for small, simple projects”

8.  Agile Manifesto states
Working Software over Comprehensive Documentation”
 **** This does NOT mean “Documentation unnecessary”
 Despite what some developers may tell you!
 The primary value of documentation
is to support solution in production
 Delivering detailed documentation for a failed project is pointless
 Agile teams bring together a breadth of roles
 This means conversation replaces much of the
heavy up-front documentation needed by silo’ed traditional teams
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Agile = “No documentation”
Solutions

9.  Agile IS all about change, but….
 It’s about change within reason
 Foundations for project agreed and baselined near the start
 This defines the breadth (and high level priorities) of what will be delivered
 The breadth (scope) is protected and change at this level is usually handled
via more formal change control
 This is the only way to keep the project on track, as this is a change to the basis for the project
Evolutionary development fills in the depth
 This is where most change happens, and is handled informally
 These are typically small changes driven by conversations and integrated testing
to “converge on the accurate solution”
 e.g. Things that were previously important become no longer needed
 e.g. Details emerge that supersede other things on the list
Achieved via trade-offs
 Always remember - you can’t get back time already spent
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Agile = “You can change anything and everything”

10.  Oh, yes you do!!
 Many agile approaches don’t do projects
 Scrum = Simple team based process,
just delivering from a “backlog”
 No defined “beginning, middle and end”
 But…. in the complex corporate world, business needs to understand
What they will get (but not necessarily in minute detail)
 When they will get it
 The business case for the work they are funding
 Most corporate organisations deliver projects, which need managing
 Project managers are vital for successful Agile projects 
Requires the “right” PM mindset
 Facilitative collaborative management style, rather than command and control
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“You Don’t Need Project Managers in Agile”

11. Close to
Agreement
Far from
Agreement
Close to
Certainty
Far from
Certainty
Requirements
The“what”
Technology
The “How”
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“Agile is always the answer”
 It’s about choosing the right approach
Traditional
Agile

12.  Agile is not as simple as a binary option
 It is part of a spectrum
Where does this work fit?
Anywhere is OK, as long as it is a conscious choice, rather than a default position
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“Either you are Agile or You are Not”
Edge of Chaos Bureaucratic
Overload
The “Agile-o-meter”

13. AgilePM uses Project Approach Questionnaire
Response to 17 Statements helps identify
project-specific challenges and risks
 Supports decisions about how issues
will be addressed by education and tailoring
 It is rare that AgilePM does not make
a sound underlying approach for a project
As we’ve been saying ever since 1994…..
“You can use all of DSDM/AgilePM some of the time.
You can use some of DSDM/AgilePM all of the time.”
All projects can make use of Agile some practices
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“Either you are Agile or You are Not”

14.  Really?????
 Being Agile does not negate need for good governance
 But governance needs to be “appropriate” for what is being delivered
Agile has been effectively used to deliver in regulated organisations
Pharmaceutical
Financial
Military
Manufacturing
Strong governance here is not negotiable!
 Agile needs to work within constraints in these types of organisations
This means challenging some things,
but also accepting what is non-negotiable
 Corporate Agile - a different agile world to “selling DVDs from your garage” but still agile
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“Governance is anti Agile”

15.  !!!
 Agile no longer the “new kid on the block”
 Now a mainstream choice and
demand is growing exponentially

Businesses need to be agile
to survive and thrive
 Agile is for everyone
 It just requires common sense
 Rather than dogmatic application of a rule book
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And finally…..”Agile is just for the young”

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Questions

17. The Agile Business Consortium
© 2017 Agile Business Consortium 17
1995
2016
We invented Agile
Now we’re re-inventing Agile