Recently, I attended sessions on the Agile Philosophy and its impact on the IT Industry. As I deep dived into it, I understood why they say – “You can’t do agile, you can only be agile”! I love relating everything to normal life so here I am with “The Agile Philosophy” as I view it in different dimensions like IT industry, Marketing, Social and personal life. And trust me, you do not need to be a Software Professional to enjoy this one. Hope you all like it!
I realized the importance of this word in IT Industry when I first uttered it during one of my interviews and there I saw the twinkling eyes of the interviewer and a big smile – like a satisfied father finally getting a suitable bride for his son!
Formally,
Agile is a philosophy (not a methodology) of software delivery in which
(i) Individuals and interactions are valued more than processes and tools
(ii) Working software is valued more than comprehensive documentation
(iii) Customer collaboration is valued more than contract negotiation
(iv) Responding to change is valued more than following a plan
There is a large pool of agile practices out of which any team/organization can choose the ones suitable to the context. Refer to http://guide.agilealliance.org/ if you want to explore them in detail. Each of these practices is intelligently and practically structured and very interesting to follow. I would suggest the IT beginners to have a look.
Agile is more about changing the “mindset” or “fashion of operation” than change in process or methodology. Hence, its applicability is not just in one industry. You can beautifully fit it in anything and everything around you.
Look around in the arena of product development and marketing. Obsolescence levels have gone up to the extent that a Samsung Galaxy SII, which looked “fantabulously spectacular” looks outdated today when you see a Samsung Galaxy SIII. The product cycles have shrunk tremendously. Delays in delivery have cost Nokia (Pureview 808) and Blackberry (BlackBerry 10). Earlier, models in auto industry lasted for years together. Today, people buy cars more because they get bored of their old ones rather than their old cars wearing out. What I mean to say is you cannot survive long if you are unable to change according to the needs and change fast- pretty fast. Automatically, the importance of brainstorming, surveying, designing innovatively, forecasting and communicating increases tremendously.
There is a beautiful dimension of the “Agile Philosophy” in day to day social and personal lives.
Give importance to talking out directly face to face-1:1 avoiding secondary means of communication like texts, emails etc. or routing the communication which eventually results in something like “Chinese Whispers”.
Try to follow and understand the essence of everything. The world is full of processes, methods, procedures, customs and traditions that may look to bind you down. Nevertheless, try to understand their core ideas and more often than not these are very simple and pure.
Everyone wants results-results-results. Nothing on paper is valued unless you really matter somewhere. Your degree is a waste unless you are able to practically implement it at work. Records do not matter. Every player has to earn his place in his side (unless you are a Sachin Tendulkar!). Everyone wants quantifiable results.
Basically no one wants to wait these days. You need to react fast to everything. You get a proposal from a girl and you say that you need some time to think and by the time you finish “thinking”, the girl is gone! You need to learn to accept fast, reject fast and adapt fast.
The situation is such these days that you cannot make someone work for you unless you put enough “maska or butter”. Everyone, including the servant maid’s demands have to be met. The best part is that none of them are on paper yet they are implied norms. Everyone needs dignity. You need to learn to “collaborate” with peers and juniors to complete the task in hand. Listening, motivating, convincing, presenting and communicating are the mantras of the day.
Theoretically, many processes and methods have proved to be working. However, only the entity that has flexibility and can adapt itself to changes survives. Empowerment comes from within and a person can remain empowered irrespective of the situation he is in.
Keep the end goal in mind and trace it backwards to determine what you need to do now. Remain lightweight and flexible - shun stubbornness. Aim for the right balance of determination and flexibility. Just imagine how easy our lives would become if we do not micro-manage everything and everyone around us!
