What is the Agile Manifesto?
The Agile Manifesto is a document that outlines the key values and principles used for software development in the agile methodology, such as Scrum, Kanban, Extreme Programming, and feature-driven development (FDD) frameworks. The goal of the manifesto is to create guidelines that could be adapted to suit each situation rather than a rigid structure that had to be followed exactly.
As a result, teams develop their own variations of agile workflows or choose to use a handful of the outlined principles. Agile-centered tools, like Kanban project management software, are some of the most flexible and accommodating thanks to the loosely-defined practices. The Agile Manifesto forms the basis for program development and workflows used by diverse groups worldwide.
Basic elements of the Agile Manifesto
The Agile Manifesto suggests users follow four key values and 12 principles.
- Individuals and interactions over processes and tools. The work should focus on the people who know and understand the software rather than already outlined processes or specific tools. This makes teams faster and more responsive
- Working software over lengthy documentation. The goal behind this value is to make the protocol more efficient. Instead of being weighed down by large amounts of documentation to sort through, teams should be able to concentrate on the most important parts of getting the software working.
- Customer collaboration over contract negotiation. Customers should be an integral part of the development process. While this requires continual feedback, developers should consider customers as essential collaborators rather than focusing on negotiating product requirements upfront.
- Responding to change over following a plan. The agile methodology embraces opportunities for change at any point. It doesn’t waste time or money trying to make changes within a rigidly-constructed system.
The Agile Manifesto principles were later developed to build on these key values.
- Customer satisfaction is the highest priority at all software development and delivery stages.
- Project teams must be open to changes, even late in development, especially if these allow customers a competitive advantage.
- Working software must be delivered frequently, as quickly as possible.
- Executive stakeholders and developers must work together throughout all phases of a project.
- An agile project must be created within an environment that allows for motivation and support, with developers being trusted to do the job accurately.
- Face-to-face conversations are the most efficient and effective way to communicate within a team and share information.
- Getting software to a workable point is the most important part of the process.
- Agile projects must focus on sustainable development that can be maintained at a regular pace for an indefinite period of time.
- Technical excellence and good design should always be a top priority.
- Project outcomes should be as simple as possible.
- Teams who can self-organize usually produce the best results.
- Teams should regularly reflect on how they can be more effective as a group and as individuals, then adjust their behavior to make this happen.
Benefits of the Agile Manifesto
For teams looking to implement an agile methodology into their workflows, the Agile Manifesto is an excellent starting point. It provides recommendations that give teams:
- Increased adaptability. As the manifesto is only a guide, teams can switch gears quickly and work through complex problems in better ways for the team and the end result. Agile methodologies are focused on making work as simple and straightforward as possible by taking bigger goals and breaking them down into more manageable tasks.
- Increased product quality. Since getting the software to a workable point is the primary goal of agile workflows, the Agile Manifesto clearly outlines what teams should focus on when it comes to development. The simplicity of the approach means that product delays can be avoided, and the team can concentrate on what matters most to customers.
- Increased customer satisfaction. The Agile Manifesto places the end user at the forefront of everything. By working directly with customers to gather feedback and incorporate their ideas into a product’s design, the end product will ultimately satisfy the user more.
- Decreased risk. The more complicated the plan, the more risk there is. Agile methodologies eliminate many of these risks by keeping plans simple, reducing waste at any relevant point in the development process, and always referring back to what the customer wants from the product.
- Improved work environment. Developers already have to create something from nothing, which is a challenge for anyone. The Agile Manifesto ensures that teams have the right support at every step, translating into a better workplace.
Best practices for using the Agile Manifesto
Given the Agile Manifesto’s flexibility, hundreds of possible applications and best practices exist. But simplifying these to the essentials means that businesses using agile should focus on:
- Handing over control to development teams. Although a project manager will likely be involved, it’s important to remember who the project drivers are. Micromanaging is counter to many of the principles of the Agile Manifesto and can quickly impede progress. Instead, implement methods like email bans for set periods of time during deep work or only implementing firm deadlines for critical parts of the development rather than every small task.
- Removing silos or bottlenecks in the process. It’s easy to fall into a pattern of everyone working on their responsibilities with little input from others. To avoid this, try co-locating a team in an open office environment or scheduling live work video calls for remote teams. This supports greater collaboration among all those involved in the development.
- Simplifying build documentation. Any written documentation on the development should be kept to a minimum, as this is one of the key values of the Agile Manifesto. A certain necessary amount must be created and shared among the team. Keep documentation in one central hub, like a knowledge base, where it’s easily accessible to anyone on the team.
- Adopt prototyping as quickly as possible. According to the Agile Manifesto, having working software is one of the key markers of progress, which is why getting workable prototypes built as soon as possible is vital. These prototypes also enable greater, more specific, customer feedback about what is and isn’t working well. From there, adjustments can be made as part of the ongoing collaborative feedback and development cycle.
Keep project builds on track for quickly creating usable prototypes with software testing tools that give development teams more detailed insights.
Holly Landis
Holly Landis is a freelance writer for G2. She also specializes in being a digital marketing consultant, focusing in on-page SEO, copy, and content writing. She works with SMEs and creative businesses that want to be more intentional with their digital strategies and grow organically on channels they own. As a Brit now living in the USA, you'll usually find her drinking copious amounts of tea in her cherished Anne Boleyn mug while watching endless reruns of Parks and Rec.
