The Agile Mindset
Begin with a clean slate and add processes to address your problems. Take ownership of the process and only include tasks that add value to the business. Keep things simple and remove any unnecessary steps. Remember, the ultimate goal is to provide value to the customer. It’s important to note that providing value doesn’t mean releasing a product or feature to the public. If something is valuable but has yet to be shared, it’s not benefiting anyone. That’s why in Agile, we strive to find ways to deliver the proper outcomes faster. This involves identifying smaller increments that can be deployed now instead of later. Providing value is crucial for making customers happy and safe, such as by releasing a bug fix. It also allows for experimentation and learning.
The software industry still needs to work on enjoying true agility. A practical approach to Agile follows a transparent, open environment to avoid micro-management. The fear of uncertainty forces people to create processes and limit responsibilities. Separate teams should use their extra time to uncover opportunities and create value for the business. Failure is uncertain and scary, yet when teams do everything to prevent losses, they also reduce innovation. Agility is a mental shift toward producing value beyond feature development. Good collaboration removes some of the blocks people have to do their jobs but only sometimes makes them more skilled.
