The Agile values - Digital Superhero style

The Agile Manifesto is comprised of four foundational values and 12 supporting principles which lead the Agile approach to software development.

1. Individuals and Interactions Over Processes and Tools

2. Working Software Over Comprehensive Documentation

3. Customer Collaboration Over Contract Negotiation

4. Responding to Change Over Following a Plan

But they were formed in 2003, over 20 years ago. A lot's changed since then. 

• Are the 4 Agile values still relevant?
• Are they useful for project managers?

Here's my hot take: As PMs, we need to uphold the flip side of the Agile values. Yes, that's right, the opposite. Hear me out.

While your designers and devs are fervently living the Agile values, collaborating with customers and delivering working software, who's making sure SOWs and change requests get signed off? Who's tracking burndown and reporting on progress? As a PM, that's our job.

The AGILE ANTI-VALUES

You are the champion of Processes and Tools

The systems and software you work in every day aren't meant to hold you back. They're there to make reporting and management easier. So while your team are talking and collaborating like the pros they are, you need to make sure all their interactions and decisions are tracked. You're the champion of tools, and you're there to define and refine processes whenever your team need help to bring structure to their freeform chats.

You are the nagger about Comprehensive Documentation

Let your team deliver. That's what they do best. You make sure that the documentation's there so that no knowledge is lost if any of your team disappear. You don't need to write it yourself, just make sure the right people keep clear notes and files in publicly accessible places.

You are the Contract Negotiation superhero

Your designers put your customers first. Don't worry about collaborating with customers. Instead, make sure you're looking after - and protecting - your designers and agency. Get rock solid SOWs and change requests to guard their time and make sure they can deliver what the client needs, without unnecessary distractions.

You are the keeper and maintainer of the Plan

If you don't follow the plan, you're making up the rules as you go. Allow some flex here and there, sure, but your project needs to have fixed checkpoints and deliverables - otherwise you're all just winging it.

If the plan changes, you need to log and share those updates with everyone involved, so nobody can claim they don't know what's going on.

So what... are the 4 Agile values just plain wrong?

Not at all, and I agree with the spirit of them. Every part of the Agile values is important - different people in the team will focus on different elements at different times.

Your job as PM is to pick up the slack on those 'less agile' things like process, contracts and planning, while your design and creative team members do what they do best.

My 4 GOLDEN RULES

If I had to redefine the 4 agile values for 2025, I'd say:

1. Follow agile rituals (daily stand ups, sprint reviews, retros, demos)
2. Have backlogs and giving the team autonomy to self-organise
3. Ensure your team is customer-centric
4. LOVE YOUR TEAM!