{"id":2838,"date":"2016-02-16T08:13:20","date_gmt":"2016-02-16T16:13:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lookforwardconsulting.com\/?p=2838"},"modified":"2025-06-26T16:09:13","modified_gmt":"2025-06-26T15:09:13","slug":"agile-principles-the-forgotten-half-of-the-agile-manifesto","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thescrumacademy.com\/es\/2016\/02\/16\/agile-principles-the-forgotten-half-of-the-agile-manifesto\/","title":{"rendered":"Agile Principles: The Forgotten Half of the Agile Manifesto"},"content":{"rendered":"

Did you know that in addition to the Agile Manifesto<\/a> that the authors listed their twelve principles of Agile software<\/a>?\u00a0 Based upon my very unscientific survey of recent CSM students, only about 20% to 30% of people who were simply aware the Agile Manifesto existed were also aware of the twelve Agile principles.\u00a0 My colleague from San Diego, Woody Zuill<\/a>, would probably say that the Agile principles are the most important part of the Agile Manifesto. \u00a0I have seen Woody do some great work with Agile just starting with the principles, so I definitely agree the principles are the key to unlocking Agile thinking.<\/p>\n

So if understanding these principles are so important, why are they so poorly known?\u00a0 I think part of the challenge of using the principles to create change is defining the word \u201cprinciple\u201d in way that is meaningful and useful.\u00a0 For me, a principle is a statement about what you consider important in a given situation.\u00a0 Principles are helpful to me because they offer a guide, or a maxim, that helps shape my thinking, my approach and the way I do the work.\u00a0 For example, this principle below encourages me to strive for technical mastery and reminds me to remain thoughtful while doing the work.<\/p>\n

\"Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility.\"\r\n\r\n<\/em><\/pre>\n
Additionally, our fifteen years of putting Agile into practice has given us greater insights on the depth and breadth of the principles that surround and support Agile thinking.\u00a0 Like our discussion of the Agile values<\/a> from January, I am going to refresh the twelve Agile principles based on the ideas from Gil Broza\u2019s book, Agile Mindset.<\/p>\n
The first thing you notice in Gil\u2019s book is that he has identified twenty-six principles related to Agile thinking and organized them into six categories!\u00a0 When I first read that I was a bit shocked.\u00a0 How did we go from twelve to twenty-six?! \u00a0Gil’s answer, by using the basic concept expressed in the Agile Manifesto with a lot of different types of teams and organizations, we have learned what works, what does not work and what is outside the world of Agile. \u00a0I think Gil would also say some spectacular failures probably helped too.<\/p>\n
OK, so now we have twenty-six principles. \u00a0How can we make sense of all of that? \u00a0By conceptually grouping the principles into six broad categories. \u00a0The six categories identified by Gil\u00a0are supporting business objectives,\u00a0 making the work count, making progress, individuals, interactions and a meta category that amplifies the principles in the previous categories. \u00a0In this case, the meta category is an overarching classification\u00a0that speaks to a common theme connecting all the principles..<\/p>\n
While I think the updated principles are worthy, I think Gil’s unique contribution is finding the right categories to describe Agile thinking in broad terms. \u00a0With these five (or six) categories, one\u00a0can really see what is the true focus of any Agile process. \u00a0So with that,\u00a0I introduce\u00a0all twenty-six principles (and six categories) for your reading pleasure.<\/p>\n
Supporting Business Objective<\/h4>\n