What is Agile?
"We do Agile" is one of the most misused phrases in software. Agile isn't a process you install or a certificate you earn — it's a mindset described by 4 values and 12 principles. Everything else, including Scrum, is one way of putting that mindset into practice.
Agile definition
Agile is a set of values and principles for developing software, published in 2001 as the Agile Manifesto by 17 practitioners frustrated with heavyweight, plan-driven development. It doesn't prescribe specific roles, ceremonies, or artifacts — frameworks like Scrum, Kanban, and XP do that. Agile is the compass those frameworks navigate by.
The 4 Agile Manifesto values
Each value has a left side and a right side. The right side still has value — the Manifesto's authors said so explicitly — but when the two are in tension, Agile prioritizes the left.
The 12 Agile principles
The Manifesto is backed by 12 principles. Grouped by theme, rather than read as a flat list, they're easier to actually use:
Customer focus & change
- →Highest priority is satisfying the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software.
- →Welcome changing requirements, even late in development — Agile turns change into a competitive advantage.
- →Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project.
Delivery cadence & technical excellence
- →Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference for shorter timescales.
- →Working software is the primary measure of progress.
- →Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility.
- →Agile processes promote sustainable development — the sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.
People & self-organization
- →Build projects around motivated individuals; give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done.
- →The most efficient method of conveying information is face-to-face conversation.
- →The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams.
Reflection & simplicity
- →Simplicity — the art of maximizing the amount of work not done — is essential.
- →At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.
What agility is — and isn't
Agility is
- ✓Adaptation to change
- ✓Small, frequent deliveries
- ✓Team ownership and self-organization
- ✓Continuous customer collaboration
- ✓Learning from mistakes
Agility isn't
- ✕Resistance to change
- ✕Big-bang releases after months of work
- ✕Command-and-control management
- ✕Contract negotiation instead of collaboration
- ✕Skipping documentation entirely
- ✕An excuse to skip planning
Frequently asked questions
Is Agile a methodology?
No. Agile is a mindset described by 4 values and 12 principles. Scrum, Kanban, and XP are methodologies/frameworks that put that mindset into practice.
Is Agile the same as Scrum?
No. Agile is the mindset; Scrum is one framework for applying it. A team can follow Scrum's rituals perfectly while still not being Agile in spirit.
Do you have to follow all 12 principles to be Agile?
The principles are a compass, not a checklist. Teams weigh trade-offs constantly — what matters is that the principles guide those trade-offs.
Next: Agile vs Scrum
Now that you know the Agile mindset, see how Scrum turns it into a concrete framework.
Agile vs Scrum →