Why Agile?

Here are the reasons why organizations adopt agile methodologies:

Fit-for-purpose products: The products are built incrementally, starting with the MVP, which gives customers a chance to see the emerging product and tweak it where necessary to meet the needs of a fast-changing world. Delivering incrementally produces the product that really does business.

Faster time to market: Building incrementally helps speed up time to market by getting the MVP version of the product out the door faster and then adding one more quickly with the input of customers.

Early return on investment: Since MVP is delivered quickly, the return starts sooner and builds from there. Agile enables us to realize the benefits early as the product continues to develop.

Flexibility: Agile embraces and encourages change, which is aligned with the natural way of business.

Less risk: The risk of building something wrong or not being accepted by the customers due to a change in need is reduced by starting small and building from there. If there is a disaster, that is minor and can be fixed inexpensively.

High visibility: Agile removes silos by keeping stakeholders informed regarding progress and the emerging product by continuous involvement and collaboration.

Greater efficiency: Greater efficiency is achieved by focusing on continuous improvement. Faster, cheaper and better is the mantra while not compromising on quality.

Predictability: Since positive results are realized in the short term, this promotes a winning attitude, which leads to confidence and even more successes, enabling teams to be predictable.

Satisfied customers: Since products are developed with the input and continuous feedback of the customers, agile gives birth to satisfied customers.

Better culture and morale: Agile has enabled a happy vibe in business (because of the transparency and visibility) and self-satisfied grins in the project teams (by working on small increments and celebrating successes), which leads to a happier workforce and a winning culture where successful projects are the norm.

It’s important to note that while Agile has many benefits, it may not be the best fit for every project or organization. Factors such as project size, industry, and organizational culture should be considered when deciding whether to adopt Agile practices. Additionally, there are various Agile methodologies, such as Scrum, Kanban, and Lean, each with its own principles and practices, allowing organizations to tailor their approach to their specific needs.

Reference: Brilliant Agile Project Management by Rob Cole and Edward Scotcher