Agile

TL; DR: Why Solving Customer Problems Instead Matters Scrum is just a tool; your job is to solve real customer problems and deliver value. Stop focusing on perfecting frameworks and start prioritizing outcomes that matter. It’s time to reassess what truly drives your success, particularly given the challenging business environment. Why Solving Customer Problems Matters More Than Perfecting Scrum Agile practices, particularly within Scrum, often captivate practitioners with their events, roles, principles, rules, and stickies. However, practitioners tend to overlook two crucial truths — both veterans and newcomers alike: First, we are not paid to practice Scrum — or any other specific agile framework — but to solve our customers’ problems within the given constraints while contributing to the organization’s sustainability. Remembering that our primary responsibility — helping create valuable outcomes — goes beyond simply adhering to a framework is essential. Our value lies in navigating complex challenges, delivering meaningful solutions, and supporting the organization’s long-term health and profitability. Second, as long as we deliver business value ethically, legally, sustainably, and in a financially viable manner, no one cares about the specific tools or frameworks we use. And rightfully so. The reality is that customers, stakeholders, and executives are not interested in the mechanics of how you deliver value — they care about the outcomes. Whether through Scrum, Kanban, or any other method, the tangible business value you create matters. These basic principles are often overshadowed by a focus on perfecting using agile frameworks, which can lead to a dangerous complacency. Regardless of experience, Agile practitioners may fall into the trap of believing that mastering Scrum — or any other Agile framework — guarantees success. However, the practical, real-life measure of success lies in the business value delivered, not in the flawless execution of a framework. Suggested Calls to Action I encourage you to reflect on your current practices. Are you indeed focused on delivering value, or have you been caught up in the pursuit of perfecting your use of a framework? Are you solving real customer problems or simply following processes without questioning their impact? You can quickly start analyzing your current situation: Reassess your priorities: Take time to critically evaluate whether your current focus is on solving customer problems or simply following Scrum’s motions. Adjust your approach accordingly. Engage with stakeholders: Start conversations with your stakeholders and customers to ensure you align on what they perceive as value. Use this feedback to inform your team’s efforts. Challenge the status quo: Regularly question whether your practices and tools are the best fit for delivering value in your current context. Be willing to adapt and change when necessary. Emphasize outcomes over outputs: Shift your team’s focus from completing tasks to achieving outcomes that make a meaningful difference to your organization and its customers. Reflect and adapt: Build a habit of personal reflection. Regularly reflect on your role and contributions and make adjustments to ensure that you are not just practicing Scrum but genuinely delivering value. Conclusion Let’s cut to the chase: If you’re still equating your success with how well you adhere to Scrum events or how strictly you follow the rules of any framework, you’re missing the point. Agile, at its core, isn’t about religiously practicing Scrum or any other practice. It’s about solving real customer problems, delivering tangible value, and doing so in a way that sustains the organization. Scrum and other frameworks are merely tools in your toolbox. They’re helpful, but they’re not the endgame. The real question is: Are you using these tools to create something that matters? If you’re more concerned with the process than the outcomes, it’s time to reassess your priorities. Take a moment to reflect: Are your practices driving value, or are they just going through the motions? Are you challenging the status quo, or are you complacent, mistaking adherence to a framework for progress? Your role as a Scrum Master or Agile Coach isn’t about being a gatekeeper of Scrum but a catalyst for change and delivering value. In the end, nobody cares about the tools you use if you’re not delivering results. It matters whether you’re helping your team and organization solve the right problems and achieve meaningful outcomes. So, take a hard look at your approach and ask yourself: Are you delivering the value your customers and stakeholders need, or are you just ticking boxes? To stay relevant and valuable, focus on what truly counts. Remember, it’s not about Scrum — it’s about delivering results that matter.

By Stefan Wolpers CORE

In the world of software engineering, a conflict between a product manager's vision and the engineering team's technical strategy is a recurring obstacle for many teams. While product managers strive to create disruptive and innovative products, engineers need to ensure that these visions can be implemented into successful realities either within the constraints of current technology or discover a breakthrough themselves. The gap between the product vision and the technical realities can be a daunting challenge, but balancing these two aspects is crucial for the success of any project. This article explores the dynamics between product vision and technical reality and how taking an iterative approach can help navigate the gap between the aspect and the feasibility. Understanding the Product Vision Imagine you are a builder (software developer) and are hired by a family (product manager) to build a house. The family will have an image of a dream house in their mind — a beautiful, large, comfortable home that will fulfill all their functional and lifestyle dreams (vision). Now, for the builder to do their job well, they need to understand the family's vision and then build upon it. But at the same time, the family's vision also needs to be well crafted and decipherable for the builder to comprehend it. Along similar lines, a well-defined and well-constructed product vision is essential for guiding a successful technical strategy. At the same time, it is equally essential to ensure that this vision maps to a feasible reality. The engineering team should actively participate in shaping the product vision, adding insights about technical constraints or potential limitations. Even if the product vision is deemed ambitious or poses technical challenges, there is always a product strategy guiding that vision. Product managers and the engineering team should meet regularly to whiteboard and plan solutions, ensuring a technically viable plan is driving this strategy. This way, the engineering team can build and apply the technical strategy at a micro level and make better decisions for execution. What Happens When the Product Strategy Doesn’t Align With the Technical Strategy? While collaborative meetings or whiteboarding sessions are a necessity, there are two other key areas where forgoing can quickly create grounds for failure: Roadmap and Ownership. If the product and engineering organizations are not in alignment about what features they want to build and when or if they do not have clear ownership metrics about who will drive the planning and execution decisions, it can quickly lead to an array of problems. Launch delays, resourcing constraints, organizational friction, and increased costs are some of the most common ones. Contrary to the above, when engineers start getting pulled into more strategic discussions to brainstorm questions like what should we build along with the "how to" and "can we" build it, sometimes overreliance on execution strategy (the how?) can also hamper "the what" and "the why." If the product managers keep getting a "No" or "Maybe" for most of their ideas from engineering partners, it can quickly break the trust relationship between the two teams. It is essential to understand that technical strategy is often not about using the latest technology for product development. Nor is it about finding the best or most innovative plan for development. As a matter of fact, these emerging innovative tech stacks come with their own burden of scalability and integration restrictions. Additionally, such integrations can create an over-dependency on the development team for any bug fixes or new features due to the educational gap. Trying to focus on developing the most innovative tech strategy can result in a future of the "wrong" kind of technical debt and can hamper the future of product and customer growth. Speed is also a critical factor, considering the rapid pace of market evolution. With such hasty changes in customer behavior, the once visionary product can quickly become obsolete if not manifested fast enough. In my experience, the best technical strategies are the ones that focus on faster execution without adding additional friction of tech debt. The goal here is for engineers to focus on what we can build, edging the umbrella of current constraints instead of focusing on what we cannot. That is how we will foster a trustable partnership between the product and engineering teams and deliver groundbreaking products. Working Through the Feasibility Gap Working through the gap between the product vision and technical strategy is not about compromising the product vision, but rather about creatively adapting it to align with technical limitations, potentially creating a better product-market fit. In the process of working on these groundbreaking products, there will be several scenarios where an agile trifecta of flexibility, adaptability, and continuous feedback can help achieve the product vision or save engineering efforts from going adrift. In a rapidly evolving tech market, If the product needs change faster than your product can actualize any value, an agile approach will allow you to gather feedback quicker and refine your product to meet the evolving market needs. Innovative products often come with a factor of "unknown," such as technological constraints, economic shifts, or regulatory changes. An agile approach can help you respond faster to such unexpected disruptions. Even if the interruption is internal, such as a change in leadership priorities, or if the launched product does not meet leadership expectations, the results can be disappointing, but this is where an agile approach to roadmapping can save a lot of potential churn and overhead. We must not forget the importance of open-ended communication and collaborative working environments. When engineering teams understand why they are building something and how it helps the business, they will always propose better solutions to bridge that gap. Overall, an Agile approach will enable the creation of a more responsive and adaptable MVP timeline, allowing the project to progress responsively and iteratively. The product roadmap can be planned into measurable milestones that can be tracked via shared metrics. Such a structure will help teams create more realistic and responsive timelines, progressively closing the gaps to match the evolving product vision. Conclusion: Examples of Successful Deconstruction of Product Vision Into Actionable Goals That Align With Technical Feasibility 1. Spotify's Personalized Playlists Spotify transformed its vision of providing highly personalized music experiences into actionable goals by leveraging data engineering and machine learning technologies. They broke down the vision into smaller, feasible projects like the Discover Weekly feature, focusing on algorithms that analyze user behavior to suggest new music tailored to personal tastes. 2. Airbnb's Global Expansion Initially, Airbnb aimed to provide an alternative accommodation option for guests attending a conference in San Francisco. This initial concept evolved into a platform connecting travelers with hosts offering short-term accommodations. Recognizing the technical and operational challenges of global scaling, they deconstructed this vision into small and quickly actionable goals, such as establishing local market strategies and adapting the platform to support different languages and handle payment complexities. This approach allowed Airbnb to address the logistical hurdles of international expansion systematically. 3. Tesla's Electric Vehicle Production Tesla's success can be widely attributed to its intelligent and phased alignment of product vision with technical feasibility. Tesla had a very clear product vision of moving the world towards sustainable energy solutions while emphasizing electric vehicles. They used their in-house expertise in lithium-ion battery technology to gain a competitive edge and challenged the norms of the traditional automotive industry by showcasing "software-driven" vehicles. Planning a vertical integration strategy and constantly providing a superior user experience allowed Tesla to plan and incrementally overcome technical barriers, including battery cost reduction and introducing enhanced capabilities via software updates over time. These examples clearly show how aligning product vision with technical strategy is paramount to driving innovation and how deconstructing these visions into technically feasible goals allows companies to systematically approach complex challenges and achieve success in their product development journeys.

Discussions about Scrum keep deviating into things that aren't part of Scrum: user stories, story points, burndown charts, velocity, status meetings, tasks, sprint zero, etc. That doesn't mean those following Scrum can't use them; however, one should not perpetrate the myth that they're part of Scrum. The goal of Scrum was never to do Scrum, and it's certainly not a tool to "implement Agile." It's an enabler — and when the environment is right and the right things are in focus it will work to deliver results. Below is a list of things one can do to get Scrum (and maybe even Agile!) to work for them, the team, and the organization and eventually find success. Step 1: Stop Obsessing About the Mechanics The best way to make Scrum work is to explore what we need to do to improve and maintain customer satisfaction through frequent and repeated delivery of quality products that provide business value to users. How will we do that? One should stop thinking in terms of "things to be done," or "delivery dates to be met," but should start thinking in terms of "outcomes/goals to achieve." If the outcomes are overwhelming, break them down into smaller milestones that tell what percentage of the outcome is met and pursue them each iteration. Step 2: Do Not Entangle With Processes and Checkpoints Scrum Masters are expected to be coaches and facilitators. Most times, they are expected to set the process as well! It is enticing to come up with a process for everything or end up tying up the knots even tighter for already set checkpoints. This will make us focus less on outcomes and value and more on the gating criteria of the checks. The best bet would be to adopt minimally sufficient guardrails for consistency. The path to success is to revisit them in real time and make the necessary changes as more is learned. Step 3: De-Scale To Scale Scaling Scrum (or even agile) is not about just copying what was done in a team or a group of teams across the organization. De-scaling of enterprise functions will be needed before even one team can achieve a true Agile way of working. Scaling with poor team practices and low-performance teams amplifies the problem throughout the organization. To scale correctly, we must first ensure that the individual teams are practicing Scrum well. Focus on making the team make strides in frequent deliveries and engagement with users can help achieve teams master Scrum better. Step 4: Seek To Create Knowledge To create knowledge that is useful, we need a proper knowledge management setup. The managers are great enablers here. The best management style to adopt is neither top-down nor bottom-up. In their Scrum research paper, Nonaka and Takeuchi call it "middle-up-down," where the middle managers form a bridge between the ideals of top management and the chaotic realities of the frontline. Middle management should become the driving force for organizational change to meet the strategy of the business. Because of the competitive environment and dynamic customer preferences, knowledge becomes stale quickly. Effective knowledge management that goes beyond documenting UI flow or capturing release notes is necessary for success. Step 5: Foster a Leadership Culture Culture is the tacit social order of an organization. It defines what is encouraged or discouraged and accepted or rejected within a group. To stimulate creativity and create purpose, it's important to embrace change. Risk mitigation already happens to some extent in Scrum with shorter iterations. The relationships between the team and its leaders should be that of trust and mutual interdependence and should be less directive. This, of course, requires competency beyond software development. Soft skills play a major role in ensuring leadership is a stance adopted across roles and does not become an expectation from a few people up in the hierarchy. Conclusion The steps above are only the beginning but they ensure to take you on the right path towards success. How convenient it would have been if this could be just defined as a "process" or a "methodology" and connect people with it? Historically, we have seen that whenever this is done Scrum is blamed for "not working" for them. When you embark on the steps, many more will be encountered, but the ideas and lessons learned when taking the first steps will help guide you to the next best action to be taken to stay on the right course. Do you think you have the next step figured out? If yes, please do not hesitate to share.

Did you know that up to 84% of Waterfall and 47% of Agile projects either fail or don’t meet expected results? That may sound like an alarming number, but the point of this is not to be a doomsayer or to focus on the perceived negative. What those numbers reflect is an opportunity. An opportunity to turn a seemingly failed project into a flourishing one, to learn lessons, and to leverage the things that make Agile principles work so smoothly when they do. The name for Agile methodologies was chosen well and done so for a reason. To be agile is to be quick on your feet, to be able to adapt quickly, and to be able to solve unpredictable problems while keeping momentum. Just like in a fast-paced race, when things start to go wrong, they tend to do so quickly. Agile problems require agile solutions — to be solved as speedily as they appear or change or ripple outwards. So, why do some projects fail and others don’t, and what can be done about it? The reasons for failure or underperformance can be as varied as the people involved or project milestones. We’ve all heard of, or encountered versions of them before; missed deadlines, budget overruns, low morale, personnel changes, scope creep — the list can go on. But there is a common denominator here — almost all these issues are inevitable. Inevitable in the sense that project management is built around project failure — something will stray from the plan, so the goal is not to try and eliminate this aspect, but to manage it with agility. The successful recovery of a project, or having to recover in the first place, is then not a failure of the system but many times a failure of imagination. How can we then use the methodologies of Agile, to recover a failing project? Understanding Agile Principles First, let’s quickly recap the core tenets of Agile. Agile is a methodology, yes, but it’s not just a method — it’s a mindset that combines the best aspects of humans working together. It values flexibility, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Broadly, Agile is an umbrella term that encompasses various iterative software development methodologies but has branched out into all sectors where that workflow makes sense. It focuses on working in short cycles called sprints, and doing so welcomes responding to change, collaboration, and delivering on customer’s evolving needs. Feature Agile Waterfall Approach Iterative, incremental, flexible Linear, sequential, rigid Change Embraces change throughout the project Resistant to change after planning is complete Planning Continuous, adaptable planning Detailed upfront planning Team Structure Self-organizing, cross-functional teams Specialized teams working in silos Communication Frequent, informal communication Formal communication with regular reports Documentation Prioritises working software over comprehensive documentation Emphasises comprehensive documentation at each phase Diagnosing The Failing Project Before we can fix the problem, we need to identify the problem - sounds obvious right? It needs to be diagnosed constructively though, beyond simply labeling a cause and effect. It’s the first step in getting to the root of the problem, not just trying to eliminate the symptoms. 1. Conduct a Retrospective A structured meeting where the team reflects on the past sprint or iteration to identify what went well, what didn't, and what can be improved. Encourage open and honest discussions and collaboration by creating a blame-free environment — emphasize learning from mistakes and then take action based on findings. 2. Analyse Sprint Burndown Chart Burndown charts visually track the remaining work in a sprint against the time remaining, helping with scope creep, underestimation, and blockers. 3. Review Velocity Trends A declining or inconsistent velocity can signal problems like team burnout, skill gaps, and poor estimation. 4. Gather Feedback From Stakeholders Clients or end-users can give valuable feedback and reveal issues such as misaligned goals, communication gaps, or dissatisfaction. 5. Conduct a Root Cause Analysis (RCA) By using tools like the "5 Whys" technique (asking "why?" five times), you can drill down from surface-level symptoms to the root causes of project issues. This helps you address the fundamental problems, not just the symptoms. Using Agile Methodologies To Get Back on Track Let’s now cover some of the aspects intrinsic to Agile and how they are beneficial to rescuing any project. Individuals and Interactions Over Processes and Tools Why it matters for recovery: Relying solely on rigid processes won’t solve a failing project. Motivated, knowledgeable, and empowered individuals need to communicate and collaborate effectively. How to apply it: You need to encourage open communication, while trusting your team’s expertise and empower them by knowing that they can come up with solutions and decisions. Working Solutions Over Comprehensive Documentation Why it matters for recovery: Whether you create software or offer business solutions to clients, a failing project needs tangible results, not just more paperwork. How to apply it: Using sprints, provide value by cutting the fat — in other words, prioritize features that mean something to clients, by getting it in front of them and then getting feedback. Customer Collaboration Over Contract Negotiation Why it matters for recovery: Similar to the previous point, but more focused on involving the customer or client and veering back to what they actually want. How to apply it: Regularly gather feedback from the customer, involve them in sprint reviews, and be transparent about progress and challenges. They will appreciate the transparency and involvement. Responding to Change Over Following a Plan Why it matters for recovery: As mentioned earlier, the hallmark of an Agile project and a quick recovery is adapting to change. The more rigid a plan, the more likely it is to crumble under pressure. How to apply it: Again, the practical way to approach this is by using short sprints, with tangible results. Then, based on those results, adapt the plan as needed while being open to feedback. To put it another way, we can use 6 A’s to define project recovery; Aligned to strategy: Making sure everyone is on the same page, from those who are doing the work, to those with the expertise, to the clients and end-users. Active sponsorship: Without oversight, leadership, and adherence to budget, any project can soon derail. The sponsorship needs to be active, not passive and distant. Agile team of teams: Each member of the team needs to have a stake and be empowered, whether it’s managerial or delivery, all teams work together to be nimble yet focused. All-team planning: Informed, capable, and experienced leaders know that planning needs to happen together. A plan can be meticulous and extensive, but if different teams or silos have different plans, alignment will always be out of reach. Adaptive culture: The core of an Agile environment. The true reflection of a project, plan or organization in its problem-solving is not just the ideology on paper, but in practice. The culture needs to be encouraged from both the ground up and the top down. If someone notices an issue, they do what they can to help, not simply what is mandated. Agile expertise: Knowledge is power. With rapid feedback, you also need to be able to apply that feedback timely and effectively. This is where experience and knowledge of Agile systems and principles in practice come in. Without bespoke solutions, real-world application, and hands-on experience, Agile methodologies are in just as much danger of failing as others. You need people on your team who know not only the map but also the territory. When it comes to re-aligning a project, saving it from failure, or future-proofing new projects, all these principles will stand you in good stead. They are tried and tested, not just by us but by countless organizations and projects around the world. This experience, iteration, and adaptation goes beyond good business practices and filters through any organization to form a solid, dependable foundation.

Quality is the pillar that supports any software product. If a platform works poorly, both the business and the customers fail, as they do not get what they are looking for or satisfy their most immediate needs. That's why, as customer demands and market competitiveness increase, software teams must adapt quickly to deliver high-quality products. In this scenario, Agile practices can make an important difference and are the basis of project managers today, since they can not only improve efficiency through the Agile methodology but also promote software quality in a notable way. Keys to Agile Practices “Agile is an iterative, introspective, and adaptive project management methodology. In an Agile practice, a project is divided into subprojects. These are usually called sprints. At the end of each sprint, stakeholders and the team review their work, make adjustments for the next sprint, and iterate until complete. The goal of Agile is the constant and incremental delivery of value throughout the project, instead of doing it all at once at the end,” they explained about this methodology in a Forbes article. Agile methodologies focus on flexibility, collaboration, and continuous delivery of value. Instead of following a rigid plan, Agile teams take an iterative and incremental approach. This allows us to respond in an Agile manner to changes in requirements and market needs. But How Exactly Do These Practices Contribute To Improving Software Quality? 1. Iterative and Incremental Deliveries “Iterative delivery means that a team delivers work frequently rather than doing it all at once. Incremental means they deliver it in small packages of end-to-end functionality that is usable. After all, the only thing better than a great product is a great product that improves frequently,” they detailed on the Scrum portal, one of the most used Agile methodologies. This allows: Continuous feedback: Teams receive early and frequent feedback from end users and other stakeholders. This makes it easier to identify and fix errors early before they become costly problems. Constant improvement: Each iteration offers an opportunity to improve the product and adjust processes, allowing for a continuous focus on quality. 2. Prioritization of Requirements and Value One of the key principles of Agile is prioritizing the product backlog based on customer value. “Scrum uses value-based prioritization as one of the core principles that drives the structure and functionality of the entire Scrum framework. It benefits projects through adaptability and iterative development of the product or service. More importantly, Scrum aims to deliver a valuable product or service to the customer early and continuously,” they noted in the Scrum Study. Project managers must: Collaborate with stakeholders: Work closely with customers and other stakeholders to identify and prioritize the features that provide the most value. Adapt team focus: Ensure the team focuses on the most critical tasks that improve product quality and maximize delivered value. 3. Integrated Testing and Automation Integrating continuous testing into the development cycle is essential in Agile. Testing is accomplished through: Testing in each iteration: Testing is not reserved for the end of the development cycle. In Agile, software is tested during each sprint, allowing for early detection of defects. Test automation: Implementing automated testing tools allows for faster and more frequent testing, ensuring that new code does not break existing functionality. 4. Collaboration and Constant Communication In an Agile environment, open communication and collaboration are essential. “Agile methodologies value people and human interactions over processes and tools. Agile approaches help teams keep the focus on team members by allowing communication to occur fluidly and naturally as the need arises. And when team members can communicate freely and naturally, they can collaborate more effectively”, they detailed in a GitLab article. In this sense, among the responsibilities of project managers are: Facilitate communication between teams: Promote daily stand-ups and sprint reviews to keep all team members informed and aligned. Remove barriers: Act as facilitators to remove obstacles that may slow down the team, ensuring efficient workflow. 5. Promotion of a Culture of Continuous Improvement Agile project managers must instill a continuous improvement mindset within the team, including: Regular retrospectives: Hold retrospective meetings at the end of each sprint to reflect on what worked well and what can be improved. Adoption of best practices: Promote the adoption of techniques and tools that improve the quality of development, such as code refactoring, test-driven development (TDD), and continuous integration (CI). “Unlike waterfall project management, which is a sequential approach to project execution, continuous improvement allows you to make constant adjustments to meet changing project demands. These small adjustments and changes you make are part of the continuous improvement process,” they explained in an Atlassian article. 6. Team Empowerment In Agile, there is a strong emphasis on team empowerment. Project managers must: Delegate responsibility: Allow teams to have autonomy in making decisions related to software development and quality. Foster product ownership: Encourage team members to feel shared responsibility for the quality of the final product. Adopting and applying Agile practices is not just a matter of following a set of procedures; is a philosophy that focuses on continuous improvement, collaboration, and value delivery. For project managers, the challenge lies in leading their teams with these practices, ensuring that each development cycle not only meets customer requirements but also constantly improves software quality. Successful implementation of Agile methodologies can transform the way software is developed, providing more robust products, with fewer defects and greater customer satisfaction. As a project manager, embracing Agile can be the way to raise software quality and take your team to the next level of excellence.

In the world of software development, Agile and DevOps have gained popularity for their focus on efficiency, collaboration, and delivering high-quality products. Although they have different goals, Agile and DevOps are often used interchangeably. This article seeks to illuminate the distinctions and commonalities, between these approaches, demonstrating how they synergize seamlessly to produce results. Figure courtesy of Browser Stack Understanding Agile Overview Agile is a project management and software development methodology that emphasizes an approach, to delivering projects. Emerging from the Agile Manifesto in the 2000s. Agile focuses on working with customers adjusting plans as needed, striving for ongoing enhancements, and making small changes gradually instead of large-scale launches. Key Principles Agile is founded on four principles: Teams value. Communication, above adherence to procedures or tools. Priority is given to creating software, over documentation. Customer engagement and feedback are promoted during the development phase. Adapting to evolving needs is favored over sticking to a predetermined plan. Top Agile Frameworks There are frameworks that have been created based on the following principles: In Scrum, tasks are often broken down into sprints lasting around 2 to 4 weeks with check-ins and evaluations. Kanban on the other hand employs a Kanban board to manage progress and review tasks. Extreme Programming (XP): This technique uses practices such as test driven development, continuous integration, and pair programming to improve software quality. Understanding DevOps Overview DevOps, short, for Development and Operations encompasses practices, cultural values, and tools that promote teamwork, between software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops). The primary goal of DevOps is to shorten the development cycle, boost deployment frequency, and guarantee the delivery of top-notch software. Key Principles DevOps is driven by the following principles: Fostering teamwork and joint effort is the key to promoting a sense of shared duty, between development and operations teams. By embracing Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery you can make sure that any changes, to the code are thoroughly tested, integrated, and deployed into environments seamlessly. Emphasizing real-time monitoring, logging, and feedback mechanisms for timely issue identification and resolution. Key Practices in DevOps DevOps revolves around the following core practices: Managing infrastructure configurations through code to automate the setup and control of infrastructure resources is known as Infrastructure, as Code. Continuous Integration involves integrating code changes into a repository, with automated builds and tests to detect any problems quickly. Continuous Delivery builds on CI by automating the deployment process for releasing code changes to production. Automated Testing involves incorporating automated tests at each development phase to uphold code quality and functionality. Comparison Between DevOps and Agile To distinguish between Agile and DevOps it is beneficial to compare them across aspects. Here is a comparison chart summarizing the elements of Agile and DevOps: Objective Agile DevOps Focus Software development and project management Software development and IT operations Primary Goal Delivering small, incremental changes frequently Shortening development lifecycle, improving deployment frequency Core Principles Customer collaboration, adaptive planning, continuous improvement Collaboration, automation, CI/CD, monitoring Team Structure Cross-functional development teams Integrated Dev and Ops teams Frameworks Scrum, Kanban, XP CI/CD, IaC (infrastructure as code), Automated Testing Feedback Loop Iterative feedback from customers Continuous feedback from monitoring and logging Automation Limited focus on automation Extensive automation for builds, tests, and deployments Documentation Lightweight, as needed Comprehensive, includes infrastructure as code Cultural Philosophy Agile mindset and values DevOps culture of collaboration and shared responsibility Implementation Scope Primarily within development teams Across development and operations teams Difference Between Agile and DevOps Agile and DevOps both have objectives in enhancing software delivery and quality. They diverge in various aspects: Scope and Emphasis Agile: Centers, on refining the software development process and project management. It stresses development, customer engagement, and flexibility to accommodate changes. DevOps: Goes beyond development to encompass IT operations striving to enhance the software delivery cycle. DevOps methodologies prioritize collaboration, between development and operations automation and continuous integration and delivery. Team Setup Agile methodology involves teams comprising developers, testers, and business analysts working closely together. While each team member may have roles they collaborate harmoniously to achieve shared objectives. In contrast, DevOps advocates for integrated teams where both development and operations professionals collaborate seamlessly throughout the software delivery lifecycle. This collaborative approach helps break down barriers between teams. Encourages a culture of responsibility. Automation Practices Under practice, tools are used to support development activities; however, the emphasis on automation is not as pronounced as in DevOps. Agile teams may automate tasks like testing but primarily focus on iterative development and customer feedback. DevOps places emphasis on automation as a tenet. By automating build processes testing procedures and deployment tasks DevOps aims to enhance efficiency minimize errors and facilitate delivery. Feedback Channels Agile relies, on receiving feedback from customers and stakeholders through sprint reviews and retrospectives to drive enhancements. DevOps underscores the importance of feedback obtained from monitoring systems and logging mechanisms. DevOps teams leverage real-time data to swiftly identify and address issues ensuring optimal software performance, in production settings. Cultural Philosophy Agile philosophy: Centers on the core values and mindset of Agile, which prioritize collaboration with customers, adaptability, and continuous enhancement. It fosters a culture of flexibility and responsiveness to changes. DevOps culture: Focuses on nurturing an environment of shared responsibility and ongoing learning between development and operations teams. The goal of DevOps is to establish a setting where all team members collaborate towards objectives. Similarities Between Agile and DevOps Despite their variances, Agile and DevOps exhibit resemblances that complement each other: Emphasis on collaboration: Both Agile and DevOps stress the significance of collaboration among team members. Agile encourages functional teamwork while DevOps supports merging development with operations to enhance communication and break down barriers. Continuous enhancement: Both methodologies prioritize processes for improvement. Agile concentrates on delivering changes based on customer feedback while DevOps highlights integration/delivery for rapid enhancements driven by real-time monitoring feedback. Customer-focused approach: Both Agile and DevOps place emphasis, on delivering value to customers. Agile methodologies prioritize working closely with customers. Gathering feedback to ensure that the final product meets user requirements. On the one hand, DevOps practices focus on delivering top-notch software and consistently enhancing the overall customer experience. Embracing change and adaptability: Both Agile and DevOps emphasize the importance of being adaptable, in the development process. Agile encourages teams to be responsive to evolving needs. Adjust their strategies accordingly. Similarly, DevOps empowers teams to swiftly address issues. Make necessary tweaks to enhance performance and reliability. The Verdict? In software development, both Agile and DevOps play huge roles in offering distinct advantages and catering to different aspects of the software delivery lifecycle. While Agile concentrates on refining development processes and project management through practices centered around customer needs DevOps extends these principles by incorporating IT operations stressing more on collaboration, automation, and continuous deployment. When To Use Agile Agile is ideal for projects where: Requirements are expected to change frequently Customer feedback is crucial to the development process The project involves a high degree of complexity and uncertainty Teams need a flexible, iterative approach to manage work When To Use DevOps DevOps is suitable for organizations that: Require frequent, reliable software releases Have a need to improve collaboration between development and operations teams Aim to reduce time to market and enhance deployment frequency Want to implement extensive automation in their build, test, and deployment processes Combining Agile and DevOps Seek collaboration, between development and operations teams. To speed up the time it takes to bring products to market and increase how often they're deployed organizations are aiming for automation, in their building, testing, and deployment procedures. By merging Agile and DevOps methods companies can gain advantages. Agile principles are used for project management and development practices while DevOps practices handle deployment and operations. This combination allows teams to have an effective and top-notch software delivery process. It lets organizations adapt swiftly to changing needs provide value to customers and uphold performance levels in production environments. Conclusion Agile and DevOps are both methodologies that have transformed the software development field. Understanding their distinctions, similarities, and how they work together is vital, for organizations seeking to optimize their software delivery procedures. Capitalizing on the strengths of both Agile and DevOps teams can foster a culture of teamwork ongoing enhancement and customer focus—ultimately delivering top-quality software that meets user expectations. Let me know in the comments which one you use in your company.

By Naga Santhosh Reddy Vootukuri CORE

"Is this feature needed for MVP? Why do we need more budget for our MVP? Why didn't users mention this requirement during MVP definition? Why can't we deliver the MVP faster?" If any of these questions sound familiar, keep reading. If you've ever been part of an Agile team or involved in technology development, you've likely encountered the term "MVP," or Minimum Viable Product. Despite its seemingly straightforward definition, the concept of MVP often leads to confusion and misapplication. Misunderstanding MVP can cause product failures, as teams may incorrectly prioritize "minimum" over "viable." This article aims to demystify MVP and provide clarity on its true meaning and application in product development. Many product development teams, including product managers, owners, developers, and UI/UX researchers, often overemphasize the "minimum" aspect of MVP. It's frequently mistaken for a first release, a functional prototype, or merely a tool for user feedback. Often, MVP is defined based on the available budget or teams’ available capacity. Defining MVP: Breaking Down the Terms Minimum According to Merriam-Webster, "minimum" means the least quantity assignable, admissible, or possible. In product development, this translates to the essential features required to deliver a viable product. "Minimum" here is a qualifier for the more crucial elements: Viable and Product. Viable "Viable" is defined as capable of existence and development as an independent unit. For a product to be viable, it must exist independently and sustain itself in the market. It should not require subsequent developments to meet viability. Economically, a viable product must be sustained indefinitely if market conditions remain stable. Product A "product" literally means something useful or valued. Economists describe it as something with utility. Essentially, a product is a solution, tool, application, or service that meets user needs. It must provide tangible or perceived value to the customer. Breaking Down the Key Attributes of MVP Customer Utility Test An MVP must exist as a product that meets customer utility. A feature without customer value cannot be an MVP. Minimum and viable are qualifiers, but the core lies in MVP being a product first. The priority should be Product > Viable > Minimum. The output should be a product that is viable and meets minimum user requirements. Viability Is Crucial An MVP should be viable, meaning the product shouldn't need additional features for its basic existence. Economic Perspective MVP is an economic concept. It’s defined by customer needs and market trends, not by the budget. The development budget influences iteration cycles but not the MVP itself. MVP and Budget MVP is defined by the list of viable and minimum features to create a product. It requires a fixed budget. The budget determines how far beyond you can take the product ahead of MVP, but there is a minimum budget needed for an MVP, governed by required features. MVP Is Not a Shortcut MVP isn't about cutting corners; it's about delivering a functional and valuable product. How To Achieve MVP In Agile development, reaching an MVP involves iterative product development cycles. It requires a deep understanding of user needs, built through various stages: product design, functional prototyping with actual testers, and iterative development cycles leading to the MVP. Putting MVP in Perspective Let us understand MVP with an example of a car as a product. A car is a product that meets customers' utility for transportation, convenience, and luxury. If you were building a car, it must work and have baseline features such as tires, chassis, seats, power, and steering mechanisms. For a car to be viable, it should be usable by the customer for the entire lifetime of the car, say 15 years, without needing hardware additions. At the MVP stage, an air conditioning feature would be considered a required minimum feature, as it is generally expected by customers. On the contrary, a sunroof feature wouldn’t meet the MVP mark as it isn’t generally required. However, if a sunroof is a key product distinction for your car, then it could be part of the minimum requirement. In the context of technology development, an MVP must be a fully usable application that can be put in the hands of general users. It should have all the features that are generally expected in that specific application. For example, if you are building a website, then a mobile-friendly version is a must-have feature for MVP, but a desktop application isn’t. Conclusion The MVP definition isn’t tricky if the right economic framework is applied. Answer a simple question: can the product be sustained in the hands of users without any interventions? If you answered yes, then you have your MVP. MVP isn't an end state but a stable starting point. It will need updates as customer needs and market conditions evolve. Understanding and defining MVP helps set the right expectations for development teams, project sponsors, and customers. Challenge your product managers to define MVP accurately, and ensure the team knows the product stage.

Software development can be tricky. One of the biggest challenges can be choosing the right approach. The traditional "waterfall" method can be frustrating, with its inflexible plans, slow release cycles, and lack of agility. Fortunately, the Agile revolution brought new options that promise faster releases and greater flexibility. However, with so many Agile frameworks to choose from, it can be difficult to know which is the best fit for your team. In this article, I will explore two popular Agile methodologies — Scrum and Kanban — and help you understand their strengths and weaknesses. By the end, you'll have a better idea of which approach is right for your team. Scrum Scrum is a structured and intense method that works well for teams that thrive on focused bursts of activity. It involves: Timeboxed sprints: Scrum uses fixed-length iterations called "sprints" that usually last two to four weeks. Each sprint focuses on a clearly defined set of goals that are meticulously planned in a "sprint planning" session. Defined roles and responsibilities: Scrum introduces specific roles — the Product Owner, the Scrum Master, and the Development Team. This clear separation fosters accountability and keeps everyone focused on the sprint goal. Daily scrums: These are short, daily meetings where team members share progress updates, roadblocks, and dependencies. The Good, the Bad, and the Burndown Chart When it comes to organizing projects, Scrum can be a good choice if the requirements are clear and there's a defined vision. By breaking the work into sprints, progress can be tracked using a "burndown chart," which can help keep the team motivated. However, Scrum might not be the best fit for projects with constantly changing requirements. The focus on sprints can make it hard to be flexible, and daily stand-ups can be time-consuming for smaller teams. For instance, when we developed a new enterprise application with well-defined features, Scrum was very helpful. We were able to stay focused and make predictable progress. However, when we started working on a mobile app with lots of user feedback, Scrum's rigid structure became more of a hindrance than a help. Kanban Kanban is a flexible development approach that's great for environments where change is inevitable. Here's how it works: You start with a board that has columns representing the different stages of your workflow, such as "To Do," "In Progress," and "Done." You then place tasks on cards and move them between the columns as they progress through the workflow. This creates a visual representation of your workflow that allows you to see how work is flowing at a glance. To prevent bottlenecks and ensure smooth workflow, Kanban emphasizes the importance of limiting the number of tasks in each stage. This is called Work-in-Progress Limits. Kanban encourages teams to continuously improve their processes by regularly analyzing their workflow and identifying areas for improvement through retrospectives. This helps teams optimize their processes for better results. Focus on Flow, Not Sprints Kanban is a system that works well when requirements change frequently. There are no predetermined sprints, which means it can respond more quickly to new priorities. The Kanban board visualizes the flow of work through the system, and the main focus is to maintain this continuous flow. However, Kanban can feel less structured than Scrum. The lack of sprint goals can sometimes lead to a lack of direction, and unfinished tasks may stay in the "In Progress" stage if there's no strong discipline. When we switched to the mobile app, Kanban provided real-time visibility into our workflow, which helped with collaboration. Limits on work in progress ensured that everything was manageable, and thanks to the continuous focus on improvement, we could make changes to our process as user feedback came in. Scrum vs. Kanban Scrum and Kanban are two popular Agile frameworks used for software development. They have different approaches to structure, planning, work management, and change management. Here’s a more concise comparison: Feature Scrum Kanban Structure Fixed Sprints Continuous Flow Roles Defined Roles No Predefined Roles Planning Sprint Planning Ongoing Planning Goals Sprint Goals Flow Management Change Management Less Adaptable More Adaptable Reviews Sprint Reviews Regular Retrospectives Structure Scrum and Kanban are two different approaches to managing projects. Scrum has a more defined framework, dividing the work into fixed-length iterations called sprints that usually last 2-4 weeks. These sprints have a set workflow that includes a planning meeting, a daily check-in, and a review meeting. On the other hand, Kanban is more flexible and adaptable. It follows a continuous flow model and visualizes the work on a board with different stages, such as "To Do," "In Progress," and "Done." Planning and Work Management When using Scrum, planning is done at the start of each sprint. The team sets goals and creates a list of tasks called a product backlog, which is then prioritized by the Product Owner. The amount of work done is limited to what can be achieved within the sprint timeframe. On the other hand, Kanban has a more ongoing planning approach. Tasks are added to the Kanban board as they are needed, and work-in-progress (WIP) limits are established for each stage of the workflow to avoid bottlenecks and ensure smooth workflow. Change Management Scrum requires the team to focus on completing pre-determined goals within a fixed timeframe, known as a sprint. However, once a sprint has begun, it can be challenging to make changes to these goals. On the other hand, Kanban offers more flexibility. The team can add new tasks to the Kanban board as needed, making it easier to adjust their workload and priorities. The use of Work In Progress (WIP) limits also helps the team to manage their workload more efficiently. Review and Retrospection Scrum uses sprint reviews and retrospectives to assess progress, identify roadblocks, and improve the following sprint. Kanban, on the other hand, uses regular retrospectives to analyze the workflow, identify areas for optimization, and continuously refine their process. Choosing the Right Framework When it comes to selecting a framework for your project, there are several factors that you need to consider. Choosing the right framework depends on your project's specific requirements, as well as the needs and capabilities of your team. If your project has clearly defined goals and requirements, and you need to complete the work in short intervals, then Scrum can be a good choice. Scrum is a framework that emphasizes teamwork, collaboration, and frequent feedback. It is designed to help teams work on complex projects by breaking them down into smaller, more manageable tasks. Scrum is particularly effective for projects that require a high degree of concentration and focus, with regular check-ins and progress updates. On the other hand, if your project has constantly changing requirements and needs to be flexible and adaptable, then Kanban might be a better fit. Kanban is a framework that emphasizes visualizing work, limiting work in progress, and maximizing flow. It is designed to help teams manage their workflow by focusing on the tasks that are most important at any given time. Kanban is particularly effective for projects that are subject to frequent changes and adjustments, as it allows teams to respond quickly and efficiently to new requirements or priorities. Ultimately, your choice between Scrum and Kanban (or any other framework) will depend on your specific needs and circumstances. By carefully evaluating your project requirements and team capabilities, you can make an informed decision that will help you achieve your goals and deliver a successful outcome. The Hybrid Hero: Scrumban If you find yourself in a dilemma between two popular project management methodologies, Scrum and Kanban, there is an alternative approach that you might want to consider: Scrumban. It is a hybrid of both methodologies and provides you with the benefits of their most effective features. For instance, you can use the sprint planning technique from Scrum and combine it with Kanban's work-in-progress (WIP) limits and emphasis on continuous flow. This approach enables you to leverage the strengths of both methodologies, resulting in an optimized workflow that is tailored to your specific needs. The Final Verdict It's important to understand your project's needs and your team's strengths when choosing an Agile methodology like Scrum or Kanban. There's no one-size-fits-all solution, but by examining both options, you can make an informed choice that will help your team deliver high-quality software. Remember that collaboration, continuous improvement, and adaptability are key to success. Experiment with both Scrum and Kanban by running pilot projects to see which works best for your team. As your team evolves and your projects change, your Agile framework should change, too, to keep empowering your team. The most important thing is to create a culture of openness and communication where everyone feels empowered to contribute. With the right Agile methodology in place, you can navigate the ever-changing tech landscape with agility and innovation.

Agile project management is all about breaking down complex tasks into manageable pieces and accurately estimating their effort. Two key techniques in this process are story point estimation and story splitting. Understanding how these two practices intersect can significantly boost your team's productivity and project outcomes. Let's look into the relationship between story point estimation and story splitting and demonstrate how your Agile workflows can benefit from both. What Is Story Point Estimation? A fundamental concept in Agile project management is story point estimation. It is a technique for estimating the amount of work, complexity, and risk involved in finishing a user story. Instead of using hours or days, teams use story points to maintain a relative sizing approach. So, why story point? They help teams focus on the effort rather than the time it might take to complete a task. This method accounts for uncertainties and variations in productivity, making it more adaptable to different scenarios. How Do Story Points Work? Teams assign a numerical value to each user story. These values are often based on the Fibonacci sequence (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, etc.) or the T-shirt sizes, which reflects the idea that larger numbers or sizes should represent exponentially more effort. Here's a quick breakdown: Fibonacci Sequence T-Shirt Sizes Details 1 point XS A very simple task with minimal complexity 2-3 points S Slightly more complex tasks but still manageable within a short period 5-8 points M Tasks that require more effort, likely involve multiple aspects and potential risks 13 points and above L and above Highly complex tasks that might need to be split into smaller, more manageable pieces The team can more efficiently plan their sprints, prioritize tasks, and spot potential bottlenecks by assigning story points. Story points give a clearer picture of the workload and help in making informed decisions about task assignments and deadlines. What Is Story Splitting? Story splitting is another essential technique in Agile project management. It's all about breaking down large, complex user stories into smaller, more manageable pieces. This practice not only makes the workload more approachable but also ensures that each piece can be completed within a single sprint. Why Split Stories You might wonder why we need to split stories at all. The main reasons include enhanced manageability, increased focus, and better alignment with sprint goals. Smaller stories are easier to track and complete, making planning and execution more straightforward. They allow teams to focus on specific tasks, leading to higher-quality outcomes and consistent value delivery. When To Split Stories Not all stories need splitting, but certain signs indicate when it might be necessary. If a story is too large to be completed within a single sprint, has multiple acceptance criteria, or if the requirements are vague, it's a good candidate for splitting. Effective methods for story splitting include dividing by workflow, business rules, or data variations. For instance, a feature requiring design, development, and testing can be split into three separate stories. Similarly, a payment system could be split into stories for credit card payments, PayPal payments, and so on. By splitting the story, the team can tackle each part step-by-step, making progress visible and manageable. How Story Point Estimation Can Help in Story Splitting Story point estimation and story splitting are like two sides of the same coin, working together to streamline Agile project management. Teams may efficiently select when and how to split stories by using story points to identify overly complicated or large stories. This ensures that each element is manageable and deliverable within a sprint. Identifying Complex Stories Story points help teams gauge the complexity and effort required for each user story. When a story receives a high point value, it's a signal that the story might be too large or complex to handle in one go. This is where story splitting comes in handy. By breaking down a high-point story, the team can transform it into smaller, more digestible pieces. Techniques for Splitting Stories Using story points to guide splitting can be quite straightforward. For example, if a story is assigned 13 points, the team can look at the tasks involved and split them based on different criteria such as workflow stages, business rules, or data variations. Imagine a project involving a new user registration feature. If this story is estimated at 13 points, the team might split it into parts like designing the registration form (2 points), implementing the front-end (3 points), creating the back-end logic (5 points), and setting up email verification (3 points). This approach breaks down the complexity and makes each task more manageable. How Story Splitting Can Help Story Point Estimation Story splitting doesn't just make tasks more manageable; it also plays a crucial role in refining story point estimation. By breaking down complex stories into smaller, clearer tasks, teams can enhance the accuracy of their estimations, leading to better planning and execution. Simplifying Estimation When stories are too large or complex, estimating their effort can be challenging and often inaccurate. Splitting these stories into smaller parts simplifies the estimation process. Each smaller story is more straightforward to understand, making it easier for the team to assign accurate story points. Improving Accuracy Smaller stories come with more specific requirements and less ambiguity. This clarity allows the team to make more precise estimations. For example, a large story like "Implement user authentication" might be vague and hard to estimate accurately. By splitting it into smaller stories such as "Design login UI," "Develop front-end login functionality," and "Set up back-end authentication," each part becomes easier to evaluate and estimate accurately. Real-World Application Let's say a team is tasked with developing a feature for generating sales reports in an application. Initially, the story might seem daunting, and estimations could range wildly. By splitting the story into smaller tasks—such as creating the report UI, implementing data fetching, and adding filtering options—the team can provide more accurate story point estimates for each part. This not only improves the reliability of the estimates but also makes the planning process smoother and more predictable. Final Words Story splitting and story point estimation work well together in Agile project management. Accurately estimating story points helps teams identify complex tasks that need to be broken down, making them manageable within a sprint. On the other hand, breaking up stories into more manageable, well-defined tasks improves the precision of story point estimates, which results in more effective planning and execution. Adopting these techniques can transform your Agile processes, making your team more efficient and your projects more predictable.

The Agile methodology is a well-established and popular option for project management success. You can expect to see it in industries such as engineering, manufacturing, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, and architecture. Whether you’re a development professional currently working in a Scrum-focused environment or expect to soon, now is the ideal time to plan your long-term path for career growth in such settings. Creating milestones along your progression will help you stay motivated while providing goal-related reminders. Success with career advancement plans could also help you secure lucrative, rewarding positions that offer decision-making opportunities and other perks. Acquire Key Skills and Certifications The leaders of Agile workplaces usually require growth-focused workers to have specific skills and knowledge they gradually build during their time with their respective companies. Some fundamentals are: Scrum Kanban Customer-focused engagements A test-first mindset However, once people develop mature Agile understandings, additional skills can make them more valuable to their colleagues and employers, increasing career growth potential. They include: Collaborative development readiness Ownership and commitment An understanding of Agile architecture Developers working in Agile workplaces should strongly consider earning career-boosting certifications. Most of these options cost several hundred dollars and up, but you should consider them long-term investments. They’ll show superiors you’ve demonstrated specific competencies and are serious about climbing the career ladder. New to Agile Development and Scrum? Take This Course.* *Affiliate link. See Terms of Use. Embrace Scrum Values Having the right skills is a good start, but people with career growth goals must live the scrum values at work and set good examples for others. These are also the individuals many leaders want to hire when establishing or strengthening Scrum practices in an Agile environment. Statistics indicate many critical roles have annual attrition rates surpassing 30%, showing the challenges of Agile talent retention. However, brands have made numerous changes to encourage employee loyalty. Some switched from individual to team-based bonuses. When someone embraces scrum values, they naturally encourage others to follow their lead. Besides increasing project success rates and increasing the likelihood of associated perks, someone who consistently upholds relevant values will get noticed for upcoming promotions. Seek Roles Resulting in Leadership Opportunities Moving along the Agile career path also means proactively looking for roles that give someone leadership responsibilities, such as Product Owner and Scrum Master. Treat this step as a progression of your earlier decision to get specific certifications, if applicable. For example, passing the Scrum Master exam requires scoring at least 74% on a 50-question exam. Hiring managers should appreciate the willingness to put yourself forward for roles as they become available. Doing so reinforces your interest and may prevent the business from needing to hire externally. Building your network is also essential, especially because your first leadership position may be somewhere other than your current workplace. Enthusiastically express your interest in Agile leadership to anyone with potentially useful connections. When attending networking events, always have updated copies of your resume to distribute. Then, you can follow up earnest conversations with the document listing your skills, accomplishments, and experience. Remain Adaptable Working as a developer in a rapidly evolving tech landscape requires an open mind and willingness to adapt quickly to changing trends affecting your role. Consider how one study found that 41% of IT leaders favored passwordless authentication methods. That result made some professionals predict that enterprises across industries will transition to passkeys from passwords. Organization-specific changes could also occur due to business growth, new designations of responsibilities, new focuses, expanded product lines, and other decisions. When Agile developers can adapt to new challenges, they’ll demonstrate their reliability and ability to stay level-headed during short-term disruptions. Developers should also consider how they can adapt personal processes to new circumstances. Succeeding will allow them to maintain consistent workflows while navigating differences. Prioritize Continuous Learning A love of continuous learning helps people advance within and outside of Agile and Scrum-focused environments. One excellent approach is for people to examine recent industry changes and consider the skills they’ll need to thrive. For example, a developer can become familiar with basic artificial intelligence concepts within weeks to months, creating a foundation that could help them expand their career with that technology. Developing soft skills is also valuable in Agile workplaces. People can focus on areas such as: Problem-solving Critical thinking Conflict resolution Time management Motivating others Finally, they should use self-examination practices to find areas of improvement. If someone struggles with staying calm under pressure, or feeling unworthy of specific roles or responsibilities, finding the root cause of those issues and tackling them can make a person a stronger leader and workplace asset. Do Regular Check-Ins Get inspired by these suggestions as you take ownership of your career. Although some aspects will remain outside your control, you can still do a lot to swing the odds in your favor. After setting goals related to these ideas and your own, consider evaluating your progress once or twice a year. Celebrate your accomplishments, and be honest about what could have gone better and what you’ll do to prevent future setbacks. Those assessments will keep you accountable and nurture an enduring focus for the coming years.