The Problem with Principles

Timing: 30-60 mins

Ingredients:

• Whiteboards
• Markers
• Set of four coloured sticky notes for each player

Recipe:

Begin by reviewing the four value statements from the Agile Manifesto.  Draw on the whiteboard a matrix of complexity on the vertical axis  and impact on the horizontal axis with a scale of low, medium and high. Draw out all 9 resulting boxes of the matrix.

Assign a colour (one of the four sticky note colours) to each of the four statements in the manifesto.

Ask all particpants to place each of their four stickies into the appropriate place on the matrix based on their assessment of the impact and compexity the value statement it represents.

Encourage discussion amongst players while placing their sticky notes.

Once completed review what the group has assessed as the impact and challenge of adopting the value system implied by the Agile Manifesto

Learning Points:

• Reinforces and drives meaningful discussion about the Values and Principles of Agile
• Facilitates the discussion about what Agile means to the team and organization.
• Set’s the stage for understanding the purpose and intent of Agile practices and techniques.

Posted by Mike McCullough

Written by: Michael McCullough on July 9, 2009.
Last revised by: Heitor Filho on February 4, 2011.