Pocket-sized Principles

Timing:

15 minutes

Ingredients:

• Copies of the twelve principles of agile software (http://agilemanifesto.org/principles.html)
• White-boards and/or flip-charts
• Markers

Recipe:
This is an exercise that we came up with to better communicate the twelve principles behind the Agile Manifesto. In their existing form, it is challenging for people to read and understand each principle and, just as importantly, to easily refer to them later.

• Divide participants in to groups, each with a white-board or flip-chart and markers.
• Have the teams write down the numbers 1 through 12.
• Challenge each team to, within a 15 minute time-box, come up with three words maximum that effectively capture each of the twelve principles.
• To avoid ‘analysis paralysis’, make sure to give the teams time updates throughout (e.g. 10, 5, 2, 1 minute warnings). You will find that teams will speed up towards the end.
• When time is up, go through each principle and discuss which are the most important words. Sometimes I like to ask people what their most and least favorite principles are.
• Post the condensed principles somewhere visible, so as to make it a regular talking point.

Here is an example:

1. Produce Value Early
2. Welcome Change
3. Iterative Delivery
4. Daily Business Collaboration
5. Trust Motivated Team
6. Face to Face
7. Working Software
8. Sustainable Pace
9. Technical Excellence
10. K.I.S.S.
11. Self-Organize
12. Reflect and Adjust

Learning Points:

• This is an effective way of capturing each principle in a much more concise and memorable way.
• Probably the most valuable part of this exercise, is in the discussion that the teams have when trying to come up with the words. They need to first understand the principle before breaking it down.
• Teams can establish a collective understanding and ownership of each principle.
• This also makes for a good review exercise in a classroom environment.

Written by: Don McGreal on January 24, 2010.
Last revised by: Heitor Filho on February 4, 2011.