The Agile Manifesto and Principles

In 2001 a group interested in iterative and agile methods (coining the term) met to find common ground. Out of this came the Agile Alliance (www.agilealliance.com) with a manifesto and statement of principles. Worth study! Most of the many concrete practices described throughout this book reflect these principles. Agile project management is guided by these principles.

The Agile Manifesto

Individuals and interactions	over processes and tools
Working software	over comprehensive documentation
Customer collaboration	over contract negotiation
Responding to change	over following a plan

That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more.

The Agile Principles

1. Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software.	8. Agile processes promote sustainable development.
2. Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer's competitive advantage.	9. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.
3. Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference to the shorter time scale.	10. Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility.
4. Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project.	11. Simplicity the art of maximizing the amount of work not done is essential.
5. Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done.	12. The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams.
6. The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation.	13. At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.
7. Working software is the primary measure of progress.