Introduction to Agile Manifesto Values
In 2001, 17 software developers met in Utah for a formal interaction and outlined instructions to make agile more effective and make work easier; this set of instructions was later called “The agile manifesto”. This manifesto demarcates or articulates Four values and 12 principles of the agile methodology, which guides the software developers to create software effectively. The agile manifesto is now working as an instrument for the developers and showing them the path and instructing them how to develop software that is bugs free and have all the required features nowadays.
Values of Agile Manifesto
Given below are various agile manifesto values:
1. Individuals and Interactions over Processes and Tools
For every industry or company, its employees are its real assets because it is employees who work for a company to make a profit, so in the agile manifesto, first values are given to the individuals and interactions over the processes and tools. The main agenda behind this value is to make employees aware of each other and give them the freedom to make informal groups remain mentally free and stress-free by exchanging views. A team of employees effectively works only when they are strongly attached to each other and knows about each other in the team. The processes and tools which are used in the industry came after the employees because these are the secondary products. Many types of problems have occurred during the work, and to resolve these problems, mutual understanding is required in the team member.
2. Working Software over Comprehensive Documentation
In this era of technology, everything is possible with the help of a computer, and technology also saves time and resources as well. Gone are the days in which all the work is carried on manually, and all the files are handwritten and documented. This process was very time-consuming, and one project takes more than 2 months, which somehow affects the company and the customer. But Thanks to an agile manifesto which raised this issue and said software should be the alternative to this documentation.
The brief of this value is that The working software which is according to the need of company should be there in the company instead of comprehensive documentation for every process, this leads to the time management and as well as save the money of the company which eventually make a profit to the company. The software also helps the company complete a project on time and make the work easier for the employees. While the world is proceeding towards digitization because the main agenda is to provide better facilities to the customer, a change in the mindset brings a good future for the companies working with formal documentation.
3. Customer Collaboration over Contract Negotiations
The agile manifesto primarily is in favor of customer satisfaction. This particular value in the agile manifesto talks about two different terms, which are negotiations and collaboration. If we understand these terms one by one, we realize that collaboration is the better one because in negotiation, when a deal between the company and the client is finalized, there is no scope of change in the project further, which is a little bit unsatisfactory on the client-side. But if we talk about the collaboration in this, there is a scope of client intervention at every stage of the project, which means a client can alter the required time to time which is quite satisfactory for the customer.
So the agile manifesto basically gives priority to customer collaboration over contract negotiations. This value basically makes a good relationship between the customer and the company and helps the duo understand each other for future projects mutually. Therefore, the industries which are allowing collaboration instead of negotiation for the customer are surely got better results, and the reputation of these companies is automatically increased in the market.
4. Responding to Change over Following a Plan
When the project is progressing, and suddenly some alteration came in between, this is very disappointing for the employees because they are following a fixed plan and work according to it, and this alteration damages the rhythm of work. But according to the agile manifesto, the change in the project should be welcomed because this change has many benefits on the customer side and also on the company side. A sudden change is like a new task that harnesses the employees’ skills and helps the company improve its relationship with the client. On the other hand, the change suggested by the client provides him with the satisfaction that the project is going on according to his instructions. So sticking to a fixed plan is not always a good option; if one wants to improve himself, he should make changes continuously in his plan to learn more. Also, change is the law of the time, and without change, there is not a smooth flowing of life.
Conclusion
The “agile manifesto values” are the landmark in history that provides the change in thinking about developing software and guiding the masses still now. Also if we see the time period from 2001 till now, lots of changes have occurred so far in the companies regarding the development. But also we have to raise the points which are not working still, and companies are not following these things like the companies are still focusing on the negotiations instead of collaboration with the customer.
These things are small things but somehow affect manifestos’ ideas. That remains to be seen how the developers tackle these types of problems in the upcoming future, which requires an immediate solution because it harms the whole software development industry like a termite. The focus should be given to resolve these problems first rather than focusing on the other values which are not yet required by the industry. May the better senses should prevail.
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