Imagine you’re back in school, and I’m your teacher, class, today we’re going to learn about Agile!

Lesson 1: Introduction to Agile

Agile is not a scary word; it’s a way of working that helps teams create things like software, products, or even projects. It’s like having a toolbox full of different tools, and you use the right tool at the right time to build something great.

Lesson 2: The Agile Manifesto

Agile has its own set of rules, called the Agile Manifesto. Think of it as the guiding principles of Agile. There are four important values in this manifesto:

  • Individuals and interactions over processes and tools: This means that people working together and talking to each other are more important than just following strict rules.
  • Working software (or product) over comprehensive documentation: It’s better to have a working product that does what it’s supposed to do than to have a lot of paperwork.
  • Customer collaboration over contract negotiation: Agile teams work closely with the people who want the product (like customers or users) to make sure it’s what they really need.
  • Responding to change over following a plan: Agile understands that things change, so it’s more important to be flexible and adapt rather than sticking to a rigid plan.
“Don’t focus on delivering a whole list of things—everything and the kitchen sink—focus on delivering what’s valuable, what people actually want or need.”
Jeff Sutherland

Lesson 3: Agile Practices

Agile also has different practices or methods that teams use. One popular practice is called Scrum. Imagine it as a game of rugby, but instead of scoring tries, the team works together in short sprints to create small pieces of a product, like a puzzle.

Another practice is called Kanban, which is like a to-do list where you move tasks from “To Do” to “Doing” to “Done” as you work on them. It helps teams see what’s in progress and what needs attention.

Lesson 4: Benefits of Agile

Now, why do people use Agile? Because it has some great benefits!

  • It helps teams be more flexible and adapt to changes quickly.
  • It encourages collaboration and communication among team members.
  • It delivers working parts of a project faster, so you can see progress sooner.
  • It makes sure the final product is what the customers really want.

Homework:

For homework, I want you to think about a project you might do someday. How could Agile help you build it better and faster?