It seems like the term “agile” is surfacing everywhere lately. While originally intended for software
developers, the term has permeated our IT culture and become part of our
vocabulary. While the word is
commonly used, do we also have a common understanding of what it means to “be
agile”? Particularly in the context of
service management?
Agile is primarily a state of mind that is reflected in a set of core values and principles. By itself, it is not a framework, standard,
set of practices or methodology. It is
more of a perspective than a prescription.
Agile values are embedded into and brought to life through approaches such as Scrum,
Kanban, DevOps and Xtreme Programming. The
concepts reach way beyond software development. Agile is now recognized to be equally relevant to
other domains such as service management or business process management.
At the heart of Agile is the Agile Manifesto – the output of
a set of frustrated developers in 2001 whose collective goal was to refocus
their community to what really matters.
The Agile Manifesto is supported by a set of twelve principles that further elaborate on the core values. The Manifesto and its principles can be viewed here.
The Agile Manifesto is supported by a set of twelve principles that further elaborate on the core values. The Manifesto and its principles can be viewed here.
At first glance, the Agile Manifesto may seem to diminish or
obsolete everything we have taught and worked so hard to achieve in service
management. Nothing could be further
from the truth. The authors acknowledge
that they do value the items on the right, they just value the items on the
left more. Don’t we also?
In order to “be agile”, we may have to refocus our community too. Refocus it to be more business-centric than
it-centric. To refuse to prize flowcharts, documentation, tools and plans over successful business outcomes. To collaborate with our customers and ensure that we understand and are delivering ongoing value.
Mostly, we need to do JUST
ENOUGH of the items on the right to deliver the items on the left
consistently. Agile doesn't negate what we do and teach in service management, it actually lightens our load and allows us to be true business enablers. Awesome!
What would an Agile Service Management Manifesto look
like? Here is my vision:
