Values Need Actions

First of all, the principles are very tightly bound to the manifesto itself. While the manifesto communicates agile values, the principles communicates the means of actions (practices) to embrace the values of the manifesto.

Surprisingly, most people I’ve met in my career think that the principles were some “added sugar” to the manifesto, probably even have been added at a later stage. As far as I know, this was not the case. I’ve always had the principles present with the manifesto itself. Albeit the manifesto surely is being referenced a lot more.

All batteries included

The last few days I had a couple of discussions with colleagues, friends and other “agilists” around me. The topic was about engineering (programming) niveau. More precisely, it was about the culture of caring about your work and skills.

In almost all of those conversations, I was referring to the Agile Principles, especially one particular:

Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility.

This principle puts a clear message: Skills Matter.

Excellent!

For me this principle is a clear indication that a skilled, continuously learning and passionate working person is required to make agility a success in a project or product engineering context. It clearly alerts us to maintain and extend our very core asset of skill, which in effect is the manifestation of capability through knowledge and experience.

The great Martin Fowler wrote about this principles a decade ago in an Article on SE Magazine:

When many people look at agile development, they see reminders of the “quick and dirty” RAD (Rapid Application Development) efforts of the last decade. But, while agile development is similar to RAD in terms of speed and flexibility, there’s a big difference when it comes to technical cleanliness. Agile approaches emphasize quality of design, because design quality is essential to maintaining agility.

Obviously, quality in design is easier achieved through technical cleanliness. Technical cleanliness is easier achieved with a steady motion to improve your technical capabilities and excellence.

Is “Skilfulness” Agile?

There’s one very important question being around in agile practitioners mind for years now: Does skill relate to the Agile Manifesto? Or rephrased: Is skilfulness agile?

Even the creators of the manifesto where rethinking this aspect over and over within the last years. I remember very well the thought-provoking article on dark spots of the manifesto form the great Brian Marick. Among other values he explicitly mentioned that Skill as a Value has been left out in Agile Manifesto.

I do agree with Brian in a sense that the requirement of skilfulness is being far undervalued in the whole agile universe. I’m a firm believer in continuous learning and improvement, especially when it comes to my very own capabilities and know-how.

Craftsmen Capability Care

You may recall now that this is essentially the same song played by the wonderful Uncle Bob as well for years now. A few years ago he was that much fed up with the underestimation of engineering skills in everyday agile projects that he draw a line and crafted the Software Craftsmanship Manifesto.

It basically alerts us to take care and responsibility for what we do. It reminds us to craft software with honor and pride. It pushes us to strive for the best possible result. It just raises the bar.

That’s what I’m doing in my job and life as well. Naturally, I signed the manifesto and I’m living and promoting these values whenever I can.

Uninterested Unwilling Underachievers

Consequently, it’s obvious to me, that skill is essential in agile engineering. Agreed, it’s essential anyway, not only limited to agile software development. Yet, for agile engineering, it’s even more a crucial factor to success. Being on an agile project requires you to constantly choose the path of improvement for your own skills.

That being said, it’s literally unacceptable for me to tolerate individuals or opinions in agile projects, who are uninspired and uninterested in what they do and what the team does. In my whole professional life, I always tried to help people to get over that. However, if they’re not interested in being professional and caring like a professional and acting like a professional – then they should better get out of the way and let the professionals do their job.

Being uninterested in ones own skills, in ones own work and in ones own perspective to creation is surely a sad thing. Whenever you happen to meet such individuals, please treat them like adults and take them for serious first. Talk with them, try to help them, try to engage them.

If all that doesn’t help, there’s nothing more left than concentrating your efforts for other things or individuals and leave the underachievers behind you. This is a very important thing to help yourself in being constantly motivated for your continuous effort to improvement in a sustainable, well-balanced pace.

There’s no Pill for Skill

Finally, I want you to remind that nobody says that your job is going to be easy. Nobody says you’ll earn money by fooling around. Nobody says that you’ll spend your life in kinder garden only. Keep in mind: your value is your values.

There’s no Pill for Skill. Stand up, get up. Fight for your values, learn for your skills, accept your challenges. STFU! Get Up!