AI Makes Agile Irrelevant!

Here's what to do instead!

I keep hearing that AI has made Agile irrelevant. Okay. I'll throw in the towel. Let's dump Agile altogether.

So, instead, here is by far the best AI-focused way of working that I know:

First,

- We are constantly discovering new and better ways to do things by actually doing them. We learn as we work. Our understanding comes from experience, not theory or wishful thinking.

Then,

- The way we treat people and work with them is more important than processes and tools
- Working software is more important than any sort of documentation or other formalisms
- The best work happens when we work collaboratively with each other and our customers. The best environments are based on trust and communication.
- Planning only goes so far, and we need to adapt to what we learn as we learn it

Furthermore, I'd suggest that:

- Our highest priority is to satisfy our customers through early and continuous delivery of valuable software.
- The best way to build the right thing is to work small and deliver very frequently (at least daily), so that we can get feedback early and adjust based on that feedback.
- We do that by working closely with business and product people. The code is secondary to defining and building the right thing.
- We have to hire motivated people and get them the best tools that we can for them to do their job. The best people to tell us what tools to use are the people doing the work.
- Communicating in real time eliminates lots of problems—delays, blockers, rework.
- We'll measure progress (and productivity) by how fast we can get valuable software into our customers' hands. Things like tokens/day, lines of code, and other measures of volume aren't useful. You are not more productive simply because you (or your AI helpers) type faster.
- We'll do our work in a humane environment, relaxed enough that we can come to work every day rested, relaxed, and able to do our best work. People matter.
- We'll focus on excellence and quality. Extensive testing, particularly when an LLM is involved, is essential. Great architecture underlies all great systems.
- We'll strive for simplicity, both in the code and in the product. We'll build exactly what our customers need and no more, and will determine their needs by talking to them.
- We'll trust the teams to figure out the best ways to go about their work.
- We'll constantly look at both what we're building and how we're building it, and continuously improve in both categories.

This is by far the best AI-focused approach that I know. Forget about all that "Agile" BS! 🙄