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Isn't Agile just using common sense?

My goal as an Agile coach is to really help the customer. To ensure that agile action is taken in response to increasingly rapidly changing circumstances. For example, to stay ahead of your competitors, improve your quality and to adapt and modernise certain ways of working. Resulting in a better business result. I just notice that in some cases Agile seems to have become a goal in itself in organizations, rather than a means. For example, organizations that are proud of their high Agile maturity do not automatically make them leaders in their industry or field. Using common sense remains important to achieve results. Does what we do today still make sense with everything we know more about now than we did yesterday? Methodologies are popping up like mushrooms Scrum, SAFe and KANBAN, just three examples of Agile methodologies. There are many different ways to certify employees as Scrum Master or Product Owner, the range of training courses is extensive and Agile providers try to protect specific models. It is not training but practice that determines success. However, cynical voices have also been heard since 2001. Agile was said to be overhyped and to be about something old in a new guise. You may also wonder whether having an Agile certificate also makes you a 'Master'. Understanding the theory is no guarantee of implementing the desired change. Your theory exam for your driving license does not necessarily mean that you can drive any type of car. No car drives the same and every country also has different traffic rules. As with Agile, there is no one size fits all. Although I see many fellow Agile coaches who firmly believe that one method must be implemented in organizations according to the book, otherwise it would not work. For me it's about applying Agile best practices that can add the most value to your customers at that moment in time and at that stage of the organization. With Agile, nothing is set in concrete. Common sense You may have come up with a really good process for a customer, but if you do not understand the exact needs of the customer and their organization, you will be completely missing the mark. You can't strictly adhere to a methodology, simply because every customer is unique and different. Of course, a method is nice as a guideline, but in our opinion it should never be the binding factor. This common sense is also known by the international term Agnostic Agile and we see it as a very important, positive development, because the unique factor of each organization receives much more attention. This movement believes, like us, that you cannot simply divide organizations into fixed structures, styles, patterns or customer experiences, but that everything is tailor-made. Back to basics A good Agile coach ensures that tangible and valuable business results emerge from small, self-organizing teams. Back to basics, like every company that once started small. Where the first employees often do a thousand and one things at the same time, there is often more overview than within a large organization. If you have any questions, contact your customer and do not base anything on assumptions. Direct customer contact combined with short lines of communication is what receives attention within an Agile organization. We believe in small, well-collaborating teams in which constructive feedback is given to enable continuous learning and self-development in order to serve the customer as best as possible, now and in the future. Back to the basics of Agile again? Do you feel that Agile is not delivering everything you expected? We'd love to discuss with you what 'Agnostic Agile' actually means and how it can take your organization to the next level.
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My goal as an Agile coach is to really help the customer. Ensuring that Agile is moved along with increasingly rapidly changing circumstances. For example, to stay ahead of your competitors, improve your quality and to adapt and modernize certain ways of working. The result is a better business result.

I only notice that in organizations Agile in some cases seems to have become an end in itself, instead of a means. For example, organizations that are proud of their high Agile maturity, (maturity phase), are therefore not automatically the leaders in their industry or field. Using common sense remains important to achieve results. Does what we do today still make sense with everything we know more now than yesterday?

Methodologies are sprouting like mushrooms
Scrum, SAFe and KANBAN, just three examples of Agile methodologies. You can have employees certified as Scrum Master or Product Owner in all kinds of different ways, the range of training courses is large and Agile providers try to protect specific models.

Not the training, but the practice determines the success
Since 2001, however, cynical voices have also been heard. Agile would be overhyped and it would be something old in a new guise. You can also ask yourself whether having an Agile certificate also makes you a 'Master'. Understanding the theory is no guarantee of making the desired change. Your theory test for your driving license does not necessarily mean that you can drive any type of car. No car drives the same and every country also has different traffic rules. As with Agile, there is no one size fits all. Although I see many fellow Agile coaches who firmly believe that one method must necessarily be implemented by the book in organizations because otherwise it would not work. As far as I'm concerned, it's about applying Agile best practices that can add the most value for their customers at that moment in time and in the phase of the organization. With Agile, nothing is set in stone.

The common sense
In fact, you can devise such a good process for a customer, if you do not exactly understand the needs of the customer and her organization, you are completely missing the point. You can't strictly follow a methodology simply because every customer is unique and different. Of course a method is nice as a guideline, but as far as we are concerned it should never be the binding factor. This common sense is also known as Agnostic Agile and we see it as a very important, positive development, because the unique factor of each organization receives much greater attention. Like us, this movement believes that organizations cannot simply be divided into fixed structures, styles, patterns or customer experiences, but that everything is customised.

Back to basic
A good Agile coach ensures that tangible and valuable business results come from small, self-organizing teams. Back to basics as every company once started small. Where the first employees often do a thousand and one things at the same time, and yet there is often more overview than within a large organization. If you have any questions, contact your customer and do not base anything on assumptions. The direct customer contact combined with the short communication lines is what gets attention within an Agile organization, among other things. We believe in small, well-cooperating teams in which constructive feedback is given to be able to continuously learn and develop yourself in order to provide the best possible service to the customer, now and in the future.

Back to the basics of Agile again?
Do you feel that Agile is not delivering everything you expected it to be? We would be happy to talk to you about where'AgnosticAgile exactly what it stands for and how it can take your organization to the next level.

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