How do you go about implementing Agile Development? In early 2005, with echoes of the Agile Manifesto, the Declaration of Interdependence (DOI) was published. At first glance, it seems like a close relation of the Manifesto, but there was a difference: the Declaration is aimed at Management in general, not just IT Agile and Scrum Projects. One of the participants, Alastair Cockburn, wrote an article on his return from the meeting, where he says:-

• How Would A Manager Implement Agile Development With Respect To The Team And Higher Management?
• What If A Product (Not Project) Manager Wants To Use The General Ideas Of Agile Development, But Isn’t Making Software?

He mentions further examples of general Managers and Teams and a few of their dilemmas. He proposes that the Declaration provides guidance on how to Manage Projects and Products utilizing lessons gained from Agile Development. As this Roadmap was published a mere 4 years after the Manifesto, it initially did not receive much in the way of accolades and attention. In 2005, it was unlikely that organizations were champing at the bit to follow the Agile Values and Principles throughout their business. There were many Agile Project failures at the time that could be held up as examples of why not to embrace Agile. After all, the movement remained in its infancy.

Implementing Agile Development with the Declaration of Interdependence

Agile And Adaptive Approaches For Linking People, Projects And Value.

We Are A Community Of Project Leaders That Are Highly Successful At Delivering Results. To Achieve These Results:.

1. ‘We Increase Return On Investment By Making Continuous Flow Of Value Our Focus.’.
2. ‘We Deliver Reliable Results By Engaging Customers In Frequent Interactions And Shared Ownership.’.
3. ‘We Expect Uncertainty And Manage For It Through Iterations, Anticipation, And.
   Adaptation.’.
4. ‘We Unleash Creativity And Innovation By Recognizing That Individuals Are The Ultimate Source Of Value, And Creating An Environment Where They Can Make A Difference.’.
5. ‘We Boost Performance Through Group Accountability For Results And Shared.
   Responsibility For Team Effectiveness.’.
6. ‘We Improve Effectiveness And Reliability Through Situationally Specific Strategies, Processes And Practices.’.

[© 2005 David Anderson, Sanjiv Augustine, Christopher Avery, Alistair Cockburn, Mike Cohn, Doug DeCarlo, Donna Fitzgerald, Jim Highsmith, Ole Jepsen, Lowell Lindstrom, Todd Little, Kent McDonald, Pollyanna Pixton, Preston Smith and Robert Wysocki.]
( Numbers Have Been Inserted Against Each Statement).

While this post is focussing on Return On Investment (ROI), which is specifically discussed in the first declaration, all of the statements, if complied with, will deliver what was anticipated. Each declaration has the underlying formula, as explained by Alastair Cockburn:-.

“We Accomplish X – By Doing Y”.

Looking through the lens of ROI, let’s take a look at these declarations.

1. Declaration of Interdependence: We Increase Return On Investment

This is the objective of all sustainable services; the DOI propose achieving this objective by.

” Making Continuous Flow Of Value Our Focus”.

Clearly, any kind of production that does not experience any bottlenecks is operating at a high level of efficiency. Providing the appropriate Product or service is being delivered, this will increase ROI. One can have a perfect, defect-free throughput, however if the result does not match expectations, ROI will not be attained, and there will be waste of time and resources. The next statement addresses this dilemma.

2. Implementing Agile Development: We Deliver Reliable Results

Here is the way to ensure that outcomes match expectations.

“By Engaging Customers In Frequent Interactions And Shared Ownership”.

If the Customers and Stakeholders are both included in and committed to the Development, what is provided will be what was required. Again, Waste and rework is prevented. Furthermore, because the Customers are watching every step of the process and expecting Continuous Delivery, there is an incentive to Deliver quickly, not because of a Delivery date, but because the Scrum Team (Scrum Master, Product Owner and Development Team) does not want to disappoint the Customer

3. Declaration of Interdependence: We Expect Uncertainty And Manage For It

Digital disruption has actually made the speed of Change so quick that it is really difficult to start a Project and finish it without non-negotiable Changes being required en route. As the Stakeholders participate in the Process, Changes can not be neglected and will need to be included. The DOI states that this can be Managed by.

“Iterations, Anticipation, And Adaptation”.

Agile Development expressly caters for Change, and all of the Frameworks enable inclusion of Changes during Development. Again, what is provided is what is needed, although there was a ‘Fork In The Road’ throughout the Project, and there is no need for fixes and Changes.

We found these books great for finding out more information on Agile Scrum:

4. Implementing Agile Development: We Unleash Creativity And Innovation

A workforce that is not engaged will not provide according to Plan. To keep the Team members enthusiastic and innovative, they should feel Empowered and see the outcomes of their efforts. The declaration expresses this well, and recognises the needs of the staff members, who desires to Work with a purpose, not merely for monetary reward and security.

“By Recognizing That Individuals Are The Ultimate Source Of Value, And Creating An Environment Where They Can Make A Difference”.

5: Declaration of Interdependence: We Boost Performance

Statement 5 looks back to Statement 2. The Team consists of the Stakeholders, not simply the “doers”. The responsibility for a successful final Product is shared by Product Owners and Product Developers alike.

“Through Group Accountability For Results And Shared Responsibility For Team Effectiveness”.

6: Implementing Agile Development: We Improve Effectiveness And Reliability

No two Projects are alike. While there are practices that should be followed, this should not be a slavish adherence to theory, where it clearly is not the best fit for the circumstance. For instance, if there is a legislative mandate to implement a Change, it has to be done, usually in a very short timeframe. If the rulebook requires that a cost estimation and impact analysis be done, and this swallows the time available for delivery, this clearly needs a rethink. This does not indicate that the rulebook is thrown away, by any means, however this is the really meaning of Agile, catering for the best fit for the situation at hand.

“Reliability Through Situationally Specific Strategies, Processes And Practices”.

A word of caution here. Many Organisations adopt a “Best Practice” or Framework and after that tinker with it up until it bears no resemblance to its initial format. This does not benefit anyone in either the short or long run. This statement is not a licence to fiddle.

Implementing Agile Development to Improve ROI

There are many similarities with precepts from Lean Manufacturing in all the Statements. While the Statements support efficient and proper Delivery, they are not enough on their own, and some Framework is need that will really Deliver the Project.