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Debunking the top 5 Myths about Agile Development

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Shardul Bhatt
Debunking the top 5 Myths about Agile Development

Companies are experimenting a lot with Agile. Everyday opinions have taken the place of facts. Agile Manifesto is a guide for implementation - not a factbook. But taking everything at face value has led to widespread myths about agile for software development

But we are here to debunk the top 5 myths that surround agile development from our own experience. When used correctly, agile delivers unmatched results, building a culture of ownership within the team. Agile development focuses on failing fast, recovering, and then taking the learnings to develop better products

Here are the top 5 myths about agile development - 

Myth #1 - It’s a methodology

This is probably one of the biggest myths of agile development.  Often you hear people say, “Follow the agile methodology.” But the truth is, agile is a philosophy. In the agile manifesto, it is nowhere mentioned that it’s a methodology.

The agile principles clearly specify that you must add value and satisfy customers through the early delivery of products and do that continuously. It is a philosophy of rapid product development and continuous improvement. 

Agile methodologies include Kanban, Lean Development, Extreme Programming, amongst several others. 

Myth #2 - It doesn’t require planning

A significant myth is that agile has no need for planning. But every sprint requires careful planning. The plan forms the foundation for each iteration. Flexibility occurs with activity and execution - the plan remains the same. Without a goal, no one would know where the product has to go and what the team has to achieve. 

Developers and clients can’t go around in circles without a plan. There may be the idea that agile is spontaneous and changes are made at a whim - but it is not so. Every sprint requires a plan of action for tasks to complete.

Myth #3 - It shouldn’t have backlogs

Many companies have this wrong idea that all the work should fit in a single sprint. They want the release to be as quick as possible. While the premise is that agile doesn’t work that way. It requires continuous flow and delivery.

A primary feature of agile implementation is sprint backlog. All the work doesn’t need to fit in a sprint - it possibly can’t. Whether it’s a feature or a bug, each sprint has backlog activities. Working upon them happens after the client’s assessment and feedback.

Myth #4 - It’s undisciplined

Agile teams might feel that they can do whatever they like since agile development gives them freedom and ownership. It is often the case where teams have a fallout because everyone wants to do what THEY want.

But agile implementation is a collaborative process. Teams adapt rather than adjust. They need to have an open mindset where new ideas are welcome. Agile development is iterative, and each sprint brings an opportunity to do something new.

Therefore, discipline is essential. The project manager and scrum master focus on helping the team achieve results together. Their goals are aligned with the client’s requirements. 

Myth #5 - It’s wasted time

And finally - the biggest and most infamous myths of all - Agile leads to wasted time if there’s a lot of rework. Development teams might feel that their efforts go to waste if they have to rework the entire feature based on the feedback. That could easily give the impression of wasted time and resources.

But in reality, rework is a bonus. On the one hand, the client discovers what it truly requires by getting a quick MVP and initial releases. On the other hand, the rework drives the development team to find newer ways to design the product.

Of course, it comes down to balancing both. The reworks should be done within the project’s resources and means. The teams that focus on delivering the best with what they have easily balance on this spectrum.

Bottom Line

Agile myths are more prevalent than the philosophy itself. But it’s much more than what you hear or read. The true face of agile appears with implementation and experimentation. Agile development has something new for every team. 


At Tntra, we follow the agile philosophy to develop a lean culture of collaborative software development. Connect with us today.

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