Notes From Smidig Open Space on Why Agile Isn't About Development Anymore

Today at Smidig 2010 I sponsored an Open Space session on the topic “How and When did Agile System Development Stop Being About System Development”

We had a very good discussion, and these are the notes we managed to gather, in the order they were discussed:

• It’s Scrums fault
• It’s easier to sell with soft skills arguments
• Agile is trying to sell into other fields where the technical practices don’t apply.
• Obsolete knowledge in management, old Cobol programmers not up to date with todays technologies.
• As people speak more at conferences, the less they program.
• More attention to people who are good at talking, and devs normally aren’t.
• Using wrong metaphors, i.e. factory, to explain process to managers who do not understand leads to wrong process.
• Recipient of system development does not understand the problem of why engineering practices are important.
• Soft skills are easier to acquire.
• Average organizations have average employees. Does not want to take responsibility, not that interested.
• Management who does not understand the process they are running.
  • Is this partly developers fault?

Thanks all who joined in!