Costs and Pains of Agile Regression

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The introduction of agile approaches is often associated with promises that software development will be faster, more cost-effective and "better" (e.g. more customer-centric or of higher technical quality). Such expectations will only be met if an agile mindset can develop at all levels. Since such a mindset cannot be trained or prescribed, time is needed above all to introduce it and anchor it in the teams. Agile teams must learn to deal with modern cross-functional team structures, new roles and, above all, new responsibilities. In addition to agile teams, an agile mindset must also develop among executives and management. For example, they must learn to find their way around the changed responsibilities and new processes, communicate with the agile teams and submit requirements in the form of feedback.

In everyday working life, however, stress, a lack of transparency or a lack of awareness on the path to an agile transition can lead to the people involved falling back into learned behaviors - agile regression. This is shown by the fact that methods and tools from traditional project management, such as controlling measures or project plans, are dubai consumer email list used again. In addition, shadow structures often arise within the respective agile framework, such as hidden project manager roles or specialist/technical silos within the agile teams. You can read details about the causes and triggers as well as the indicators of agile regression in our blog post " The Agile Regression Trap ".

As described in our other blog post " Approaches to avoiding agile regressions ", we recommend neutral support to ensure the success of the agile transition. This is because it can identify the signs of agile regression early on and react appropriately. Agile regression is not only a danger that must be avoided in order to develop software faster and more efficiently - it also involves monetary, organizational and personal pain and costs.