When agile methodology becomes an obstacle

Agile methodologies are perhaps the first thing we hear as developers and, in general, anyone involved in the digital product process. As the name suggests, their purpose is to generate tools for making work truly agile. But what happens when these methodologies, whether Kanban, Scrum, or others, despite their good intentions, do not work?

Like everything in the development process (whether we believe it or not, it still depends on people), it is the people, in the case of creating digital products, who have a specific role. Usually, it is a Scrum Master or Agile Coach, who in certain cases may be integrated into other roles such as Product Owner or Project Manager. They should be clear, more than in the implementation of a methodology, about creating a planned, organized, and tailored work culture that aligns with the reality of the teams and development timelines.

The most common errors in implementing agile methodologies can be related to:

• Difficulties in recognizing the ceremonies of each methodology and their application in the design and development process. In the case of Scrum methodology, it is important to respect each of the ceremonies such as planning, daily stand-up, and retrospective, which are part of the designated sprint timeframes. Proper management of each ceremony is the basis for aligning process and team to achieve results.
• Lack of proper planning: Time and task estimation are essential for the flow of the process according to the ceremonies proposed by agile methodologies.
• Lack of effective (and empathetic) communication: It is crucial to have transparent, efficient, clear communication characterized by active listening and sincerity. If we don't communicate as we go, it is impossible to correct errors, timelines, and tasks.
• Complications in time management: To estimate timelines, it is crucial to understand the processes of different areas, listen to their stakeholders, and allocate appropriate time for each task. It is not about stretching it out but also not about causing stress!
• Lack of commitment: For the methodology to work, we need commitment from all areas of work. Implementing agile methodology is almost like a chain reaction; if one falls, we can all fall!
• Lack of adequate documentation: If we don't leave the process in an organized record, advancing is pointless. Managing a product requires proper documentation; otherwise, we limit collaborative work!

These difficulties hinder the progress of the development process, and if it does progress, it is subject to stressful dynamics for the teams, a race against the clock that directly affects the quality of the digital product.

Agility goes beyond methodology; it requires communication, effort, and enthusiasm! If we add a proper way of working with Scrum or Kanban, that would be great, but let's remember that sustaining these methods depends on us.