The Agile Principles For Product Owners – Part 2

5. Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done.

Micromanaging should not be a thing in Agile. Teams should be motivated and self-directed. Ensuring that the proper team is in place to get the job done, as well as providing the proper environment and support they need is paramount.  By doing so, a Product Owner can trust that the team is completing the project’s objectives.

6. The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation.

Effective communication is crucial when using Agile for project management. Without it, not a lot gets done in a timely manner. The time between a question and its answer should be shortened to reduce the lag in work and remove roadblocks. Communication is often more successful when teams are co-located or keep the same virtual. When teams are on the same schedule, it’s much easier to ask questions, give answers and make suggestions.

7. Working software is the primary measure of progress

Working products is the ultimate metric that should be used to judge an agile development team. If the product doesn’t work, then nothing else really matters.  A good team should have the ability to produce quality products and any other measure doesn’t really matter much if the product doesn’t work correctly.

8. Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.

When working on a project for a long time, reducing burnout becomes important. Sustainable development should be developed to ensure that a consistent development pace can be maintained for long periods of time. To accomplish this, Product Owners can plan work to promote short, productive bursts. This reduces excessive overtime which when continued indefinitely can impact quality. Setting a good pace can help keep the quality of work up and get work completed in a timely, effective manner.

9. Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility.

Cleaning up projects shouldn’t wait until later. Many times, waiting until later means it won’t happen and could cause roadblocks and obstacles later. Products should continuously get better. By using scrum tools and taking the time to review solutions during the project, valuable time is saved.

10. Simplicity — the art of maximizing the amount of work not done — is essential.

Keeping things simple is key to progress in Agile. Development should be done in a way that gets the job done for right now, and nothing more.  Product Owners should keep track of their team to ensure the progress isn’t bogged down by busy work.

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Our Book Recommendations

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