Agile in Action: Real-World Success Stories

Author: Dipti Trivedi - Director, Ness, EEG Team

As a human beings, we are inherently Agile…!!

Being Agile

As a kid, we were always curious, flexible, and ?focused on a toy or a piece of candy. Even if we fell multiple times, we would get-up and happily run towards the same goal. As adults, our agility kicks in instinctively; when we see an arrow coming towards us, our body’s agility is top of mind. We instinctively tilt or bend to let the arrow pass without harm The same principle applies in the software world. If our core Agile nature is not diluted with unnecessary hesitation , we are spontaneous, full of life, and ready to face any challenges. ?

Shorter feedback loops & Failing Fast

In our daily lives, when working on an extensive project like a big fat wedding, the initial planning may seem like a massive undertaking, starting nearly a year in advance. ?However, if we approach it with a sequential, waterfall style plan, completing tasks one after the other, we may not realize how time flies. We end up working day and night as the wedding date approaches. ?However, by implementing agile principles it helps us to break down the big project into smaller, manageable and pieces, identify action owners, and determine tasks that can run in parallel. ?This allows us to track progress independently, communicate updates, and keep everyone involved, ultimately ensuring success and happiness.

Inspect & Adapt

I have always felt, google map application is a brilliant example of this Agile principle. I have been using it in ?my training sessions for over a decade . ?When driving and following the navigation, if we mistakenly take a right turn at a familiar crossroad instead of the recommended left turn, the app automatically adjusts our route, reroutes our destination, and updates all the coordinates in real-time. This is a perfect example of being Agile...!?

Simplifying the work not done

Traveling with a 7-10-year-old can be challenging as we try to keep them occupied and engaged, especially when they're eagerly waiting to reach their favourite destination. For them, what matters most is the remaining duration and the estimated time of arrival at the place they're excited about. A child stays focused on "yet to drive" - the remaining kilometres/miles and the estimated time of arrival. Google Maps uses the same principle by highlighting the estimated time of arrival (ETA) in the navigation system.?

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Agile principles are intertwined into our daily lives, often as a matter of common sense. However, we sometimes find that common sense isn't as common as we'd hope.?

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