The Methodology Wars

There is a silent war of methodologies or different ideologies that is taking place right in front of us, and I would like to categorize them into 3 schools of thought or factions, that are competing against each other. Although, there are many more methodologies out there, I would like to focus this article on the major ones- Waterfall and Agile. The secret to understanding them is by realizing that they are attached to different mind-sets, leadership styles and organizational culture.

1) The Agile Purist -   

 This approach focuses on being Agile because it is the cool thing to do, or being Agile for the sake of Agile , without accounting for underlying work culture challenges. It is like the 70s generation that started the hippie movement, to set themselves free from the shackles which the previous generation placed on them. Despite its best intentions, this approach assumes the quick replacement of current structures and ways of working with one of the Agile methods (Scrum/ Kanban…) , without preparing the organization for the change. It begins with people going on a rampage and shredding everything that exists to wave the Agile magic wand and solve all their problems. It usually creates a lot of resentment among those that have no clue why this change was brought about, and this ends with poor results, because this “big bang” approach did not value of some of the good that already existed and did not understand that such a drastic culture change can’t happen overnight. 

We need to be radical in our thought, but our actions need to be strategic in bringing tangible results within a time frame, and not actions that scorch the earth without realising it takes more time to build something new from scratch.  While I consider myself an Agile advocate, I believe that organizational culture and their methodologies need to evolve and should not be instantly replaced. Now, how that should look like, must be customized for each organization or team because what works for one ,may not work for the other.

 2) The Waterfall Traditionalist-

This approach begins with people saying, "this is how we have always done it". Any new way of working is perceived as destabilizing or met with cynicism. People pertaining to this school of thought are attached to it , to maintain a sense of control and predictability. This sometimes results in failing projects, as technology is continually evolving, and adoption of new technology needs to be faster.

The traditional leader focuses on being the king/queen and the team members are considered the subjects who depend on the leader for direction. The collective wisdom of the crowd is not considered valuable, and value is attached to the opinion of the designated leaders. Such organizations or teams stifle creativity and will not survive in this new world of technological innovation and change. Their attachment to heavy processes to arrive at the perfect end-result lacks collaboration and is out of touch with the current reality.

Bottomline- we can’t claim to believe in 21st century innovation, and anchor ourselves down to a 20th century mindset.

3) The Blended Realist-

This school of thought encourages an understanding of ground reality and desired results , before recommending a methodology or a combination of methodologies. I have seen projects which blend Agile, Waterfall and even Design Thinking, taking advantage of the strengths of each methodology to achieve results. In fact, in some organizations, the blend of different methodologies, bring in an easier adoption of change, for everyone in the team and organization. It requires servant leaders who encourage new ideas and are willing to take calculated risks.

It requires a tolerance for failure and collaboration with relevant stakeholders or end-users for the best results. It is like when your mother tries to replicate your grandmother’s recipe and you realize even though it tastes great , it is not the same. There is no one precise magic recipe that can be replicated across every organization and project- we need to keep our eyes and ears open to adopt the right methods that will help our organization or project to succeed. The adoption of an Agile approach can be done by blending in some other methods, that can help the organization transition to a more collaborative, innovative and open environment. Afterall , methodologies are tools, and we are not paid for the tools we bring but the results our tools help us bring in.

 Author-Rejo Mathews