# Agile: A Path Forward, Not a Prescription

**Published:** 2022-05-15  
**Author:** Michael Janzen  
**Categories:** Agile  
**Tags:** agile, collaboration, development, methodology, process

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We've all encountered them - the Agile zealots who insist their way is the only way. While I'm passionate about effective work methods, I believe in being agile about Agile itself. Success can take many forms, but failure? That has endless variations.

## When Process Becomes Prison

I once found myself in a project that perfectly exemplified dysfunction - a tangled mess of Agile and waterfall methodologies where team members drowned in anti-patterns. As the ship took on water, management's solution was to demand more detailed reports about the sinking. Despite my attempts to suggest course corrections, leadership remained committed to their doomed trajectory. Their determination was admirable, but their direction was fatal.

## The Foundation of Success

Through years of experience, I've observed that thriving projects consistently share these critical elements:

1.  A balanced, multidisciplinary core team that brings diverse perspectives and skills
2.  Collective ownership, where quality becomes everyone's responsibility
3.  Deep, shared understanding of customer needs and pain points
4.  Psychological safety that encourages honest communication
5.  Natural collaboration that emerges from the above elements
6.  Leadership that enables rather than obstructs

Notice that none of these elements are tied to any specific methodology. They're the lubricant that keeps the process machinery running smoothly. Without them, even the most perfectly designed process will eventually halt.

## The Machine Metaphor

Think of your project as a machine: the process provides the gears, but these foundational elements are the oil. When things aren't working, you have two options: redesign the machine or increase maintenance. The project I described earlier suffered from both poor design and insufficient maintenance—worse still, those who could help fix it were told to manually force the gears to turn instead.

## Moving Forward

The key insight is simple: successful projects require empowered people working collaboratively to solve problems. Management's role is to either clear obstacles or actively support the team - not to demand harder pushing of a broken system.

Large organizations can sustain dysfunction longer, but poor leadership creates rapid failure in smaller companies. If you find yourself in a broken system, you have options:

*   Drive solutions from within your team (leveraging collective problem-solving capability)
*   Partner with leadership to implement necessary changes
*   Make personal choices that align with your professional values

Sometimes, despite our best efforts, organizations remain committed to problematic paths. In these cases, you must decide what's right for your career and well-being.

Image generated with the help of AI (ChatGPT & DALL·E)