Why “Agile” is Killing Startups?
Uncovering the Dark Side of Agile Methodologies in Startup Culture
A huge apology for last week. We were both very unwell 🤧 and could not launch the newsletter on time, but here is this week's issue.
This time I bring you a post that I wrote a few years ago, and I reviewed it; some things have changed in my opinion and the industry, so here is this new version of Why "Agile" is killing startups.
In recent years, "agile" has become a buzzword in the startup world. Many startups embrace agile methodologies, such as Scrum and Kanban, believing they will help them quickly adapt to changing market conditions and outmaneuver their competitors. However, there is growing evidence that agile is only sometimes the best approach for startups, and in some cases, it can even be downright harmful.
One of the main problems with agile is that it can focus on short-term goals and quick wins at the expense of long-term strategy and sustainability. In a rush to meet sprint deadlines and deliver incremental improvements, startups may need to think more deeply about their overall direction and the potential risks and pitfalls they may face. As a result, they may ultimately make bad decisions for their business.
Another issue with agile is that it can create a culture of constant change and uncertainty, which can be stressful and demotivating for employees. In an agile environment, employees are expected to be flexible and adaptable, but this can lead to a lack of stability and a sense of being unable to commit to a project or task fully. This can erode trust and morale within the team and ultimately hinder their ability to perform at their best.
Agile methodologies often rely on intense collaboration and communication, which can be challenging for startups with limited resources. Startups may need help to provide support and infrastructure for agile practices, such as regular meetings and dedicated project management tools. This can lead to inefficiencies and miscommunications, ultimately slowing progress and undermining agile's benefits.
As a software engineer, I've noticed that many startups try to copy the processes of successful companies when creating their products. While this isn't a bad idea, it can sometimes harm the culture of your team if the adopted strategy doesn't align with the principles and values of your startup.
Contrary to popular belief, agile is not a methodology, framework, or specific process for developing software. Instead, it's a set of principles and values that guide companies in creating great products. The Agile Manifesto states: "Individuals and interactions over processes and tools, working software over comprehensive documentation, customer collaboration over contract negotiation, and responding to change over following a plan."
So, it's essential to understand that agile isn't a magic solution to your software development problems. It's not a set of rules to be followed blindly but rather a way of making better decisions during the discovery and development process.
To become agile, you need to base your decisions on agile principles and business values and be willing to change your development process when it's not working. For example, a daily stand-up meeting may only suit some teams.
Here are my top five agile principles that your startup can adopt to create great products:
Support, motivate, and trust the people involved in the product.
Use working software as the primary measure of progress.
Keep the development process simple and deliver just enough to get the job done. Remember, done is better than perfect.
Avoid delays when a feature or requirement changes, and continue the development process as usual.
Achieve customer satisfaction through early and continuous product delivery.
Adopting and adapting these principles to fit your team and business can improve your product development process and create better products.
In conclusion
Agile may be well-suited to specific organizations and industries, but it is not a silver bullet for startups. Startups should carefully consider whether agile is the right approach for their business and be aware of the potential drawbacks and challenges that it may bring. Ultimately, the key to success for startups is not to blindly follow a particular methodology but to find the right balance between agility and strategic thinking and to continuously adapt and evolve as their business grows and changes.