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Lesson
Lesson 1.1 — Where Agile came from and the 4 Manifesto values
Explain why Agile emerged and state the four values of the Agile Manifesto in your own words.
The Problem Agile Solved
Why Agile Emerged
In the 1980s and 1990s, software projects were run like construction projects: gather all requirements upfront, write a massive spec, build everything, then deliver — often 12–18 months later. By delivery day, the world had changed, the customer's needs had shifted, and teams had spent months building the wrong thing. This approach is often called 'waterfall' because each phase flows down into the next with no way to go back.
In February 2001, 17 experienced software practitioners met in Snowbird, Utah and signed the Agile Manifesto. They weren't inventing a process — they were capturing a shared philosophy: value people, working results, collaboration, and the ability to change over rigid documentation and upfront contracts.
The Manifesto states four values, each expressed as 'X over Y': the left side is valued more, but the right side is NOT thrown away. The full quote is: 'while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more.' This nuance is crucial — Agile does not mean 'no documentation' or 'no contracts.'
The four values are: (1) Individuals and interactions over processes and tools. (2) Working software over comprehensive documentation. (3) Customer collaboration over contract negotiation. (4) Responding to change over following a plan.
Lesson notes
Why Agile Emerged
In the 1980s and 1990s, software projects were run like construction projects: gather all requirements upfront, write a massive spec, build everything, then deliver — often 12–18 months later. By delivery day, the world had changed, the customer's needs had shifted, and teams had spent months building the wrong thing. This approach is often called 'waterfall' because each phase flows down into the next with no way to go back.
In February 2001, 17 experienced software practitioners met in Snowbird, Utah and signed the Agile Manifesto. They weren't inventing a process — they were capturing a shared philosophy: value people, working results, collaboration, and the ability to change over rigid documentation and upfront contracts.
The Manifesto states four values, each expressed as 'X over Y': the left side is valued more, but the right side is NOT thrown away. The full quote is: 'while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more.' This nuance is crucial — Agile does not mean 'no documentation' or 'no contracts.'
The four values are: (1) Individuals and interactions over processes and tools. (2) Working software over comprehensive documentation. (3) Customer collaboration over contract negotiation. (4) Responding to change over following a plan.