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Do you think we are on the slope of enlightenment in Gartner's Hype Cycle?
TL;DR; Most organizations are still struggling with Agile due to unrealistic expectations and a focus on process over people, but a growing number are starting to see real benefits by prioritizing human interactions and learning from successful pioneers. The shift toward true Agile maturity is underway, though widespread enlightenment has not yet been reached. Development managers should focus on setting realistic goals, fostering a people-first culture, and learning from those who have achieved genuine Agile success.
Are we collectively ascending the slope of enlightenment, or are we still mired in the trough of disillusionment?
This question echoes across the corridors of enterprises attempting to decode the Agile enigma. 🧗♂️🤔
The Quest for Agile Enlightenment
Every scroll through LinkedIn, every conference, every workshop seems to echo with discontent - from “
Scrum
is broken” to “Agile is dead.” The cacophony of disillusionment appears to be the melody of the day. But is it really the predominant theme, or are we witnessing the early symphonies of an enlightened majority? 🎶👥
The Hype Cycle’s Reality Check 🔄
The Trough of Discontent: A majority still seem to dwell in the dark, challenging pit of the Hype Cycle. 😕
Expectations vs Reality: Unrealistic expectations, often fueled by misinterpretations, have led many astray. 💭🙅♂️
The Illuminated Few: Despite the disillusionment, a growing number of organizations are cresting the hill of enlightenment. 💡📈
Are We There Yet? Not Quite ❌
Martin, with his finger on the pulse of Agile communities, suggests that we’re not quite basking in the glow of enlightenment. The voices of dissatisfaction are loud and the criticisms harsh. From the rebuke of established frameworks to the propagation of Agile 2.0 as the panacea, the evidence of a collective epiphany is scarce. 🚫🗣️
The Lure of Agile’s Promises 🧲
Double the Features, Half the Time: Jeff Sutherland’s famed book set a high bar - one that many struggle to reach. 📚🏃♂️
The Magic Wand Illusion: The belief that Agile can miraculously solve complex problems has led to a harsh wake-up call. 🪄😯
The Unread Wisdom: Many have formed opinions without diving into the depths of the knowledge available. 🤿📘
Climbing Out of the Trough 🧗♀️
Yet, all is not lost. Martin acknowledges a shift, a positive stir within the community. The vanguard of Agile practitioners is beginning to see beyond the tools and techniques to the essence of Agile - people and their interactions. ✊🤝
Upward Trend Towards Enlightenment ⬆️🌟
From Hype to Help: Organizations are realizing it’s not the hype that matters but the fundamental change in how we work. 🛠️➡️🤲
The Human Element: The key revelation is that people, not processes or bureaucracy, solve problems. 👫🔑
Dismantling Barriers: Enlightened entities are learning to deconstruct anything that hinders people from doing meaningful work. 🚧➡️🌉
Looking Through the Agile Lens 🔍
How do we, as organizations, leaders, and teams, approach this journey toward enlightenment? Here’s a ‘how-to’ roadmap to navigate the ascent:
Evaluate Your Expectations: Understand what Agile is and isn’t. It’s a framework for adaptability, not a shortcut to success. 🤔📈
Prioritize People Over Processes: Embrace the heart of Agile by fostering a culture where individuals and interactions trump rigid processes. 💖👥
Learn from the Pioneers: Seek case studies and examples of those who have truly embraced Agile and learn from their journey. 🧭🎓
The dawning of Enlightenment 🌅
So, are we there yet?
In the broader landscape, perhaps not. But the slope of enlightenment is within sight. The more we focus on people, the closer we get to realizing the Agile dream. It’s an uphill climb, but the view from the top promises a revolution in how we work, collaborate, and succeed. 🏔️🌄
Do you think that we are in the slope of Enlightenment in Garner’s hype cycle? I would maybe have to say not yet. I think that’s going to be my answer. I think we’re still in the trough of disillusionment, right? And I think the reason I think that is perhaps I’m wrong, right? But every time I turn on my LinkedIn, I’m reading the feeds, I’m seeing what’s going on. Every time I look, it’s, “Scrum sucks, Scrum doesn’t work, Safe sucks, Safe doesn’t work, Agile 2.0 is the way forward, Agile 1.0 is dead, Agile is dead.” Right? There’s all these types of posts. There’s still a significant, and I think majority of people are still in that trough of disillusionment.
Does that mean that lots of companies are not already in the slope of Enlightenment? I think they are. I think lots and lots of organisations out there, lots of people are in that slope of Enlightenment already. But there are lots of organisations out there who just haven’t made it yet. There are people out there who are still disillusioned that they can’t have twice the features in half the time. Jeff’s book title didn’t help with that, right? Because it sets a level of expectation. Lots of people don’t even read the book, which is a little bit going on that’s not really what it’s about, right? But that belief of what Agile was supposed to deliver, most organisations have not really worked out the hard work that is involved in actually doing it and getting there. It’s not a magic wand that’s going to solve their problems.
So I think there’s still a huge number of people in that trough of disillusionment. I love that phrase. But as I think, I think we’re definitely on that upward turn of that slope. There’s definitely more, certainly the early adopters and even, could I say, the late majority? Some of the early majority are already in that Enlightenment mode, that they realise that it’s not all the hype that is important, but it’s the fundamental change in the way we work and the way we understand how we do things. And that realisation that it’s people that solve problems, not tools, right? It’s people that solve problems, not bureaucracy.
Putting truly, truly putting people first and being willing to dismantle whatever processes, practices, or tools, ways of doing things are getting in the way of people actually doing the work that they need to do and helping the business be successful, right? I think that’s where we are right now. But we’re certainly on the little up of that slope, I think.
Thanks for watching the video. If you enjoyed it, please like, follow, and subscribe. I always reply to comments, and if you want to have a chat about this or anything else Agile, Scrum, or DevOps, then please book a coffee with me through Naked Agility.
Smart Classifications
Each classification [Concepts, Categories, & Tags] was assigned using AI-powered semantic analysis and scored across relevance, depth, and alignment. Final decisions? Still human. Always traceable. Hover to see how it applies.
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