Redefining Agile’s Core: Beyond Rituals and Procedures

There’s a quote from Ken Schwaber, one of the co-creators of Scrum, that goes:

“Agile is not about rituals; it’s about developing software in a different way.”

I would take it a step further and say that Agile is not just about developing software differently; it’s about building products and delivering value in an entirely new way.

Agile has become a buzzword in the corporate world, but many organizations miss the essence of what it truly represents. It’s more than daily Scrums or Sprint reviews—those are rituals. While these rituals are part of Agile, they are not its core. The real objective of Agile is delivering value and adapting to change in a way that maximizes returns.

Let’s break down this idea and understand what Agile should really mean for organizations.

Beyond Rituals in Agile

Many organizations today measure success by asking:

• “Is everyone attending the daily Scrum?”

• “Do we have Sprint reviews?”

These checkboxes can quickly lead to what we call zombie Scrum or mechanical Scrum. Here’s what I mean by that:

🧟‍♂️ Zombie Scrum: Teams are following the Agile rituals, but with no understanding or belief in why they are doing them.

When we focus purely on the rituals, we miss out on the purpose behind them. Daily stand-ups, Sprint reviews, and retrospectives are meant to help the team reflect, adapt, and improve. But when they become merely a routine, their effectiveness plummets. This leads to teams going through the motions but missing the point of continuous improvement.

The Goal Is Not the Rituals

Rituals are tools, not the destination. The goal is not agility for its own sake or religiously following rituals. The goal is to develop products in a way that maximizes value for the business and its customers.

The Problem with Mechanical Processes

One of the biggest challenges with Agile adoption is the mechanical application of processes. Teams follow the rules because they are told to, not because they believe in them.

• Why are people just following the rules without understanding their purpose?

• Why don’t they believe in the rules themselves?

If team members believed that Agile practices were genuinely helping them achieve business goals, they would take more ownership over their processes. Instead of blindly following rituals, they would actively seek out better and more effective ways to deliver value.

Automated Systems vs Human Judgment

This issue extends to the systems we build within organizations. For example, imagine a fully automated procurement pipeline. Sounds efficient, right? But there’s a problem with automation: it lacks human judgment.

🤖 Automation is great for repetitive tasks but gets stuck when faced with complex, unpredictable situations. This is why human checks are critical, even in highly automated environments.

The Toyota Example

Let’s look at how Toyota implemented their production system. Toyota didn’t rely entirely on automation; instead, they blended it with human oversight. Every automated step had a human check at the end. This allowed them to maintain quality and adapt to complex situations where automation alone would fail.

Here’s the lesson: while automation can handle routine processes, complex systems need human judgment to adapt to change and deliver the best outcomes. The same principle applies to Agile practices. You need more than just rituals or automated processes—you need to think, reflect, and adapt.

Complex Systems and Computer Limitations

Computers, by nature, can only manage what we tell them to. They’re excellent at handling predefined rules, but when faced with complex systems—whether it’s software, product development, or procurement—computers fall short.

This is why large, pre-built systems can become a bottleneck. Over time, as new edge cases and scenarios arise, these systems become clunky and less flexible. Agile, on the other hand, embraces complexity by focusing on adaptability over strict adherence to pre-defined processes.

Agile: Beyond Procedures

So, how does all this relate to Agile?

Agile isn’t about following rigid procedures. It’s about adapting your approach to the ever-changing needs of your business and customers. It’s about finding new ways to solve old problems.

Here’s how you can think about Agile in your organization:

1. Challenge the Status Quo: Don’t just follow rituals because they’re “Agile.” Question them. Are they helping your team deliver more value, or are they just box-ticking exercises?

2. Focus on Outcomes: The ultimate goal of Agile is not to “do Scrum” or “be Agile.” The goal is to deliver products and maximize return on investment.

3. Embrace Change: Agile is about responding to change over following a plan. This means embracing unpredictability and staying flexible in your approach.

Personalized Guidance and Learning

If you’re struggling with Agile in your organization, remember that one size does not fit all. Every company is different, and so are its challenges. Sometimes, the best way to truly understand Agile is through personalized guidance and learning.

That’s why I encourage you to book a call or visit us at Naked Agility  . We offer both immersive and traditional public classes that cater to your unique needs. Whether you’re dealing with zombie Scrum or struggling to make Agile work in complex systems, we can help you find the right path.

Key Takeaways

• Agile isn’t about rituals like daily stand-ups or Sprint reviews. It’s about delivering value in new ways.

• Zombie Scrum happens when teams follow Agile rituals mechanically without understanding the purpose behind them.

• Automation is useful but has limits. In complex systems, human judgment is critical.

• Focus on outcomes, not procedures. The ultimate goal is to maximize return on investment and continuously adapt to change.

• For personalized help, consider reaching out for guidance or attending one of our Agile training sessions.

Agile isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution—it’s a mindset. If you’re ready to move beyond rituals and unlock the full potential of Agile, let’s start the conversation.