Manifesto for Agile Software Development

It is a foundational document in the world of software development, particularly for methodologies like Scrum, Kanban, and others that fall under the Agile umbrella. It was created in February 2001 by 17 software developers who met to discuss lightweight development methods.

agilemanifesto.org

Manifesto

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.

Principles

That is the essence of the manifesto, but it's also supplemented by 12 principles, which provide more details on how to implement Agile methodologies. These principles are:

1. Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software.
2. Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer's competitive advantage.
3. Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference for the shorter timescale.
4. Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project.
5. Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done.
6. The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation.
7. Working software is the primary measure of progress.
8. Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.
9. Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility.
10. Simplicity—the art of maximizing the amount of work not done—is essential.
11. The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams.
12. At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.

This manifesto and its principles have significantly influenced how software development is approached, emphasizing flexibility, collaboration, and customer satisfaction.

Authors

These individuals are recognized for their significant contributions to the field of software development and have been involved in the creation of various Agile methodologies such as Scrum, Extreme Programming (XP), and others. The Agile Manifesto they authored has had a profound impact on the software development industry, promoting values and principles that emphasize flexibility, collaboration, and efficiency in the software development process.

1. Kent Beck
2. Mike Beedle
3. Arie van Bennekum
4. Alistair Cockburn
5. Ward Cunningham
6. Martin Fowler
7. James Grenning
8. Jim Highsmith
9. Andrew Hunt
10. Ron Jeffries
11. Jon Kern
12. Brian Marick
13. Robert C. Martin
14. Steve Mellor
15. Ken Schwaber
16. Jeff Sutherland
17. Dave Thomas