It’s a Function of Four

The Problem

The human mind can remember only a few things at a time. The maximum number of items we can store in our conscious mind, or working memory, is about four. I know I struggle to remember where I put my keys, and that’s one item only.

So how do I remember Agile’s four values and 12 principles?

The Solution

I prepared the following diagram, listing the 12 principles by the four sequential Agile values, defining how they relate to each other. While the diagram may tend to portray a more precise organization of principles by values than the members of the Agile Alliance meant, that is not my intention. The purpose of this diagram is to provide a simple way to remember what drives the Agile philosophy.

Source

Beck, Kent, Mike Beedle, Arie van Bennekum, Alistair Cockburn, Ward Cunningham, Martin Fowler, Robert C. Martin, et al. “12 Principles Behind the Agile Manifesto.” Agile Alliance, 2019. https://www.agilealliance.org/agile101/12-principles-behind-the-agile-manifesto/.

“Manifesto for Agile Software Development.” Agile Alliance, 2019. https://agilemanifesto.org/.

Coplan, Scott, The Integrator, A Change Management Framework for Achieving Agile IT and Project Success, Productivity Press, New York, NY, 2022.

It’s a Function of Four

The Problem

The Solution

Source

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A Good Match

The Missing Link