AGILE – The new buzzword for project management. What is Agile? Agile is an adaptive methodology that gained prominence in 2001 when 17 Agile practitioners met in the USA and launched the Agile manifesto.
Agile was already in existence before 2001. It was not a sudden development. Read History of Agile to get a better understanding of how Agile was created in 2001.
Many organizations recognize the value of Agile practices.
Flexible and adaptable to changing business requirements. This gives the organization more flexibility to add, subtract, or modify requirements.
Continuous and early feedback from customers improves communication. Business owners can review and receive critical information to help them make informed decisions throughout the development process.
Early, measurable return on investment
Project has high visibility and influence
Project Progress leads to early indicators of problems
Incremental delivery is better than a single delivery at the end of a project. This reduces product and process wastage

The Agile Manifesto was announced by the 2001 Agile Practitioners’ Group. The Agile Manifesto emphasized 12 principles and 4 Values.
Agile Manifesto
4 Fundamental Values:
Collaboration with customers in contract negotiation

Working Software over Comprehensive Documentation

Individuals and Interactions – Processes and Tools

Response to Change after a Plan

It was agreed that items on the left are more valuable than those on the right. This does not mean that Comprehensive Documentation, for example, should be avoided. This only indicates that Working Software is more important then Comprehensive Documentation.
Let’s take a closer look at the same in more detail:
Collaboration with customers in contract negotiation

Today’s knowledge workers are constantly changing. No one knows what the software or knowledge outcome will look like at the end. Both the customer and the team must agree on a common definition and accept that things will change over time. Collaboration with the customer is important. It is better than to accept the initial acceptance as it is and then negotiate for more. “Doing it right” is better than “Doing it right”.
Individuals and Interactions – Processes and Tools

This is where your primary focus should lie. From the definition of the scope to the resolution of any problems or challenges, and acceptance of the deliverables, the entire project is managed by people. People and individuals are the most important part of a project. It is crucial that we pay attention to them and train and develop them to make the most of it.
This doesn’t mean processes and tools aren’t important. While processes are important to follow, our attention should be on the individuals and their interactions.
Working Software over Comprehensive Documentation

Agile documentation is “Just in Time, Just Enough and Sometimes – Just Because”.
Documenting “Just in Time” is the idea that documents should be updated at the end of each responsible thing to ensure that any updates or changes are clearly understood.
Documenting “just enough” means to have just enough to meet the essential needs.
It is better to document “just because” someone asks than to face the consequences of not complying. It may be a compliance requirement in a government set up.
Response to Change after a Plan

They say that changes are inevitable. Changes are actually good for the project. Changes will always occur. The idea is not to be rigid about the changes. Instead, you should respond to them and integrate the plan with the customer. The plan is not to be ignored – Planning is essential, but you must also recognize that changes can occur and that you may not know everything.
Agile software development principles
TheManifesto for Agile Software Development is based on twelve principles.
1. Customer satisfaction through timely and continuous delivery of software that is valuable.
This principle refers to 3 things:
Customer satisfaction is of paramount importance. The project is essentially about satisfying the customer’s needs and, therefore, the customer.
Early and Continuous Delivery – Customers can accept the deliverables or reject them.
Valuable software – The project should add value to the customer by providing a valuable product, service, or deliverable.
2. Welcome changing requirements, even in late development.
Changes are inevitable. Changes can occur at any stage of the project.