Deep in the Heart of Agile—Why Points Don’t Measure Up: Part 3 of 4
Relative estimation can be useful for conversation, not math. It might help with short-term forecasting, but that’s it. Using Fibonacci to justify layoffs? That’s a special kind of dysfunction.
Agile isn’t charts and graphs. It’s:
- Individuals and interactions
- Working software
- Customer collaboration
- Responding to change
If your Agile process revolves around velocity charts and point burndowns, you’re not Agile—you’re playing Agile cosplay.
Mistakes in construction are forever. Mistakes in software? Fixable. The goal is to deliver MVP under budget and maybe exceed expectations. That takes:
- Hard estimates
- Agreements
- Common sense
Rich Williams is an agilist in Dallas, Texas. He believes you can fix code but not drywall. He once tried Agile with musicians and was told, “You’re not the boss of tempo.” He’s big, bald, and has a beard.
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