1. Core Agile Concepts
| Keyword | Definition | Example |
| Agile methodology | A flexible, iterative approach to project management and software development. | Using Agile methodology, a team delivers small, working software every 2 weeks instead of waiting months for a final release. |
| Agile framework | A structured approach within Agile, like Scrum or Kanban. | Scrum and Kanban are popular Agile frameworks used by development teams. |
| Agile principles | The 12 principles outlined in the Agile Manifesto that guide agile practices. | One Agile principle: “Welcome changing requirements, even late in development.” |
| Agile manifesto | The foundational document that defines Agile values and principles. | The Agile Manifesto emphasizes individuals & interactions over processes & tools. |
| Agile development | The process of developing software through short cycles and constant feedback. | A company uses Agile development to release new features every month, improving them based on user feedback. |
| Agile mindset | A way of thinking that embraces adaptability, collaboration, and learning. | An Agile mindset allows teams to pivot when new customer needs arise. |
| Agile transformation | The process of transitioning an organization to adopt Agile practices and culture. | A large corporation undergoes Agile transformation to speed up product delivery and improve team autonomy. |
2. Agile Frameworks
| Keyword | Definition | Example |
| Scrum | A popular Agile framework that uses time-boxed sprints. | A team runs 2-week Scrum sprints with daily standups and sprint reviews. |
| Kanban | A visual framework for managing tasks using a board with columns. | The team uses a Kanban board with columns “To Do,” “In Progress,” and “Done.” |
| Lean software development | Agile-inspired practice focusing on eliminating waste and maximizing value. | The team follows Lean principles by removing redundant approval steps. |
| Extreme Programming (XP) | Agile framework focused on technical excellence and frequent releases. | XP practices include pair programming and test-driven development. |
| SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) | Framework for applying Agile at enterprise scale. | SAFe is used by a 500-employee organization to coordinate multiple teams working on one product. |
| LeSS (Large Scale Scrum) | A simple scaling framework based on Scrum. | Multiple teams working on the same product follow a single product backlog under LeSS. |
3. Agile Roles
| Keyword | Definition | Example |
| Product Owner | Responsible for defining the product vision and prioritizing backlog items. | The Product Owner prioritizes features in the product backlog based on customer needs. |
| Scrum Master | Facilitates Scrum ceremonies and removes impediments. | The Scrum Master ensures daily stand-ups run smoothly and helps resolve blockers. |
| Agile Coach | Guides teams and organizations in Agile adoption and continuous improvement. | An Agile Coach mentors multiple teams transitioning from Waterfall to Agile. |
| Development Team | A cross-functional team that delivers product increments. | The development team includes developers, testers, and designers working together. |
4. Agile Ceremonies
| Keyword | Definition | Example |
| Daily stand-up | A short, daily team meeting to discuss progress and blockers. | Each morning, team members answer: What did I do yesterday? What will I do today? Any blockers? |
| Sprint planning | Meeting to plan work for the upcoming sprint. | During sprint planning, the team commits to delivering 10 user stories. |
| Sprint review | Demonstration of completed work at the end of the sprint. | The team showcases new features to stakeholders in the sprint review. |
| Sprint retrospective | A reflection meeting to discuss what went well and what to improve. | The team decides to improve communication based on the retrospective discussion. |
5. Agile Artifacts
| Keyword | Definition | Example |
| Product backlog | A prioritized list of desired features and enhancements. | The product backlog contains user stories like “As a user, I want to reset my password.” |
| Sprint backlog | The set of backlog items committed to during the sprint. | The sprint backlog lists the tasks the team will complete in the current sprint. |
| Increment | The sum of all completed work at the end of a sprint. | The sprint increment includes two new website pages and a login feature. |
| Burndown chart | A visual graph showing remaining work against time. | The burndown chart shows work gradually decreasing as the sprint progresses. |
| User stories | Short descriptions of product features from the end-user perspective. | “As a customer, I want to view order history so I can track my purchases.” |
6. Agile Metrics
| Keyword | Definition | Example |
| Velocity | The amount of work a team completes in a sprint. | The team’s velocity is 25 story points per sprint. |
| Lead time | The time from task creation to completion. | It takes 5 days on average from when a user story is created to when it’s done. |
| Cycle time | The time from starting work on a task to its completion. | Cycle time for a feature is 3 days from “In Progress” to “Done.” |
| Cumulative flow diagram | A chart showing work in different states over time. | The diagram shows tasks moving from backlog to “Done” with no bottlenecks. |
7. Agile Tools
| Tool | Definition | Example |
| Jira | A tool for Agile project tracking and backlog management. | The development team uses Jira to track sprint progress. |
| Trello | A visual Kanban tool for managing tasks. | Marketing uses Trello boards to track content creation. |
| Azure DevOps | A Microsoft tool for Agile planning, CI/CD, and project tracking. | Azure DevOps pipelines deploy code after sprint completion. |
| Miro | An online whiteboard tool for remote Agile planning and retrospectives. | Teams use Miro for PI planning during large remote events. |
8. Agile in Business Context
| Keyword | Definition | Example |
| Business agility | The ability of an organization to quickly adapt to market changes. | The bank adopted business agility to launch new digital services in response to customer demand. |
| Agile governance | The management and oversight structures that support Agile practices. | Agile governance ensures teams have autonomy but remain aligned with business objectives. |
| Agile budgeting | Flexible financial planning based on changing needs. | The company adopted agile budgeting, allocating funds based on evolving priorities instead of annual plans. |
| Agile release management | Planning and managing frequent product releases. | Agile release management allowed the company to release updates every 4 weeks. |
9. Agile Best Practices
| Best Practice | Definition | Example |
| Test-driven development (TDD) | Writing tests before code. | Developers write test cases before implementing new features. |
| Continuous integration (CI) | Regularly merging code changes into a shared repository. | Code is automatically built and tested every time a developer pushes changes. |
| Pair programming | Two developers working together at one workstation. | One developer writes code while the other reviews in real-time. |
| Minimum Viable Product (MVP) | The simplest product version that delivers value. | The MVP of a mobile app includes only essential features: login, profile, and messaging. |
10. Challenges & Trends in Agile
| Keyword | Definition | Example |
| Organizational resistance | Challenges faced in adopting Agile across an organization. | Managers used to Waterfall project tracking may resist Agile’s flexibility. |
| Agile for non-software teams | Applying Agile beyond IT, such as in marketing or HR. | The HR department uses Agile sprints to manage recruitment campaigns. |
| Remote agile teams | Agile teams working virtually across locations. | Distributed teams hold daily virtual stand-ups via Zoom. |
| Agile maturity assessment | A tool to measure how well Agile is adopted in an organization. | The company uses an Agile maturity model to assess teams’ Agile capabilities. |
Agile Concept