In 30 seconds
- Anti-patterns are recurring bad solutions that seem reasonable.
- Most come from keeping rituals and losing the values.
- Spotting them is the first step to fixing them.
Common anti-patterns
| Anti-pattern | Instead |
|---|---|
| Daily Scrum as status report | Plan toward the Sprint Goal |
| Velocity as a performance target | Use velocity only for forecasting |
| Proxy Product Owner with no authority | Empower a real Product Owner |
| Hardening sprints | Strengthen the Definition of Done |
| Retros with no actions | One or two owned improvements |
| Scrum Master as secretary | Coach and remove impediments |
Why they happen
Usually, teams adopt practices without the values behind them, often called cargo-cult agile. Pressure from outside the team, like fixed-scope deadlines, also pushes teams back to old habits.
Fixing them
Name the anti-pattern in a retrospective, ask what problem the practice was meant to solve, and try one change. See agile myths.
Myth vs reality
Myth · Anti-patterns mean the team is failing.
Reality · Every team has some; spotting them is healthy.
Myth · A framework prevents anti-patterns.
Reality · They appear inside every framework.
Myth · Fix all of them at once.
Reality · Pick the most harmful one first.
FAQ
What's cargo-cult agile?
Copying agile rituals without understanding their purpose.
Who should spot anti-patterns?
Anyone; Scrum Masters and coaches often help.
Are anti-patterns the same as myths?
Myths are false beliefs; anti-patterns are bad practices.