In 30 seconds
- Twelve principles turn the four values into working rules.
- They group into four themes: deliver, collaborate, sustain, improve.
- No framework is required; Scrum and Kanban are ways to apply them.
Deliver value early and often
- Our top priority is satisfying the customer through early and continuous delivery.
- Welcome changing requirements, even late, when they give the customer an edge.
- Deliver working software frequently, preferring weeks over months.
- Working software is the primary measure of progress.
Collaborate closely
- Business people and developers work together daily.
- Build projects around motivated individuals; give them support and trust.
- Face-to-face conversation is the most effective way to share information.
Remote teams apply this with video calls and fast chat, not long email threads.
Keep it sustainable and simple
- Maintain a sustainable pace that sponsors, developers and users could keep indefinitely.
- Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design improves agility.
- Simplicity, the art of maximizing the work not done, is essential.
Skipping these is how teams build technical debt.
Self-organize and improve
- The best architectures, requirements and designs emerge from self-organizing teams.
- At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then adjusts.
The Sprint Retrospective is that last principle turned into a recurring event.
Myth vs reality
Myth · You must follow all 12 to be agile.
Reality · They are guides to judgment, not a compliance checklist.
Myth · Face to face rules out remote work.
Reality · The point is rich, fast conversation; video and pairing count.
Myth · Sustainable pace means slow.
Reality · It means no burnout cycles, which makes teams faster over months.
FAQ
How are principles different from values?
Values state priorities; principles describe practical behaviours that follow from them.
Which principle matters most?
The first: satisfy the customer through early, continuous delivery. Most others support it.
Do the principles apply outside software?
Yes. Swap "working software" for "working results" and most of them hold.