In 30 seconds
- Plans are useful; treating them as fixed is the problem.
- Agile teams replan often and lightly.
- Change is cheapest when work is small and feedback is fast.
What it means
Markets move, users surprise you, and teams learn as they build. This value, the last of the four agile values, says it's better to adjust than to deliver a plan that no longer makes sense.
Planning for change
- Rolling wave planning: detail near-term work only
- Roadmaps as forecasts, reviewed every few sprints
- Product Backlog reordered as priorities shift
- Small batches, so changing course wastes little
Too little vs too much
| Too little change | Too much change |
|---|---|
| Delivering features nobody needs anymore | Priorities shift daily; nothing finishes |
| Plans defended rather than tested | Sprint Goals abandoned mid-sprint |
Aim to change at natural points, like sprint boundaries.
Myth vs reality
Myth · Agile teams don't plan.
Reality · They plan more often, with less detail far out.
Myth · Welcoming change means no deadlines.
Reality · Deadlines stay; scope flexes to meet them.
Myth · Any change is good change.
Reality · Change should follow learning, not whim.
FAQ
How do stakeholders get predictability?
Through forecasts with ranges, updated every sprint.
When should a plan change?
When new information makes a different choice more valuable.
What principle backs this value?
Welcome changing requirements, even late in development.