Agile made simple: Cutting through the jargon

Agile is a project management methodology, born just over twenty years ago. The software engineering community that created Agile were looking for a flexible new way of working, unlike traditional ‘Waterfall’ project management.

They had found that developing software brought new challenges not seen with physical products, as it was hard to predetermine exactly what all the specifications and components would be in advance.

Agile’s magic lies in its iterative approach. Instead of a linear process, you revisit and refine your work continually. It’s the opposite of the traditional Waterfall method, where each phase is ticked off before moving to the next. Waterfall works well for stable, predictable projects, but Agile thrives in uncertain environments.

The Agile Manifesto, written in 2001, provided the template for teams to follow Agile principles. It promotes adapting to change, delivering value, and collaborating closely with customers. It’s about delivering solutions incrementally, learning as you go, and constantly improving.

“Responding to change over following a plan” – The Agile Manifesto

Today, businesses producing all manner of products and services, not just software, use Agile to respond to changing demands while delivering products and services more efficiently.

At BeyondFS we see an increasing number of financial services firms making the leap to Agile, many of which are seeing tangible benefits including improved efficiency and faster project delivery.

Sprints: At the core of Agile is the ‘Sprint’ – a short, focused period (usually 2 to 4 weeks) where teams work on specific deliverables.

Epics, Features and User Stories: With Agile, work is structured into a hierarchy, starting with big-picture themes that emerge as ‘Epics’ to be delivered, then ‘Features’ are planned within each Epic as sub-projects, and finally each feature is distilled into ‘User Stories’ that form actionable tasks tackled within each sprint.

Product Backlog: When planning a Sprint, a Product Backlog is central. It’s a living to-do list that gets updated regularly based on feedback and new priorities. The team can regularly review and prioritise the backlog, always ensuring they’re focused on delivering the most valuable work.

Ceremonies: Agile thrives on good communication and on rhythm and structure. Each Sprint includes several ‘Ceremonies’ to keep the team aligned:

• First, there’s Sprint Planning, where the team decides what they’ll work on.
• Then there are daily ‘Stand-ups’ – brief, focused meetings where everyone updates the team on their progress, helping to spot issues early.
• After each sprint, a Review session showcases what’s been achieved, inviting stakeholder feedback.
• Crucially, there’s also a Sprint Retrospective, where the team reflects on what went well, what didn’t, and how they can improve.

Roles: Agile relies on clearly defined roles, too:

• The Product Owner prioritises work, ensuring the team delivers value.
• A Scrum Master acts like a project facilitator, keeping the process running smoothly and clearing obstacles.
• Then there’s the Development Team – a group of specialists who get the work done. This team might include developers, business analysts, and subject matter experts (SMEs), all collaborating to deliver the product.

The frameworks, ceremonies and roles of Agile are all necessary to nurture continuous learning and adaptation, which is why it’s so effective. It’s not just about getting work done – it’s about getting better work done, faster and more efficiently.

Reading this article, you might be thinking that Agile is the solution to every project management problem. That’s not the case.

Agile isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. For large, complex projects with strict deadlines and in tightly regulated environments, Waterfall can still be the better fit, where you need to finish one phase before moving onto the next. The real skill lies in knowing when to use each approach – and many organisations blend elements of both to get the best results – a so-called hybrid approach.

Many larger businesses have also embraced what is called ‘Scaled Agile’ to align their teams’ work with broader business objectives. But scaling Agile isn’t as simple as multiplying teams. It involves managing communication, maintaining a clear product vision, and balancing Agile practices with traditional structures still in place aligned to a wider enterprise wide strategy.

For example, one of our banking clients at BeyondFS has worked hard to balance Agile’s flexibility with the regulatory and operational demands of the Financial Services industry. Aligning Agile ways of working into management and governance structures can be challenging in large organisations. The key there has been ensuring Agile aligns with their strategic business goals and that all stakeholders are on board.

Crucial to implementing Scaled Agile in an organisation is culture change. Everyone, from senior leadership to junior staff, needs to understand the benefits and commit to the process. Often, the biggest barrier to progress is a knowledge gap between different parts of the business – developers might be well-versed in Agile, but senior executives might need more education. That’s why it’s crucial to engage stakeholders at all levels, making Agile a company-wide philosophy, not just something the tech team does in isolation.

Scaled Agile: an approach for larger scale agility