As I indicated in my last post I renamed my blog to Sound Agile and I'll be writing about Agile from the perspective of Soundness and how organizations should be evaluating their Agile adoption. I spent quite a bit of time trying to decide what I wanted to name my consulting business and blog (both are called Sound Agile) and I ultimately wanted to convey what I have seen as successful with respect to the teams and organizations I have worked with over the past 10 years.

Thanks to my wife for providing me a word that when I looked at it provided me with the right context to what I had been trying to convey.

Sound: 

adjective

1. free from injury, damage, defect, disease, etc.; in good condition; healthy; robust: a sound heart; a sound mind.

Supporting Manifesto - Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done.

a. Free from Defect - Speaks to Quality that we strive for in Agile. b. Healthy - Speaks to your employees health and well-being c. Robust - Speaks to building scalable products. d. Sound Mind - Speaks to teams keeping a clear and open mind to improve

2. financially strong, secure, or reliable: a sound business; sound investments.

Supporting Manifesto - Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software.

a. Sound business/investment - Speaks to the value proposition that Agile focuses on. b. Financially strong, secure and reliable - Speaks to the ability of Agile teams to delivery products that are foundational to your organizations long term health and security.

3. Competent, sensible, or valid: sound judgment - This speaks to trusting that the people that you are hire are compentent and when following Agile ceremonies such as Standups, Retrospectives and Planning are able to deliver product that is built on solid decisions.

4. Having no defect as to truth, justice, wisdom, or reason: sound advice. - This speaks to the continuous improvement and Retrospectives that drive this effort.

5. Of substantial or enduring character: sound moral values - Speaks to team commitments, believing and supporting themselves, the foundation of Scrum.

We spend so much time writing and talking about things that we should, could, might do to deliver Agile,  We hear people talk about how 'Agile' are you, tell people that doesn't 'Sound Agile' and I think we have muddied the waters of what Agile should be.

When you hear Sound Agile you may be inclined to add an additional adjective 'Sounds Like Agile' and to some degree that is expected.  My focus however will be on the soundness of Agile from the perspective of organizational change an area that isn't really talked about as much as the other elements of day to day Scrum.

I look forward to comments and input to my blog as my writings will form the basis for the types of coaching and consulting I hope to do in the future.