Recently I reengaged with Agile methodologies, attending a ScrumMaster workshop conducted by LitheSpeed in DC (highly recommended if you are looking for a ScrumMaster workshop). Took the test and passed it.
I have been reading a lot about Agile, so nothing really new in the workshop. But I did get a sense that there are divisions among the various Agile practitioners (some of you may go “duh!”) There are the XP, Scrum, RUP, Lean practitioners that decry that their way is the only way. They all agree that waterfall doesn’t work (I too, although I’ve made it work by layering CBPM on top of it, making it somewhat Agile!)
Mark Kennaley’s SDLC 3.0: Beyond a Tacit Understanding of Agile does a very good job of tying the various Agile methodologies together, showing how to leverage the various strengths. To me, this is the way to go. In my experience, it is rare that one set of tools/methods can address any one situation. I pick and use what makes sense at the time, changing in mid-stream if necessary. Mr. Kennaley’s approach is refreshing and I’m sure there are many other Agile practitioners who feel the same way.
SDLC 3.0 also points the way forward from here. So, if you are interested in Agile and how they can work together, you may want to pick up Kennaley’s book.