Over the last 15 years or so, we've seen "Agile Software Development" pass through the typical lifecycle of popular ideas. "They" tried to ignore it. Then they laughed at it. Then they screamed at it. Then they saw that other people were doing it, so they started trying to make money at it. Now it's a mess and some of its most ardent early supporters have left it behind, seeing it as a failed experiment, and disillusioned with where it has gone.
In some places, "Agile" has a very, very bad name indeed. I have some idea what happened, and I have good news: it probably couldn't have happened any other way and it reflects a success story, not a failure. Should we leave all this agile nonsense behind and start again, maybe with a new word? Should we struggle to rehabilitate the "agile brand"? Should we care at all?
Let's talk about this. I can share my thoughts, but I'd also like to discuss this with you. Bring your opinions, your questions, and maybe even your fears. If I do my job well, then you will walk away feeling better about the word "Agile" than when you came in.
Speaker
J. B. Rainsberger has built software, advised companies, turbo-charged careers, and delighted audiences since 1998. When people ask J. B. whether he fixed computers, he answers, "No; I fix programmers." His work began as a programmer, software designer and architect, and has since extended far beyond code to include the social, psychological and fiscal aspects of the software industry. He loves Extreme Programming, but doesn't care where great ideas comes from. He retired in 2008 and began traveling the world helping companies for profit and helping people improve their own lives at work in his abundant spare time. If you'd like to inspire your audience of software professionals, then J. B. can help you achieve exactly that.
