Chapter 20. Adapting: reacting positively to change

 

Take the world as it is, not as it ought to be.

German proverb

So far, every chapter in this book has emphasized being agile and adapting to change. Acme Media adapted to a revised product vision during feasibility and reacted to feature discoveries during planning. In this chapter, we’ll discuss how to react and adjust to information you discover during development iterations.

No matter what methodology you use, you’ll always have to deal with issues and challenges during development. Your advantage is that you’re expecting change and you have tools and processes in place that support and embrace adaptation.

Managing changes and decisions during development is still a difficult feat. You’re trying to stay on schedule, meet the customer’s needs, and support nonfunctional requirements such as performance needs. Discoveries require diligent, collaborative decision making. You’ll refine requirements, reprioritize the work, and re-plan based on what you encounter.

Teams that are new to agile often have questions about the timing of adapting. Here are three common questions:

20.1. Common reasons for adapting

20.2. Adapting during an iteration

20.3. Three ways Acme Media adapted during its first iteration

20.4. Adapting at the end of an iteration

20.5. How Acme Media adapts during adapt week

20.6. User Acceptance Testing

20.7. Changes in the business climate

20.8. Reviewing the findings and revising the plan for the next iteration

20.9. Key points

20.10. Looking forward