You have probably heard the term Agile multiple times if you're in tech. If you haven't, I kind of feel bad for you and your employer. Businesses and companies knew way before the pandemic that if they want to survive in this ever-changing world, they have to take an agile approach to their business. They have to keep up with the trends and alter their business accordingly. This is why many companies started hiring consultants to improve their business strategies. The companies who took this action continued to make profits every year, but those who stuck to their core approach faced many losses.
Explaining Agility
This is for my tech/non-tech people who haven't heard the term agile. This is a little demo for you.
Two specific development strategies are used to roll out a product. One of them is Waterfall, and the other is Agile.
In the Waterfall method, requirements are first collected, and then the product is worked on for one or maybe even two years, and then it's rolled out.
In the Agile method, some requirements are collected, and then the tasks are divided into two or three sprints(short period). The product being worked on receives consistent feedback from the client, and then a working product is delivered after the last sprint. The outcome might not be the most efficient thing in the world, but it works and does the job. Improvements are made over time as the feedback is collected.
Now, there is a significant difference between these two strategies. In the Waterfall method, by the time product is delivered, the requirements and needs of a business are changed. It's almost like all the work goes in vain because the system developed is not suitable for all types of customers. In Agile, the requirements are changed as the business learns about the industry, and as a result, the business never stops making a profit.
Agility Doesn't Only Applies in Tech
Agile is a type of mindset. When I was young, I remember I wanted to be a lawyer. As I grew up, I got in a lot of trouble and had to deal with lawyers. I realized that I hated lawyers and didn't want to hate myself for the rest of my life. Well, there goes the thought of me becoming a lawyer in the trash.
Being agile in life means that you are flexible, you adjust according to your environment, and you're adaptable. We may have life plans that we solely love but life changes, and sometimes we also have to adjust those plans correspondingly. You can plan and plan things, but life usually doesn't go according to your ways. Heck, I plan to wake up early every morning. I can tell you for sure that rarely happens. I wake up only after my alarm has yelled at me 8934785 times.
If nothing, this pandemic taught us to be agile. Always have a backup plan and be ready for a change. The more agile you become, the quicker you'll be able to get back from a tough time. Always try to learn and keep up with current trends. Soon you will notice how a fallback in life won't really impact you.
Till next time, Peace✌🏼
Comments