也许你已经习惯了 “Agile” 这个词汇不断地在你耳边狂轰滥炸，诸如敏捷团队、敏捷UX、敏捷建模、敏捷需求管理、敏捷架构等等。而且，人们还在不断的将 “Agile” 和更多的词汇进行组合，比如，也曾有人开始质疑是否存在 “Can Project Management be Agile?” 这回事。
同时，伴随着各种敏捷软件开发技术的涌现，将各种概念和方法进行对比也成为了时常出现的行为。例如：XP 和 CMMI，XP 和 Scrum，Scrum 和 CMMI，Scrum 和 Lean，Scrum 和 Kanban 等等。
那么，理清这些概念的基础就是需要理解，Agile 是什么？
先看字面义，在韦氏词典上查了 “Agile” 的释义：
ag·ile
adjective \ˈa-jəl, -ˌjī(-ə)l\
: able to move quickly and easily
: quick, smart, and clever
从释义来看，“Agile” 可以应用于各种广泛的领域，表示有能力通过适当的技能和控制来快速灵活的前进。
具体到软件开发领域，“Agile” 是什么？
“Agile” 指的就是敏捷软件开发宣言（Manifesto for Agile Software Development），“Be Agile” 指的就是要满足敏捷宣言的定义和所遵循的原则。
敏捷软件开发宣言（Agile Manifesto）
我们一直在实践中探寻更好的软件开发方法，身体力行的同时也帮助他人。由此我们建立了如下价值观：
- 个体和互动 高于 流程和工具
- 工作的软件 高于 详尽的文档
- 客户合作 高于 合同谈判
- 响应变化 高于 遵循计划
也就是说，尽管右项有其价值，我们更重视左项的价值。
敏捷宣言遵循的 12 条原则
- 我们最重要的目标，是通过持续不断地及早交付有价值的软件使客户满意。
- 欣然面对需求变化，即使在开发后期也一样。为了客户的竞争优势，敏捷过程掌控变化。
- 经常地交付可工作的软件，相隔几星期或一两个月，倾向于采取较短的周期。
- 业务人员和开发人员必须相互合作，项目中的每一天都不例外。
- 激发个体的斗志，以他们为核心搭建项目。提供所需的环境和支援，辅以信任，从而达成目标。
- 不论团队内外，传递信息效果最好效率也最高的方式是面对面的交谈。
- 可工作的软件是进度的首要度量标准。
- 敏捷过程倡导可持续开发。责任人、开发人员和用户要能够共同维持其步调稳定延续。
- 坚持不懈地追求技术卓越和良好设计，敏捷能力由此增强。
- 以简洁为本，它是极力减少不必要工作量的艺术。
- 最好的架构、需求和设计出自自组织团队。
- 团队定期地反思如何能提高成效，并依此调整自身的举止表现。
Manifesto for Agile Software Development
We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it.
Through this work we have come to value:
- Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
- Working software over comprehensive documentation
- Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
- Responding to change over following a plan
That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more.
Principles behind the Agile Manifesto
- Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software.
- Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer's competitive advantage.
- Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference to the shorter timescale.
- Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project.
- Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done.
- The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation.
- Working software is the primary measure of progress.
- Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.
- Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility.
- Simplicity--the art of maximizing the amount of work not done--is essential.
- The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams.
- At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.
参考资料
- Agile software development
- Agile Software Development by Martin Fowler
- Manifesto for Agile Software Development
- What is Agile?
- 敏捷软件开发揭秘
