Working agreements are essential for teams and organizations that practice agile methodologies. Agile working agreements provide a framework for teams to work together efficiently, productively, and collaboratively.
But what exactly is a working agreement in agile, and how does it work?
A working agreement in agile is a set of guidelines and rules that a team agrees upon to define how they will work together. These agreements can be explicit or implicit, but they are essential for ensuring that team members are aligned on their goals, processes, and responsibilities.
Agile working agreements are developed early in the project or at the beginning of every sprint. The team members collaborate to define the working agreement and establish the rules that they will follow throughout the project or sprint. The agreement should be clear, concise, and transparent so that everyone in the team understands the scope of their work.
Here are some examples of working agreements in agile:
1. Daily stand-up meetings: The team agrees to have daily stand-up meetings to discuss progress, impediments, and plans for the day. These meetings are time-boxed to 15 minutes to ensure that they are focused and efficient.
2. Communication: The team defines how they will communicate with each other, including the tools and channels they will use to share information and updates.
3. Definition of Done: The team establishes a Definition of Done (DoD) that defines the criteria for a story or task to be considered complete.
4. Roles and responsibilities: The team clarifies the roles and responsibilities of each team member to avoid confusion and ensure that everyone is working towards the same goal.
5. Continuous improvement: The team agrees to regularly evaluate their working agreement and processes to identify areas for improvement.
Working agreements in agile are not set in stone. They can be updated and adjusted as needed to ensure that the team is working efficiently towards their goals. They are designed to facilitate communication, collaboration, and productivity, thereby improving the overall quality of work.
In conclusion, a working agreement in agile is an essential tool for ensuring that teams work together efficiently and effectively. It establishes clear rules and guidelines that the team members agree to follow to achieve their goals. By establishing a working agreement in agile, teams can build trust, improve communication, and deliver high-quality work.