In February 2001, a group of 17 software pioneers met in a ski lodge in Snowbird, Utah. They were tired. Not of coding, but of battling heavyweight processes—endless documentation, rigid contracts, delayed feedback, and failed projects. From that frustration, they wrote a short but powerful statement that became the Agile Manifesto—a declaration that transformed the way we think about work, teams, and value delivery.
As Agile coaches, understanding the why behind this document is essential. Because at its heart, the Manifesto isn't just a historical artifact—it's a compass that still guides us when frameworks get heavy, processes lose meaning, or teams forget the human side of agility.
Why Was the Agile Manifesto Created?
By the late 1990s, traditional software development—often following the Waterfall model—had become painfully slow and unresponsive. Here’s what was common:
Massive up-front planning (months, sometimes years)
Rigid phases: gather all requirements, then design, then code, then test
Customers only saw the product at the end—too late to pivot
Many projects were over budget, late, or completely unused
The 17 signatories had already been experimenting with alternatives: Scrum, XP (Extreme Programming), Crystal, DSDM, and others. But they realized they shared common values that cut across methods. The Agile Manifesto was born as a shared mindset, not a method or framework.
The 4 Agile Values – and the Pain They Solved
Let’s be real: every value in the Agile Manifesto exists because something in the old way was broken. Here’s the original value—plus the pain it fixed.
1. Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
Pain: Rigid processes led to delays. People couldn’t adapt fast.
Agile Fix: Empower the team. Let conversations drive collaboration and change.
2. Working software over comprehensive documentation
Pain: Teams spent months writing docs, but users couldn’t use anything.
Agile Fix: Show real software early. Let value—not paperwork—do the talking.
3. Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
Pain: Locked-down contracts left no room for change.
Agile Fix: Continuous customer input ensures relevance, not rework.
4. Responding to change over following a plan
Pain: Plans became outdated fast.
Agile Fix: Agile teams embrace learning. Change is a feature, not a bug.
Timeline: How the Agile Movement Unfolded
Here’s a quick journey through the milestones that shaped the Agile landscape:
The 12 Agile Principles: What Pain Does Each Solve?
Each principle is a direct antidote to a problem with old-school delivery. Here’s what they solve:
For Agile Coaches: How This Helps You
As an Agile coach, the Agile Manifesto is your foundation:
Reconnect teams to purpose: Values and principles > process checklists
Explain “why Agile” with historical clarity
Coach beyond the framework: Scrum, SAFe, LeSS—tools. Agile Manifesto—mindset.
Defend agility against bureaucracy: Use history to prevent regression
Diagnose dysfunctions: Each value and principle reflects a pain point. Where's your team stuck?
Final Thoughts: The Manifesto Is Still Your North Star
Agile was never about rituals or tools. It was—and is—about better ways of working in a world of complexity and change. The Agile Manifesto may have been written in 2001, but for Agile coaches guiding teams today, its wisdom is timeless.
Use it to coach with purpose, not just practice.
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