Learning Outcomes
After completing this article, you will be able to define and explain the four core values and twelve principles of Agile project management. You will distinguish Agile from traditional approaches, outline the Agile mindset, and describe how principles are applied in PMP scenarios. You will also be able to answer PMP-style questions on Agile methods, values, and common team practices.
PMP Syllabus
For PMP, you are required to understand the core values, principles, and mindset of Agile project management, and apply them in exam scenarios. Specifically, you should:
- Explain the four values of the Agile Manifesto.
- Describe the twelve principles supporting Agile approaches.
- Understand the concept of the Agile mindset and its importance in project delivery.
- Recognize the practical application of Agile values and principles to project teamwork, customer collaboration, and change response.
- Identify differences between Agile (adaptive) and predictive project management approaches.
- Understand and apply typical Agile team practices such as face-to-face communication, self-organization, and iterative delivery.
- Practically identify when to apply Agile principles, values, and methods to PMP scenario questions.
Test Your Knowledge
Attempt these questions before reading this article. If you find some difficult or cannot remember the answers, remember to look more closely at that area during your revision.
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Which of the following is NOT a core value of the Agile Manifesto?
- Processes and tools over individuals and interactions
- Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
- Responding to change over following a plan
- Working software over comprehensive documentation
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Which principle from the Agile Manifesto focuses on continuous improvement after regular reflection?
- Deliver working software frequently
- Simplicity—the art of maximizing the amount of work not done
- At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior
- Business people and developers must work together daily
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In Agile, what is the preferred way to convey information within a development team?
- Detailed documentation
- Status reports
- Face-to-face conversation
- Weekly conference calls
Introduction
Agile project management is a mindset and collection of values and principles designed for delivering value in environments with high uncertainty or fast change. Agile emerged from software development, where requirements are often not fully known at the outset, but it is now used across many industries. The Agile Manifesto outlines the values and principles that guide this approach. Understanding these is essential for PMP candidates.
What is Agile?
Agile is a philosophy based on adaptive planning, evolutionary development, early delivery, and continuous improvement. Agile prioritizes flexibility and customer satisfaction when delivering project outcomes.
Key Term: Agile Manifesto A brief declaration of four values and twelve guiding principles for Agile project management, originally created in 2001 for software development, but now widely applied in many project environments.
The Agile Mindset
The Agile mindset is an attitude of openness to change, collaboration, and continuous learning. It values people, learning from feedback, and delivering value rapidly.
Key Term: Agile Mindset The attitude that prioritizes adaptability, collaboration, transparency, and quick value, and underpins Agile values and principles.
The Four Agile Values
The Agile Manifesto states that "while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more:"
- Individuals and interactions over processes and tools: People and their communication are considered the most important asset for success.
- Working product over comprehensive documentation: Delivering functional outputs is prioritized over producing extensive paperwork.
- Customer collaboration over contract negotiation: Meeting the customer’s real needs and getting feedback is more important than simply sticking to a contract.
- Responding to change over following a plan: Agile projects accept that change will happen and see it as an opportunity, not a problem.
Key Term: Agile Values Four central beliefs in Agile: prioritize people, working output, customer collaboration, and responsiveness to change.
The Twelve Agile Principles
These principles provide practical guidance for Agile teams. For the PMP, you should be able to recognize and recall them in scenario questions.
- Customer satisfaction: The highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable product.
- Welcome changing requirements: Even late in development, Agile teams harness change for the customer's advantage.
- Frequent delivery: Deliver working outputs frequently, from every few weeks to every few months, with a shorter timescale preferred.
- Collaboration: Business people and developers (or the delivery team and business/customer) must work together daily.
- Motivated individuals: Build projects around motivated people. Give them the environment and support they need and trust them to get the job done.
- Face-to-face conversation: This is the most efficient and effective method of conveying information.
- Working product as a primary measure of progress: Output should be tangible and useful at all times.
- Sustainable pace: Agile teams, sponsors, developers, and users maintain a constant, sustainable pace indefinitely.
- Technical excellence and good design: Continuous attention enhances the team’s ability to be Agile.
- Simplicity: Focus on minimizing unnecessary work.
- Self-organizing teams: The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from these teams.
- Reflect and adjust: At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.
Key Term: Agile Principles Twelve actionable guidelines forming the basis of Agile practice, focusing on early delivery, ongoing feedback, collaboration, and adaptability.
Worked Example 1.1
A product development team uses Agile for a new mobile application. The requirements change frequently as user feedback is received. The team has face-to-face meetings every morning, the product owner attends, and new features are delivered every two weeks.
Which Agile values and principles are visible in this scenario?
Answer: Individuals and interactions (daily meetings), customer collaboration (product owner present for feedback), and responding to change (frequent updates to requirements). Principles visible include frequent delivery, regular collaboration, and continuous improvement via meetings.
Practical Application of Agile Values and Principles
Agile approaches favor:
- Short, regular cycles of work.
- Regular feedback from customers or end users.
- Teams that are empowered to decide how best to deliver their work.
- Adaptability if requirements, priorities, or conditions change.
Agile does NOT mean lack of planning or constant chaos. Agile teams still plan, but they expect to update plans as new information emerges.
Exam Warning
Some PMP questions may try to trap you into thinking Agile projects have "no plan" or "avoid documentation." Agile values plans and necessary documentation, but focuses effort on what delivers customer value. Do not choose answers suggesting Agile ignores planning or documentation entirely.
Applying the Agile Mindset
The Agile mindset leads teams to:
- Value transparency, honesty, and open communication.
- Encourage trial, learning, and safe failure (fail fast, adjust rapidly).
- Prioritize rapid delivery of value—even if it’s a small amount.
- Reflect and improve regularly.
Common Team Practices Reflecting Agile Principles
- Face-to-face communication: Even with virtual tools, real-time conversation is fastest for resolving confusion.
- Self-organizing teams: Staff decide together who does what and how to achieve goals.
- Short feedback and learning cycles: Demonstrate progress often and adjust based on what is learned.
- Continuous customer involvement: Frequently confirm product features meet real needs.
Agile vs. Predictive Approaches
Agile is most suitable when:
- Requirements are unclear or likely to change.
- Customer feedback is critical to product success.
- Projects benefit from incremental value (delivering in parts).
Predictive (waterfall/traditional) is most suitable when:
- Requirements are stable and clearly defined.
- The process is repeated and well-known.
- Changes are unlikely and disruptive.
Key Term: Predictive Approach A plan-driven, linear project management method where scope, schedule, and cost are defined and controlled from the start.
Revision Tip
Memorize the four Agile values and be able to paraphrase each of the twelve Agile principles. Expect exam scenarios requiring you to identify which value or principle is (or is not) being applied.
Worked Example 1.2
A software delivery team receives a change request late in the project. The customer explains the reason for the change is new regulations.
How would an Agile team respond versus a predictive team?
Answer: The Agile team welcomes late changes, sees regulatory changes as new requirements, and plans how to deliver them in the next cycle. The predictive team may resist the change, referencing baseline protection, and may trigger formal change control procedures.
Summary
Agile project management prioritizes customer value, fast and frequent delivery, positive and collaborative teams, and responding to new information. The Agile Manifesto's values and principles guide decision-making in uncertain, competitive environments and are central to PMP assessment. Agile is not just a method or framework, but a mindset applied by the whole project team.
Key Point Checklist
This article has covered the following key knowledge points:
- Agile management is guided by four values (people, working output, customer collaboration, change response).
- Twelve principles provide actionable Agile guidance—focus on value, adaptability, regular delivery, and improvement.
- Agile projects expect and accept change and value feedback loops over upfront rigidity.
- The Agile mindset stresses adaptability, learning, and empowering teams.
- Agile is not an absence of planning, but planning with regular adjustment.
- Agile is typically best for projects with evolving requirements or fast feedback cycles.
- Both values and principles are actively tested in PMP scenario questions.
Key Terms and Concepts
- Agile Manifesto
- Agile Mindset
- Agile Values
- Agile Principles
- Predictive Approach
