Valuing Agile

1 Introduction to Agile

As set out in the Manifesto for Agile Software Development in 2001, the Agile philosophy prescribes an approach to solution development and project management that accepts change and responds to the needs of customers. It belongs to a wider movement (including Lean, Design Thinking and Beyond Budgeting) that shares these values together with a desire to deliver value amidst uncertainty. Exploring the Agile approach leads to a better understanding of how financial practices founded on command-and-control principles (e.g. budgetary controls) are actually inhibiting innovation. Accordingly, there is a need for an Agile financial approach to project appraisal that includes a more holistic and adaptive performance assessment ...