Agile is considered to be a repetitive method for executing software delivery. In the Agile approach, the aim is to develop software in small increments by taking into consideration important feedback from the environment. It is different from the conventional approaches, such as the Waterfall methodology because the complete solution is not delivered at once.
1. Lack Of Trust And Miscommunication Among Team Members
A team project is easily killed when there is little trust among members. The Agile approach involves multiple dynamic pieces and members need to work with new features on a week-to-week basis. This can ultimately result in miscommunication. If there is lack of transparency in the work method, the Agile project could easily fall apart. Hence, members would have to commit to realistic deadlines and work together to achieve common goals.
2. Inadequate Experience In Using Agile Methods
According to the results of surveys on agile projects and their implementation, the lack of sufficient knowledge and experience in applying basic agile techniques, is one of the primary reasons for failure of agile projects. Hence, it is critical for organizations to make an investment in competent coaching and concrete foundational training that can help team members apply agile techniques with greater efficiency.
3. Poor Leadership
Strong leadership is extremely important for managing an Agile project. The chosen Scrum Master (project leader) should be someone who has the skill, knowledge, and experience of leading, supervising ,and executing follow-ups on projects. He/she should be able to eliminate any obstructions that develop during the project and pose a threat to its progress. It is also crucial for an Agile Scrum Master to be able to provide spontaneous coaching to the clients and stakeholders and keep all politics and distractions away from the project team.
4. Insufficient Management Support
It is usually the inadequate support from middle management that leads to the failure of an Agile project. Agile transformations typically get a lot of support and enthusiasm from team members and executives. It is the middle level management i.e. the resource managers, program and project managers, who feel that they are being sandwiched in between a messy change. Hence, poor executive guidance results in the Agile projects falling apart.
5. No Guidance From Product Owner
The owner of the product needs to have a proper product vision, domain expertise and technical knowledge. He/she has the responsibility of engaging with the development team, end users and guide them towards a desirable business solution. If the product owner takes a back seat and offers poor or no guidance, the risk of project failure automatically increases.
6. No Project Definition
Another common reason why Agile projects fail is because the project is not thoroughly defined. An abstract proposition and incomplete requirements can easily kill an Agile project.
7. There Are No ‘Best Practices’ In Agile
The bad news is that Agile does not follow any ‘best practices’ like other traditional approaches. So it is possible for there to be, a vast difference in the methodologies followed by two separate departments, thus resulting in failure.
