The article from the UCL Centre for Advanced Research Computing (ARC) discusses the adaptation of the Agile Manifesto’s principles—originally crafted for software development in commercial settings—into the domain of digital research. This adaptation aims to align these principles better with the contemporary context of research projects at ARC, involving fields such as research software engineering, data science, data stewardship, and research infrastructure development.
The initiative for this realignment arose from regular Agile Training sessions held at UCL’s ARC for their senior Collaborations team staff. These trainings sparked discussions around the wording of the Agile Manifesto which further extended into two specific “Collaboration Hour” sessions, supplemented by dialogues over Slack, emails, and an internal commenting period on a draft of the article. The objective is to reduce cognitive dissonance arising from applying the original commercially-centric language of the Agile Manifesto to the research context, thereby facilitating easier application of these principles to manage ARC’s collaboration projects.
The Agile Manifesto, originated in February 2001, was a response to the cumbersome, documentation-heavy software development processes of the time. It emphasized a cultural shift within organizations and teams towards values based on trust, respect, and collaboration, essential for successful implementation of Agile methodologies. The Manifesto includes four core Agile values and twelve principles which advocate for frequent delivery of valuable software, embracing change, and continuous improvement among other aspects.
In adapting these values and principles to a research setting, the article notes that terms like ‘end user’ used in the original Manifesto do not accurately reflect the stakeholders in research projects. Instead, terms like ‘collaborators’ and ‘research outcomes’ are suggested as more appropriate. This change not only addresses terminology but also the unique challenges and risks associated with research projects in 2024. The ARC discussions highlighted the need to reword the principles to make them relevant to the research context, focusing on collaboration, frequent delivery of meaningful research outputs, and maintaining sustainable work paces without compromising the intensity required to meet deadlines.
The changes proposed in the ARC’s adaptation of the Agile values and principles include:
1. Shifting the focus from satisfying a customer with software to achieving research outcomes through meaningful collaboration.
2. Encouraging the embrace of changing research requirements at any stage of the project to benefit collaborative research outcomes.
3. Preferring shorter timescales in delivering meaningful research outputs frequently.
4. Promoting daily cooperation between domain experts and research technology professionals.
5. Maintaining face-to-face (or synchronous) conversations as the most effective form of communication within research teams.
6. Shifting the primary measure of progress from working software to research outputs.
7. Encouraging continuous attention to technical excellence and good design to enhance agility in a research setting.
8. Keeping simplicity at the core of processes to maximize efficiency.
9. Supporting self-organizing teams in developing the best architectures, requirements, and designs.
10. Regularly reflecting on and tuning team behavior to enhance effectiveness.
The article reflects a thoughtful consideration of how Agile methodologies, predominantly used in commercial tech environments, can be reinterpreted and effectively implemented in the realm of academic and research-focused projects. By rewording and realigning the Agile values and principles, ARC aims to foster an organizational culture that supports collaboration, continuous improvement, and effectively managed research projects. The invitation for feedback from the community suggests an ongoing commitment to refining these adaptations, rooted in real-world application and feedback. This initiative exemplifies how foundational business principles can be thoughtfully adapted to meet the evolving needs of research and academia, potentially setting a precedent for other research institutions.
Read the full post on blogs.ucl.ac.uk
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