5 Agile Values incl. Retrospective Template

You just searched Google for “5 Agile Values” and want to know what the five agile principles are and how you can integrate them into your daily agile routine? 

Great, then you’ve landed in the right place.

With the Scrum method and agile working, a unique as well as effective way of working has been created. The team members are the focus of attention. To be able to check whether the team is on the right path. 

The 5 Scrum values support an environment that creates exactly that - success!

The 5 Scrum Values I am talking about are “Focus, Openness, Courage, Commitment and Respect”. Why the 5 Scrum Values are so important is easy to explain…

Scrum Value: Openness

• Scrum and Agile mean teamwork. There is hardly a more important aspect of teamwork than openness. This can be interpreted in two directions. First of all, it is incredibly important to be open about one’s own work steps and failures/successes. Only in this way can a clear analysis of the status quo happen and potential for improvement be revealed. However, it is equally important to be open to improvement. Only when openness works in both directions and you don’t feel threatened by your team in any way you can grow together.

Scrum Value: Courage

• Courage as one of the 5 Agile Values goes in a similar direction as openness. Because only if there is the courage to address issues and try out new things the interaction in a team can function in the long term. Personally, I like to say courage to openness and openness to courage. It is incredibly important to see “courage” as a gift rather than an obstacle, even if topics are sometimes addressed that make you rather uncomfortable.

Scrum Value: Respect

• The first two Agile Values only work, of course, if the necessary respect prevails within the team. Respect in this context means consideration in every respect. Within the team, one must take into account the strengths and weaknesses, the quirks and edges of every individual. Only in this way is it possible not to stand in each other’s way as a team, but to achieve what one could never achieve alone. If the collaboration in your team often feels a bit bumpy, it may well be because the necessary level of respect is missing.

Scrum Value: Focus

• Focus or clarity is the basis for effective work. Everyone knows the feeling of being overwhelmed by too many tasks and not being able to see a clear path to the goal. This is exactly what a clear focus is supposed to do. Even though teamwork is a central part of agile working, this value of the 5 Agile Values is the one that can make even the “solo work phases” an absolute success or even a bumpy road.

Scrum Value: Commitment

• What good are all the values if you don’t stand behind them? What good are all the good plans and tasks if you don’t take them seriously? - Nothing! And that is exactly why it is so important that the individual members of the team are committed. Commitment is something that cannot be demanded, but rather something that arises when the needs of each individual are met. Usually, a lack of commitment is a sign that one of the previously mentioned values is not on solid ground. You have no focus, don’t feel respected in the team, or problems aren’t even addressed because openness or courage are lacking? - Of course you’re not committed then!

Health Check Retro: The 5 Agile Values

I think it is now clear which 5 agile values exist and why the 5 agile values are important. The fact that the 5 Agile Values are part of team health can also be easily derived from this. - But how can you regularly check whether the 5 Agile Values are still in harmony? - We asked ourselves exactly this question and developed our own retrospective template based on it:

Note: This retrospective format asks for agreement with the given Health Check items on a scale.

• Courage: We value people showing courage.

• Respect: We value each other’s ideas, even when disagreeing.

• Commitment: Every team member is committed to follow through on what they have promised.

• Focus: We don’t allow ourselves to be distracted from reaching the sprint goal.

• Openness: We are open to constructive feedback and grow from it.

As you can already see from the graphic, the “Health Check Retro: The 5 Agile Values” is a somewhat unconventional retrospective. Here, the individual questions are initially not answered with self-formulated responses, but via a scale (Poor - Very Good). Based on the mood within the team, you can then focus on and reflect on the corresponding values of the 5 Agile Values.

 

If you want to see more Retrospective Templates this article is surely interesting for you: 22 Refreshing Agile Retrospective Templates in 2023