What is a increment?
Agile methods are standard in software development and are expected to produce results. The Scrum guide defines these results as increments. Scrum is an agile and lightweight framework. A manager in the software industry highlighted that her organization utilizes agile methods. However, she is interested in documenting the workshop outcomes rather than just engaging in agile discussions.
I believe that embracing agile methods is about generating business value across all aspects of the business.
Scrum Guide
The Scrum Guide 2020 describes the term of the Increment:
Increment
An Increment is a concrete stepping stone toward the Product Goal. Each Increment is additive to all prior Increments and thoroughly verified, ensuring that all Increments work together. To provide value, the Increment must be usable. Multiple Increments may be created within a Sprint. The sum of the Increments is presented at the Sprint Review thus supporting empiricism. However, an Increment may be delivered to stakeholders prior to the end of the Sprint. The Sprint Review should never be considered a gate to releasing value. Work cannot be considered part of an Increment unless it meets the Definition of Done (Scrum Guide#increment).
Conclusion
Sprint strives to create something of value that aligns with the organization’s or product’s mission.
Incorporating agile methods into other areas of knowledge work is an idea worth considering. When using agile methods, it’s important to note that they do not prohibit the creation of diagrams. The primary focus is on ensuring that the outcome is valuable and aligns with the overall mission. In traditional finance, business value is often measured in terms of profits and cost contribution. However, German drugstore DM has introduced a concept called “valuation accounting or value-development accounting (Wertbildungsrechnung)”, which takes into account a broader range of factors than just profit maximization. This approach has the potential to lead to more sustainable and resilient business models in the medium and long term (Next-U Werbildungsrechnung).
Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time, describes:
At its root, Scrum is based on a simple idea: whenever you start a project, why not regularly check in, see if what you’re doing is heading in the right direction, and if it’s actually what people want? And question whether there are any ways to improve how you’re doing what you’re doing, any ways of doing it better and faster, and what might be keeping you from doing that.
Sutherland, Jeff; Sutherland, J.J.. Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time (English Edition) (S.9). Random House. Kindle-Version.
By design, agile methods are inherently valuable and mission-oriented, compelling organizations to achieve meaningful deliverables just like software documentation (Forgotten Knowledge).
Returning to the manager’s statement, it’s crucial to debunk the misconception that agile methods prohibit intermediate results or documentation. However, each increment must consistently add value to the iteration goal or the organization’s mission. The challenge lies in accurately determining the business value.