As an agile coach, I am using idea’s coming from multiple methologies. I started this coaching 8 years ago and my first agile book I read more then 10 years ago. As a result I mix terminology when talking about agile.
This week I was told I should not use “demo” when talking about scrum. Although I personally like the word demo (It’s the same word in Dutch, French, English, the three languages in which I am coaching) I do understand that it creates confusion among clients. And yes it’s better when everyone uses the same terminology when talking about the same thing.
As I wanted to be sure to stop doing that, I created a document with the correct scrum terminology. (These days I mainly coach scrum)
Then I realized that I’m not the only person who might be interested in it.
Here is the document: agile words
Will you help me in adding more words?
I have added extra column so you can add words for
- Crystal Clear
- EVO
- FDD
- DSDM
- XP
- … >> feel free to add a column to add others
Yes in a later stage we should add links explain. It might even become part of the scrum alliance agile atlas or agile alliance guide to agile practises or anywhere else, that is for later versions.
Feel free to steal it.
Yves
4 comments on “agile terminology”
I kept a spreadsheet of terms while studying for a certification. Epuld you be interested in seeing it?
Nice one Yves.
Interesting how confusing the terminology is. And if you added ITIL or ISM it would look worse. (No, I don’t wish to contribute.)
It’s fascinating that tools like Kanban are even considered (as if Gantt charts had their own terminology outside of Project Management)
And I’ll have to look up some of the other acronyms. 🙂
Where’s “Agile”?
Cheers, Paul
Hi Paul,
agile does not exist as a methodology. The agile manifesto was created by people who created some of these methodologies and looked for what united them as a mindset.
For Kanban you are confusing the tool and the methodology. The tool kanban was created as part of lean, kanban as a methodology is much more then that.
To add to the confusion is Personal Kanban, which is a personal productivty methodology that many people think is only focussing on just the tool kanban. Yet that is wrong too.
I would advice you to read the Personal Kanban book from Jim Benson. I think you will love it.
Hi Yves;
Thanks for the reply.
I’m “old fashioned” enough that I think of Kanban as a tool used by Toyota for car production. Once these concepts get co-opted by others for other purposes then I lose track.
Happily my car in my driveway is still a car to me even though others may call it a horseless carriage.
Cheers, Paul