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That's pretty much the gist of it. The ideals of "agile" (or really just Scrum for the majority of people) aren't what most developers rail against. It's how tightly the "how" is defined and acclaimed as the "one true way", despite authors repeatedly writing it isn't, and despite proof of software projects having done just fine otherwise. Which then saps the energy of many participants, making them less likely to do what they would do otherwise.

I've never heard opponents go "communication doesn't matter", yet the moment we talk about taking down these meetings, that's the first kneejerk most proponents I spoke to reach for. As if being against standups is indicative of thinking poorly of communication. Same goes for specification of goals, cooperating to keep everyone going strong, and improving to make things less of a drag. Is there so little faith in basic human intelligence and cooperation, that this one method is the only way we silly developers can be redeemed?

Now we have a bunch of people who haven't touched code in multiple years parroting what the consultants sold them and trying to talk their way out of aforementioned proof. Or they make claims like "well but it is better now!", as if their previous methodology wasn't so horrible they could've thrown a dart and very likely get a better result.




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