Debunking Common Myths About Agile

If you’ve spent any time in the world of agility, you’ve probably encountered your fair share of myths. Despite its widespread adoption, agile remains one of the most misunderstood approaches to work. These misconceptions can lead to misaligned teams, frustrated leaders, and the kind of chaos that makes people throw up their hands and say, “Agile doesn’t work!”

Having worked agile since 2003, I’ve seen these myths surface repeatedly. It’s time to bust them once and for all so you can use agile the way it was intended—effectively and impactfully.

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Myth 1: Agile Is Just Scrum

Ask someone what agile is, and chances are they’ll describe Scrum: daily standups, sprints, and maybe a backlog or two. But here’s the things: Scrum is only one of many frameworks under the agile umbrella.

Agile is a mindset—a set of values and principles, some of which are outlined in the Agile Manifesto. While Scrum is the most popular framework, other approaches like Kanban, XP (Extreme Programming), and Lean are equally valid. Each has its strengths and is suited to different kinds of work.

Take Kanban, for instance, which focuses on visualizing work and limiting work-in-progress. It’s great for teams that need flexibility without the rigidity of sprints. Agile is so much more than a single framework—it’s about finding what works best for your team.

Read about the aspect of assuming positive intent in agility in How Positive Intent Transforms Agile Team Dynamics for Better Productivity​

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Myth 2: Agile Only Works for Software

Agile has its roots in software development, but its principles are universal. At its core, agile is about adaptability, collaboration, and delivering value to customers—all concepts that can apply far beyond the tech world.

Marketing teams use agile to run campaigns iteratively, adjusting strategies based on real-time feedback. In education, agile methods help teachers tailor lessons to students’ needs (see for example Scrum at School). Even HR departments are adopting agile to improve recruitment processes and employee engagement.

I've worked with many clients in non-software industries like automotive, finance, telecommunication, construction, and space. They all benefited from becoming more agile.

Marc Andreessen famously said "software is eating the world". But what actually happens is that "agile is eating the world" – software just was the first industry to adopt it.

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Myth 3: Agile Is About Moving Fast

Agility is often mistaken for speed, but that’s not the goal. True agility is about being responsive to change and delivering value incrementally—not rushing headlong into chaos.

Imagine a team that races to complete features without considering customer feedback. Sure, they’re “fast,” but are they delivering value? Probably not. Agile emphasizes working at a sustainable pace, ensuring quality and alignment with customer needs at every step.

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Myth 4: Agile Means No Planning or Structure

This myth makes project managers break out in a cold sweat. The truth? Agile doesn’t eliminate planning; it transforms how we plan. Instead of creating a rigid, long-term plan upfront, agile uses iterative planning to adapt as the work evolves.

Instead of investing our energy into trying to predict the future with detailed upfront planning, we invest our energy into methods and structures that help us deal with an inherently uncertain future.

Take the product backlog in Scrum—a living document that evolves based on priorities and customer feedback. Agile planning meetings, like sprint planning and reviews, ensure the team stays aligned while remaining flexible. Agile thrives on structure—it’s just a different kind.

Read about one often overlooked aspect about agility and structure in The Hidden Flaw in Your Agile Transformation​

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Myth 5: Agile Is Just a Buzzword

In recent years, agile has become a corporate buzzword, slapped onto everything from team meetings to coffee runs. This has made many people cynical about its effectiveness. But here’s the thing: when practiced correctly, agile is anything but a buzzword. It’s a proven approach to delivering value.

Agile frameworks and principles have been around for decades, helping teams succeed in complex, fast-changing environments. What’s needed is a genuine understanding of agile—not just the jargon.

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Conclusion

Agile myths persist because they’re often easier to believe than to investigate. But understanding what agile truly is—and isn’t—can make all the difference for your team’s success. Agile isn’t Scrum, it’s not just for software, and it’s definitely not about chaos. It’s about adaptability, collaboration, and delivering value.

Know someone who might still be caught up in these myths? Share this article with your colleagues to help them discover what agility is really all about!