Agile Frameworks/Methodologies · Topic 1 of 4
When to Use an Adaptive Approach
When an adaptive approach fits for CAPM: the Agile Manifesto, pros and cons versus predictive, suitable structures, and helpful OPAs and EEFs.
- 4 min
- Adaptive suits uncertain or changing requirements and early value.
- Four Manifesto values: individuals and interactions, working software, customer collaboration, responding to change.
- Items on the right still have value; the left is valued more.
What it is
An adaptive (agile) approach delivers a product in short iterations, refining scope as the team and customer learn. It fits when requirements are uncertain or likely to change, and when early feedback and early value matter.
The ideas behind agile are summarized in the Agile Manifesto (2001): four values and twelve principles.
How it works
The Agile Manifesto values
The Manifesto values the items on the left more than the items on the right. The items on the right still have value.
| Valued more | Valued less |
|---|---|
| Individuals and interactions | Processes and tools |
| Working software | Comprehensive documentation |
| Customer collaboration | Contract negotiation |
| Responding to change | Following a plan |
Its principles include satisfying the customer through early and continuous delivery, welcoming changing requirements, delivering frequently, daily collaboration between business people and developers, face-to-face conversation, sustainable pace, technical excellence, simplicity, self-organizing teams and regular reflection.
Adaptive versus predictive
| Adaptive | Predictive | |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements | Emerge and change | Defined early |
| Delivery | Small increments, often | Mostly at the end |
| Change | Welcomed and expected | Controlled through change requests |
| Customer involvement | Continuous | Mainly at start and end |
| Planning | Progressive, every iteration | Detailed, up front |
| Risk of building the wrong thing | Lower, thanks to early feedback | Higher if requirements were wrong |
Pros of adaptive: early value, fast feedback, flexibility, visible progress, lower risk of building the wrong thing. Cons of adaptive: harder to fix total scope, cost and date up front; needs frequent customer involvement; less suited to work that cannot be split or that has strict regulatory documentation.
Organizational structure
| Structure | Effect on adaptive work |
|---|---|
| Colocated | Ideal: face-to-face collaboration and fast communication |
| Virtual | Possible with good collaboration tools and agreed working hours |
| Matrix | Works if team members are dedicated enough and managers support it |
| Hierarchical | Can slow decisions; agile needs empowered teams |
OPAs and EEFs that help
- Organizational process assets (OPAs) are the organization's own plans, processes, templates and knowledge bases. Helpful OPAs include agile templates, lessons learned from earlier agile projects and flexible governance policies.
- Enterprise environmental factors (EEFs) are conditions outside the team's control. Helpful EEFs include a culture that accepts change and experimentation, leadership support, collaboration tools and customers willing to give frequent feedback.
A worked example: a bank wants a new mobile feature, but customers' needs are unclear and competitors move fast. The bank has a supportive culture and product owners available every week. An adaptive approach fits: deliver a small version, learn from users and adapt.
Uncertain requirements, a need for early feedback and a fast changing market all point to adaptive. Fixed specifications and a high cost of change point to predictive.
How the exam asks about this
- "Which Agile Manifesto value is valued more than following a plan?" Responding to change.
- "Requirements are unclear and the customer wants to see progress early. Which approach?" Adaptive.
- "Which factor is an enterprise environmental factor?" For example, the organization's culture.
What to remember for the exam
- Adaptive suits uncertain or changing requirements and early value.
- Four Manifesto values: individuals and interactions, working software, customer collaboration, responding to change.
- Items on the right still have value; the left is valued more.
- Colocated teams are ideal; virtual teams need good tools.
- OPAs are internal assets; EEFs are conditions outside the team's control.
Agile does not mean no documentation or no planning. It means just enough documentation and planning that repeats every iteration.
Common mistakes
Saying agile rejects documentation. It values working software more, not documentation zero.
Choosing adaptive for a fixed spec, high cost of change project. That fits predictive.
Mixing up OPAs and EEFs. OPAs belong to the organization; EEFs are conditions around the project.
Check yourself
Name the four values of the Agile Manifesto.
Individuals and interactions over processes and tools, working software over comprehensive documentation, customer collaboration over contract negotiation, responding to change over following a plan.
Give one disadvantage of an adaptive approach.
For example, it is harder to fix the total scope, cost and date up front.
What is the difference between OPAs and EEFs?
OPAs are the organization's own processes and knowledge; EEFs are conditions not under the team's control, such as culture.
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