Agile Principles

What are the Agile Principles?

There are 12 agile principles outlined in The Agile Manifesto in addition to the 4 agile values. These 12 principles for agile software development help establish the tenets of the agile mindset. They are not a set of rules for practicing agile, but a handful of principles to help instill agile thinking.

Below we will review each of the 12 agile principles and describe how they may be practiced.

‍

1. Prioritize Customer Value with Continuous Delivery

"Deliver early and often" is the mantra here. Instead of waiting months for a big release, Agile encourages teams to release usable features frequently and gather real feedback.

In action:

• Launching MVPs to validate ideas
• Using rapid iterations to deliver improvements
• Incorporating user feedback into each release

2. Embrace Change at Any Stage

Agile values flexibility. Changing priorities or requirements mid-project isn't a failure—it’s an opportunity.

In action:

• Revisiting the backlog as new data comes in
• Adjusting roadmap priorities based on market signals
• Keeping execs and stakeholders informed of strategic shifts

3. Deliver Working Software Frequently

Short development cycles reduce risk and increase learning. This principle pushes teams to break down work into manageable chunks.

In action:

• 2-week sprints with shippable outcomes
• Continuous deployment pipelines
• Frequent demos and internal reviews

4. Foster Daily Collaboration Between Business and Dev Teams

Alignment happens when product managers, engineers, and stakeholders are in sync.

In action:

• Daily standups
• Product managers embedded in dev teams
• Shared sprint goals and check-ins

5. Build Projects Around Motivated People

Trust is a core part of Agile. Equip people with the tools and context they need—and then let them lead the way.

In action:

• Empowering teams to solve problems independently
• Focusing on outcomes, not micromanagement
• Providing support, not step-by-step instructions

6. Communicate Face-to-Face Whenever Possible

Real-time communication leads to fewer misunderstandings and faster decisions.

In action:

• Video calls over emails for important discussions
• Real-time collaboration tools like Slack, Miro, or Jamboard
• Remote retrospectives and planning sessions

7. Measure Progress Through Working Software

Shipped features—not polished documents—should be the primary output of a sprint.

In action:

• Prioritizing minimal viable features
• Avoiding over-engineering or unnecessary specs
• Rapid prototyping and testing

8. Promote Sustainable Development

Teams need to maintain a consistent, healthy pace to avoid burnout.

In action:

• Estimating capacity realistically
• Saying “no” to last-minute work mid-sprint
• Encouraging psychological safety and healthy work hours

9. Invest in Technical Excellence

Technical debt may be invisible, but its impact is real. Agile teams aim to keep the codebase clean and maintainable.

In action:

• Allocating sprint time to refactoring
• Pair programming and code reviews
• Regular testing and automation improvements

10. Keep It Simple

Don’t build more than what’s necessary. The best teams know how to trim the fat.

In action:

• Ruthless prioritization of the product backlog
• Lean MVPs instead of fully-featured launches
• A/B testing to validate ideas before scaling

11. Empower Self-Organizing Teams

Agile teams perform best when they take ownership. Leaders support the team—but don’t dictate every move.

In action:

• Autonomous squads with clear goals
• Distributed decision-making
• Roles defined by the team, not just top-down

12. Reflect Regularly and Improve

Retrospectives are where teams evolve. Agile teams are always looking for ways to get better.

In action:

• Regular retros after every sprint
• Trying new workflows or tools
• Open conversations about what’s not working

Final Thoughts

Agile principles give teams a framework to move fast, stay aligned, and improve continuously. They’re not just for software teams—they’re adaptable to any team that values collaboration and innovation.

Whether you're running retrospectives with RetroTeam.ai, building products, or iterating on internal processes, living these 12 principles can elevate how your team works together.

FAQ

What are Agile principles?
They are 12 guiding philosophies defined in the Agile Manifesto that encourage flexibility, collaboration, and continuous improvement in team workflows.

Are Agile principles only for software development?
No. Agile started in software but is now used in product management, marketing, operations, and other fields.

How do you apply Agile principles in a remote team?
Use video calls, collaboration tools, asynchronous updates, and regular retrospectives to maintain alignment and communication.

Why is simplicity a key Agile principle?
Because focusing only on the highest-impact work helps teams move faster, test ideas quickly, and avoid wasted effort.

What’s the best way to reflect and improve regularly?
Hold retrospectives after each sprint. Encourage open dialogue, identify friction points, and act on small changes that lead to big improvements.

Ready to practice these principles in your retrospectives?
Try RetroTeam.ai to make every retrospective more actionable, engaging, and data-driven.

‍