Short #4 How to be sustainable in Agile?

Agility focuses on generating value for our customers and users, but it should never be at the expense of harming our ecosystem. It's the first value in the Agile Sustainability Manifesto. (Don't forget to sign it)

In our constantly evolving society, what was once acceptable or not even considered has now become non-negotiable. However, environmental impact is still somewhat lagging behind in our evaluation criteria.

For example, when companies like tobacco and genetically modified food producers seek agile coaching, we always face a dilemma.

By making environmental impact a non-negotiable aspect of our profession, companies understand that, besides being a matter of planetary interest, it's also a competitive advantage that allows them to attract and retain the best talent, suppliers, and customers, while connecting with a more transcendent professional purpose.

Our Planet as the Primary Stakeholder

Even though it doesn't show up in our Sprint Reviews, our planet is silently screaming as our products contribute to global warming with each iteration. This is the point that Jutte Eckstein urges us to consider:

What if we treated the planet as a Stakeholder of our product? This is how we begin to incorporate metrics on environmental impact into each iteration.

Inspired by this idea, Marjolein Pilon (Scrum Master) developed a retrospective dynamic known as "The Planet as our Stakeholder," which allows us to examine the environmental impact of products and seek ways to reduce it.

For example, cloud servers from Amazon, Microsoft, and Google have different energy consumption levels and offer tools to calculate them. We could evaluate which one consumes less energy to make an informed decision about which one to hire.

A useful and effective practice is to include these criteria in the Definition of Done of our product, so that the conversation about sustainability is always present in each refinement.

Overcoming the Planetary Challenge with Agile Superpowers

How can a Scrum Master achieve such significant impact? The answer lies in the "superpowers" we possess as agilists, a concept proposed by Lyssa Adkins. During a lunch in 2023, I had the opportunity to listen to Lyssa and her words deeply inspired me.

She argues that as agilists, we have an emerging superpower: the ability to continuously adapt to change for good.

Our skills are perfectly suited to complex and uncertain environments, essential characteristics for addressing the climate crisis. We recognize that sustainable solutions are systemic and act as change agents, catalysts for continuous improvement.

More and more agilists are joining forces to work for a more sustainable world. Joanne Stone published the digital magazine "WeHope," which seeks to raise awareness about the work of agilists worldwide. Her vision is clear: the power of "we" is essential to generate the necessary impact. She collected stories from over 30 agilists who are making a difference.

How can we start?

The first step is to initiate these conversations, perhaps first with yourself. This may spark curiosity to research, educate yourself, and learn about environmental impact to lead informed conversations. For example, you can learn about sustainable software development.

To change the world, you must first change yourself. You can calculate your Personal Earth Overshoot Day, i.e., how your lifestyle impacts environmental sustainability. Invite colleagues or your team to do the same exercise, share the results, and discuss them.

Additionally, use organizational tools to measure the impact of agile sustainability and compare it with other companies in the industry.

"Sustainability" is not a new word for us; it's one of the agile principles! While it refers to the team's pace of work, it also implies thinking long-term to avoid depleting our internal resources.

In my opinion, it's time to extend its interpretation to also encompass the sustainability of our natural resources. Why not mention this the next time you explain the Agile Manifesto?

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Until next time. Damián.

Thanks for the inspiration to Lyssa Adkins Jutta Eckstein Ines Garcia Joanne Stone Marjolein Pilon Claudia Melo María Valeria Thompson