Value

Value is a characteristic deemed desirable by stakeholders that is measured in relation to a goal and verified by achieving the intended results by the end of a Cycle (ex. product features, knowledge, human capacities, process improvements, etc.)

The idea of Value is an important one in OpenAgile.

Value can mean different things to different people or organizations.

Value should not be considered only on Financial Basis. Much valuable work is often performed without simply financial consideration.

There are many other things to consider when determining value. A short list of sample questions which can determine value, besides just cost:


 * Customer Happiness
 * Impact on competitive position in the marketplace
 * System reliability
 * Future growth of the product
 * Appearance of our product
 * Political affiliations

Of course, many other items could be considered. It is important to realize that through the OpenAgile foundations of Truthfulness, Consultative Decision-Making and the Learning Circle, you will be able to openly and honestly determine the true value of work to be performed.

An open dialog between Team Members and Stakeholders will help determine the value of work.


 * Truthfulness will allow all those involved in the process to provide appropriate and honest assessments of the true value to the organization besides simple personal goals.


 * Consultative Decision-Making will allow everyone involved to provide input into what is valuable and possibly give reasons why other Value Drivers may be of more valuable than originally thought at the time. Input from all team members is essential.


 * The Learning Circle allows us to learn to re-assess our situation through each cycle. What may have been a high priority Value Driver during the last cycle, may actually be less valuable than we thought when we get to the next cycle.  It is important to learn from the previous cycle and make adjustments to the next cycle.  The goal is constant improvement between cycles.

Primer on the Purpose of OpenAgile