June 2009 "Hot Button" Survey Results

What was the biggest mistake your Agile team has made?

The biggest mistake, from a Product Manager's perspective, is to lack clarity regarding Product Owner and Product Manager roles.

Respondents could choose more than one answer to this survey, and many did. The second most frequently cited mistake is poor prioritization, and many of those respondents also reported problems with vision, strategy, and executive interference in the sprint.

We think they're all related: Without vision and strategy, priorities are difficult to establish and nearly impossible to defend. And without clearly defined roles, it's not clear who should defend them.

When asked about the best fix for Agile-related problems, the answer that stood out is "communication." Part of the Agile method is the retrospective, where open communication about what went well and what to improve takes place. PMs need to leverage this Agile practice and the team's support in resolving the issues noted above.