Choice Is Good

Choice Is Good: Understanding the Disciplined Agile Mindset

What is 'Choice Is Good' in Disciplined Agile?

'Choice Is Good' is a foundational principle of the Disciplined Agile (DA) mindset that acknowledges there is rarely a single "best practice" for all contexts. Instead, DA recognizes that teams need options so they can select the most appropriate approach for their unique situation. Rather than prescribing one way of working, DA provides a toolkit of practices, strategies, and techniques that teams can choose from based on their specific needs, challenges, and goals.

Why is 'Choice Is Good' Important?

1. Context Matters: Organizations, teams, and situations are unique. What works effectively in one context may fail in another.

2. Enables Adaptability: Having multiple options allows teams to evolve their approach as they learn and as circumstances change.

3. Empowers Teams: By making informed choices rather than following rigid prescriptions, teams take ownership of their process and outcomes.

4. Addresses Complexity: Real-world business environments are complex and require nuanced approaches rather than simplistic "one-size-fits-all" solutions.

5. Encourages Learning: When teams must select their approach, they naturally invest in understanding the options and their trade-offs.

How 'Choice Is Good' Works in Practice

1. Process Goal Diagrams: DA organizes choices around process goals. For example, when addressing the goal "Explore Scope," teams might choose from options like user stories, use cases, or feature specifications.

2. Decision Points: DA identifies key decision points where teams need to make choices and provides guidance on the factors to consider.

3. Trade-off Considerations: For each option, DA highlights trade-offs and considerations to help teams make informed decisions.

4. Contextual Factors: DA helps teams identify relevant contextual factors that should influence their choices, such as team size, geographic distribution, domain complexity, etc.

5. Guided Continuous Improvement: Teams periodically revisit their choices to determine if they're still optimal or if adjustments would be beneficial.

Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Choice Is Good

1. Emphasize Context: When presented with scenario-based questions, always consider the specific context before recommending an approach. Mention relevant contextual factors in your answer.

2. Avoid Absolutist Language: Phrases like "always best" or "never use" are generally incorrect in a DA context. Instead, use language that acknowledges situational appropriateness.

3. Understand the DA Toolkit: Be familiar with the range of options DA offers for common process goals and the factors that might make each option more or less suitable.

4. Connect to Other DA Principles: Show how Choice is Good relates to other DA principles like "Be Pragmatic" and "Context Counts."
5. Focus on Informed Choices: Remember that DA advocates for making informed choices based on understanding trade-offs, not arbitrary or convenient selections.

6. Highlight the Learning Aspect: Good answers often mention how teams learn from their choices and evolve their approach over time.

7. Address Governance: In enterprise contexts, explain how Choice is Good operates within appropriate governance to ensure organizational goals are met while still providing teams flexibility.

8. Multiple Right Answers: Be prepared for questions where multiple answers could be correct depending on the context. In these cases, choose the option that best fits the specific scenario described.

Understanding that Choice is Good is fundamental to succeeding in Disciplined Agile exams and, more importantly, to effectively implementing DA in real-world situations.