Development teams are under constant pressure to ship faster and adapt to new priorities. Yet many find themselves stuck in cycles of rigid planning, siloed communication, and endless documentation. This friction between the need for speed and the reality of outdated processes is where projects lose momentum and teams lose confidence.
The solution is not just another platform or a stricter process. It is a fundamental shift in mindset guided by the four core Agile Values. Created to favor flexibility and human interaction, these values provide a compass for navigating uncertainty. They help teams focus on what truly matters: delivering working software that customers love.
This article walks through each of the four Agile values, explaining what they mean in practice. The guide will cover the 12 supporting principles, a detailed plan for implementing them with your team, and how to navigate common challenges along the way. You will also see how a flexible platform can help bring these values to life, creating alignment across your entire organization.
Key takeaways
- Core priorities: the four Agile Values prioritize people over processes, working software over documentation, customer collaboration over contracts, and adapting to change over rigid plans.
- Implementation focus: start implementing Agile Values by creating regular team touchpoints, delivering usable software in small increments, and building ongoing customer partnerships instead of one-time handoffs.
- Enabling transparency: modern work OS platforms, such as monday dev, enable Agile Values by providing flexible workflows that teams can customize, shared visibility that connects engineering and business teams, and real-time collaboration that fosters team autonomy.
- Metrics shift: focus on measuring outcomes like customer satisfaction and delivery speed rather than tracking outputs like hours worked or documents created.
- Strategy for scale: Agile values work best when teams gradually adopt the mindset through small experiments and proof of success, rather than forcing immediate organization-wide transformation.
What are the four Agile values?
Agile values are the four core principles from the Agile Manifesto that guide how software teams work together and deliver products. These values prioritize people over processes, working software over documentation, customer partnerships over contracts, and adaptability over rigid plans.
In 2001, 17 software developers created the Agile Manifesto because they wanted a more flexible approach to building software. They established these values to help teams deliver value faster while staying responsive to change.
Understanding the Agile Manifesto
The Agile Manifesto is the founding document of Agile methodology. It outlines a philosophy for Agile software development that emphasizes flexibility, collaboration, and continuous delivery.
The manifesto contains both four values and 12 principles. While the Agile principles provide specific guidance, the values represent the core mindset shift that makes Agile work.
Why Agile values matter today
Modern development teams face constant change — new technologies, shifting customer needs, and pressure to deliver faster. In fact, the World Economic Forum’s 2023 Future of Jobs Report predicts that 39% of core worker skills will be disrupted by 2027. Agile values help teams navigate this uncertainty by focusing on what actually matters: people, working products, and the ability to adapt.
Remote work has made these values even more critical. When your team is distributed, you need principles that keep everyone aligned without micromanaging every detail, a crucial factor in Agile transformation.
The four values of Agile explained further
1. Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
This value means prioritizing human communication and collaboration above rigid procedures or specific software. Your team’s ability to work together matters more than which platform you use or how many processes you follow.
The value of human communication inherently surpasses the utility of technology: even the most sophisticated Agile project management platform will not save a project if the team cannot communicate effectively. A cohesive team that communicates well, however, can achieve success even when utilizing basic tools. Here is how teams put this value into practice:
- Daily standups: quick conversations about progress and blockers.
- Pair programming: two developers working together on the same code.
- Cross-functional collaboration: designers, developers, and product managers solving problems together.
2. Working software over comprehensive documentation
This value focuses on delivering functional products rather than perfect paperwork. Working software means code that runs, provides value, and can be tested by real users.
Documentation still has its place. You need enough to support development and help users. But spending months writing detailed specs before coding starts often leads to outdated requirements and delayed delivery.
3. Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
Customer collaboration means building ongoing partnerships with the people who’ll use your software. Instead of negotiating every detail upfront, you work together throughout development to ensure the product meets real needs.
This approach recognizes that customers often don’t know exactly what they want until they see it. Regular collaboration helps you discover the right solution together rather than guessing at the beginning.
4. Responding to change over following a plan
This value embraces the reality that requirements change. Responding to change means adjusting your approach based on new information rather than sticking to outdated plans.
Planning remains essential because it provides necessary direction and establishes organizational goals But your Agile planning should be flexible enough to incorporate new insights, market shifts, or customer feedback as you learn more.
Agile values vs Agile principles
As we briefly allude to above, Agile values and principles work together but serve different purposes. The values define the mindset behind Agile — what matters most when building products. The principles turn that mindset into action, offering concrete guidance for how teams plan, collaborate, and deliver.
The table below highlights how these two layers connect to shape the foundation of every Agile framework.
| Aspect | Agile values | Agile principles |
|---|---|---|
| Number | Four core values | 12 specific principles |
| Purpose | Define mindset and philosophy | Provide practical guidance |
| Focus | What to prioritize | How to implement |
The 12 principles behind the Agile Manifesto
The 12 principles translate Agile values into actionable practices. They cover everything from delivery frequency to team dynamics, providing a roadmap for implementation.
These principles group into key themes that reinforce the values. Customer satisfaction through early delivery connects to the collaboration value. Self-organizing teams support the focus on individuals and interactions.
How do values and principles correspond?
Values set your compass direction while principles provide the map. Each principle supports one or more values, creating a coherent Agile development process.
For example, the principle of face-to-face communication directly supports “individuals and interactions over processes and tools.” The principle of welcoming changing requirements reinforces “responding to change over following a plan.”
How to implement Agile values: easy steps to follow
Agile values aren’t just ideas on a poster — they’re habits your team builds over time. Turning them into daily practice takes structure, reflection, and the right tools to stay aligned.
Here’s a simple five-step process to bring Agile values to life in your team’s workflow.
Step 1: prioritize team collaboration
Start by creating regular opportunities for meaningful interaction, a key aspect of Agile best practices. Your team needs structured touchpoints that encourage real conversation, not just status updates.
Set up communication rhythms that work for your team. Daily standups keep everyone aligned, while weekly retrospectives help you improve. Pair programming sessions build shared understanding. Solutions like monday dev support this collaboration with shared boards that keep conversations focused and visible.
Step 2: focus on delivering working software
Shift your team’s focus from exhaustive planning to the rhythm of regular delivery. A crucial first step is to formally define what “done” means for your team — specifically, establishing the criteria for when a feature is truly ready for user consumption.
Break large projects into smaller pieces you can deliver incrementally using a Scrum sprint. Each piece should provide value on its own. This approach lets you get feedback early and adjust course before investing too much in the wrong direction.
Step 3: build continuous customer partnerships
To truly embody the Agile Value of customer collaboration, you must transform relationships from transactional interactions into continuous, value-driven partnerships.
Key actions for building these partnerships include:
- Schedule regular demos: conduct frequent demonstrations of working software to show progress and gather direct, actionable feedback.
- Establish multiple input channels: create various channels for input that go beyond formal meetings to encourage ongoing, asynchronous conversations.
- Integrate customers in planning: actively include customers in planning and prioritization sessions, enabling them to help prioritize features based on validated, real-world needs rather than internal assumptions.
This commitment to partnership ensures your team is building what customers actually need, guaranteeing that development effort aligns with maximum user value.
Step 4: create adaptive planning processes
Replace rigid annual plans with flexible, iterative approaches. Plan in shorter cycles: weeks or months rather than years. This lets you incorporate new information as you learn.
Use Agile estimation techniques to compare work items rather than trying to predict exact timelines. Maintain a flexible backlog you can reprioritize based on changing needs. Modern platforms like monday dev make this adaptation seamless with drag-and-drop prioritization and real-time updates.
Step 5: measure value delivery
Track outcomes, not just outputs. How quickly do new features reach users? Are customers satisfied with what you’re delivering? Is your team maintaining a sustainable pace?
These Agile metrics tell you whether Agile values are actually improving your results. Regular measurement helps you adjust your approach and demonstrate value to stakeholders.
How to navigate common challenges when embracing Agile values
Adopting Agile values sounds simple, but living them day to day is where most teams stumble. Shifting mindsets, redefining processes, and building trust all take time — and intentional effort.
Here’s how to overcome the most common challenges teams face when putting Agile values into practice.
Balancing people and process
You still need some structure — complete chaos doesn’t help anyone. The challenge is finding the right amount of process to support your team without constraining them, which fosters an Agile workflow.
Start with minimal process and add only what proves necessary. Let teams define their own working agreements. Regularly evaluate whether each process still serves its purpose or has become bureaucratic overhead.
Finding the right documentation level
How much documentation is enough? This question plagues many Agile teams. You need enough to support development and help users, but not so much that documentation becomes the project.
Focus on documentation that serves a specific purpose. User guides help customers succeed. API documentation helps developers integrate. Skip the 100-page requirements document that nobody reads.
Moving beyond traditional contracts
Many organizations still operate with fixed contracts and rigid vendor relationships. Building collaborative partnerships within these constraints requires patience and proof.
Start small. Demonstrate value through regular delivery. Show how collaboration leads to superior outcomes. Gradually, stakeholders will see the benefits and become more open to flexible arrangements.
Building a culture of change
People naturally resist change — it’s uncomfortable and uncertain. Creating a culture that embraces change requires psychological safety and trust.
Celebrate experiments, even failed ones. Make it safe to try new approaches. Show how adapting to change leads to success rather than viewing it as admitting failure.
Agile values in modern development
The core Agile values haven’t changed — but the way teams apply them continues to evolve. From AI-driven automation to large-scale enterprise coordination and fully remote teams, modern development environments test how adaptable these values really are.
Let’s take a look at how teams keep Agile principles alive while embracing new technologies, structures, and ways of working.
Agile values with AI and automation
AI and automation are transforming development, and Agile values remain essential. With a 2025 Clutch survey on the state of software development showing that 78% of developers use AI several times per week, these technologies should be leveraged to enhance human collaboration, not replace it.
Scaling Agile values in enterprise teams
Large organizations face unique challenges in maintaining Agile values. How do you preserve individual interactions when you have hundreds of developers? How do you maintain customer collaboration across multiple teams?
The key is federation rather than standardization. Let teams maintain their own practices while aligning on shared goals. Create communities of practice where teams share insights. Use platforms that provide visibility without imposing rigid processes.
Remote team considerations
Remote work changes how you implement Agile values but doesn’t change their importance. You still need human connection, just through different channels.
Video calls replace face-to-face conversations. Collaborative platforms enable real-time work sessions. Asynchronous communication accommodates time zones while maintaining transparency. The values guide your choices even when the methods change.
How monday dev brings Agile values to life
Agile values come to life through everyday actions — how teams plan, communicate, and deliver. monday dev turns those principles into practical workflows that balance autonomy, collaboration, and visibility.
From customizable boards to real-time dashboards and automation, the platform helps teams embody Agile values while staying focused on what matters most: delivering value together.
Enable team ownership with flexible workflows
Advanced solutions like monday dev embody “individuals and interactions” by letting teams design their own workflows. You’re not forced into predefined processes, you create what works for your team.
Custom boards adapt to your methodology, whether that’s Scrum, Kanban, or something unique. Visual workflows make collaboration intuitive. Everyone can see progress without lengthy status meetings. Use sprint boards with customizable columns to track work from backlog to deployment, or leverage the platform’s 200+ templates designed specifically for development teams.
Bridge engineering and business teams
Modern platforms support “customer collaboration” by connecting technical and business stakeholders. Product managers can track development progress with Agile product management without disrupting engineering work.
Shared visibility means everyone stays aligned on priorities. Real-time updates eliminate the telephone game of status reports. Different views let each role see what matters to them while maintaining a single source of truth.
Engineering teams can work in their preferred board view while executives monitor progress through high-level dashboards. Built-in integrations with GitHub, GitLab, and Jira ensure code commits and pull requests automatically sync with project boards, keeping technical and business stakeholders connected.
Maintain visibility without micromanaging
By providing transparency, the right platform can support “responding to change” without creating surveillance. Managers can track progress and spot issues early while teams maintain autonomy.
Dashboards show trends and outcomes rather than minute-by-minute activity. Automation handles routine updates so teams can focus on valuable work. Set up automated notifications when sprints are at risk, create recurring tasks for retrospectives, or trigger status changes based on code review completion.
The platform’s burndown charts and velocity tracking give you insight into team performance without requiring manual reporting. This balance preserves Agile values while providing necessary oversight.
Bring Agile values to life across your team
Embracing Agile values reshapes how teams collaborate, deliver value, and adapt to change. These principles aren’t theoretical — they translate directly into faster delivery, higher quality, and more engaged teams.
The shift takes time and intention. You’ll encounter challenges, learn through iteration, and refine your approach along the way. But teams that fully live these values consistently achieve stronger alignment and better outcomes than those bound by rigid, traditional methods.
With the flexibility of monday dev, you can put these principles into action — creating workflows that support autonomy, visibility, and continuous improvement at every level.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 5 C's of Agile methodology?
The 5 C's of Agile typically refer to Communication, Collaboration, Commitment, Courage, and Continuous Improvement. These behavioral guidelines complement the four Agile values by providing specific attributes that successful Agile teams demonstrate.
How do Agile values differ from scrum values?
Agile values are the four foundational principles from the Agile Manifesto that apply to all Agile approaches. Scrum values — commitment, courage, focus, openness, and respect — are specific to the Scrum framework and support the broader Agile values within that methodology.
Can teams follow Agile values without using Agile frameworks?
Yes, teams can embrace Agile values without adopting formal frameworks like Scrum or Kanban. The values represent a mindset about prioritizing people, delivering working products, collaborating with customers, and staying flexible — principles you can apply with any development approach.
How do you measure whether your team follows Agile values?
You can measure Agile value adoption through customer satisfaction scores, delivery frequency, collaboration quality, and adaptability to change. Regular retrospectives where teams honestly assess their practices against the values provide qualitative insights alongside quantitative metrics.
What should teams do when Agile values conflict with company culture?
Start with small pilot projects that demonstrate value without requiring organization-wide change. Show concrete results from applying Agile values. Build allies by sharing successes. Gradually expand as stakeholders see benefits rather than forcing immediate transformation.
Do Agile values work outside software development?
Yes, Agile values apply to any collaborative work involving uncertainty and evolving requirements. Marketing teams use them for campaign development. HR teams apply them to recruitment processes. Any work that benefits from flexibility, collaboration, and iterative delivery can leverage Agile values.
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