Agile systems have become one of the hottest topics in the world of software development today. Many large companies around the world have been adopting Agile systems in some form or the other, and the companies which do not have it in place today are far lower than the percentage of companies who do. It has almost got to the point that you cannot be competitive in the modern world without Agile systems, especially in Software Development.

What are the benefits of Agile?

The delivery of the software to the client is the quickest in Agile systems. This is owing to the use of time-boxed, fixed schedule sprints of up to 4 weeks, which means that new features can be implemented quickly. Therefore, you get the chance to develop beta software at an early stage and check if it has business value and develops it further from there. 

The costs associated with development are also predictable, along with the schedule of it. The entire process is extremely structured since the team can only perform the tasks assigned in the fixed time schedule box. Therefore, the client easily understands the costs of each feature that is being developed and has a better idea about the project as a whole. Decision making is improved greatly, along with the capability for additional iterations. 

What is Agile Coaching?

Agile coaching is not about actually teaching the agile system to the stakeholders involved – by now, they would have an idea about how the system functions. The word coaching is actually is a misleading one, since it does not involve actual coaching. The Agile coach is responsible for developing a healthy environment of trust and mutual understanding within the stakeholders so that the development can be smooth.

Initially, Agile teams were expected to be self-organising and self-sustaining – no coaching was thought to be required for the team. However, that was easier said than done – the team members and stakeholders were often found to differ on important issues and key decisions, so a common decision-making capability was found to be wanting. An Agile coach has huge value in the current scenario, considering how important coaches have turned out to be in the entire development process of large projects.

Coaching is more about the building a healthy environment, and less about bringing forth any deliverable, tangible results. The end result will be evident in the way the team is functioning, and how smoothly the project progresses towards its goals.

What is ICP-ACC about?

ICP-ACC training, or ICAgile Certified Professional –Agile Certified Coach certification is meant to improve the coaching skills of Agile stakeholders – be it Product Owners, Scrum Masters or aspiring Agile Coaches. ICP Agile Certified Coach training is usually conducted over a three-day period, where the students are taught about the various aspects of coaching like building bonds, mentoring, handling resistance from individuals and team building and collaboration between the stakeholders. This means that the workplace would be improved instantly, owing to the Agile Coach.