A Rhetorical Analysis of the Agile Manifesto on its 20th Anniversary

Abstract

The Agile Software Development (ASD) method is guided by the Agile manifesto which consists of an Agile philosophy and a set of 12 principles. However, despite the indisputable impact of Agile philosophy and principles on software development around the world, the phenomenon of its popularity has not received requisite attention by researchers. In this article we use the rhetorical analysis by focus group of eight industry experts and academics to understand the appeal and attractiveness of ASD to the software development community. We discover that the time was ripe for its introduction with many paradigms and established approaches getting challenged due to rapid pace of technological changes and rise in business uncertainties. The Agile manifesto and its principles tapped into the mood of the moment and perhaps unwittingly through an amalgamation of popular theories of the time from management and manufacturing created a movement generally welcomed by the software developers, but which intrigued many among the software engineering community who were traditionally strong adherents of Taylorism and its principles.