I went on a trip with three mates to see the western part of Norway this summer. You know, where the fjords and the mountains are. On one of the ferries I came across a poster with the Viking Laws on it. The authenticity could probably be disputed, but they fit nicely into agile software development. Agile isn’t all that new I guess. 😉 Here they are:
Be brave and aggressive
- Be direct
- Grab all opportunities
- Using varying methods of attack
- Be versatile and agile
- Attack one target at a time
- Don’t plan everything in detail
- Use top quality weapons
Be prepared
- Keep weapons in good condition
- Keep in shape
- Find good battle comrades
- Agree on important points
- Choose one chief
Be a good merchant
- Find out what the market needs
- Don’t make promises that you can’t keep
- Don’t demand overpayment
- Arrange things so that you can return
Keep the camp in order
- Keep things tidy and organized
- Arrange enjoyable activities which strengthen the group
- Make sure everyone does useful work
- Consult all members of the group for advice
So now we can feel a bit rutheless and barbaric when trying to be agile. A good poster in any agile team’s room. 🙂