# Agile Methods We Use ### Overview We use agile methods pragmatically. The chosen method must fit the work, team, customer environment and phase. We commonly combine: * Scrum-style sprint delivery * Kanban-style flow management * Lean thinking * user-centred design * service design * technical spikes * prototyping * continuous delivery practices ### Scrum-Style Delivery Scrum-style delivery works well when a team can plan work in short iterations. Typical sprint length: * 1 week for fast-moving discovery or alpha work * 2 weeks for most product and software delivery * 3 to 4 weeks only where customer governance or dependency cycles require it Core sprint practices: * sprint planning * daily stand-up * backlog refinement * show and tell * retrospective * sprint review or governance review ### Kanban-Style Delivery Kanban-style delivery works well where work arrives continuously or where support, live service improvement or operational tasks need steady flow. Kanban practices include: * visible board * work in progress limits * clear workflow states * explicit policies * cycle time measurement * blocker management * continuous prioritisation ### Lean Thinking Lean thinking helps us remove waste and focus on value. Examples of waste include: * building features without validated need * waiting for decisions * duplicating evidence * producing documentation nobody uses * handoffs without ownership * over-engineering too early * fixing defects that could have been prevented ### User-Centred Design User-centred design ensures services are shaped by evidence from users and their context. This includes: * user research * journey mapping * service blueprinting * usability testing * accessibility consideration * content design * assisted digital needs ### Technical Spikes A technical spike is a time-boxed investigation used to reduce uncertainty. Use a spike where the team needs to answer a question such as: * Can this integration work? * Is this technology suitable? * What is the data quality like? * What are the security constraints? * Can the system meet performance requirements? * What is the simplest viable architecture? A spike must have: * a clear question * a timebox * expected evidence * decision criteria * documented outcome ### Prototyping Prototypes are used to learn. They are not automatically production assets. Prototype types include: * paper prototype * clickable prototype * content prototype * data prototype * technical proof of concept * integration prototype * service simulation Prototype rules: * make the learning goal explicit * keep the prototype as simple as possible * do not confuse prototype code with production code * record what was learned * decide whether to continue, change direction or stop ### Method Selection Select the method based on: * uncertainty level * delivery phase * team size * customer governance needs * supplier involvement * technical complexity * release frequency * operational risk * assurance requirements ### Default Method Pattern Our default pattern is: * Discovery: user-centred research, service design, technical discovery and short Kanban flow * Alpha: prototypes, technical spikes, user testing and short sprint cycles * Beta: Scrum-style product build with release planning and assurance gates * Live: Kanban-style continuous improvement with roadmap-based planning * Retirement: controlled transition plan with governance checkpoints --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://framework.aic.io/agile-delivery-playbook/foundations/agile-methods-we-use.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.