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Agile Modeling is a set of values and practices consistent and complementary to all the IID methods, and applicable during requirements analysis. See p. 37 for a summary.

Defining and Keeping the Vision

Establishing and reiterating a common vision is frequent advice from agile leaders. It may seem absurd to highlight such an "obvious" idea, but in over 10 years of post-project reviews with hundreds of project members, Standish Group analysts [Johnson02] did not find even two people who stated the same purpose or vision for their project!

Sometimes the military is used as an example of an unhealthy, rigid management system, but modern battlefield leadership is different. Adaptation to unpredictable battle events (as in agile development) is paramount. Therefore, the leadership emphasizes that fighters know the mission goal or vision, rather than concentrating on a fixed plan.

Microsoft values this as well; it is key in the Microsoft Solutions Framework IID method:

   Use high-level vision statements and outline specifications to get projects going.

How? Step one is to form a vision, discussed in some of the following tips, such as creating a vision box and product sheet.

Step two is to reinforce it. Jeff Sutherland, a Scrum founder, emphasizes that one of the key communication responsibilities of the Scrum Master during the daily Scrum meeting is to help the team recall a common project vision aligned with the business objectives.

The Product Vision Box

This is a creative, quick practice to craft a common vision, first created and promoted by Bill Shakelford and Jim Highsmith [Highsmith01], creator of the agile method Adaptive Software Development. The steps are:

1. During day one of the first requirements workshop, break into several small groups. Give each group a box (such as a cereal box).
2. The goal of each group is to create the cover (front and back) of a product box, as though the product were to be sold in a shrink-wrap box.
3. Define and place on the box a name, graphics, a few key front-cover selling points for the front, and details (features, operating requirements, and so on) for the back.
4. Each group presents the results.
5. Coalesce the results into a common Moore-style vision statement or common vision box.

A Moore-Style Vision Statement

The vision boxes can be input to a simple, focused vision statement. In Geoffrey Moore's well-known Crossing the Chasm, he recommends the following format for a vision statement, which has been widely adopted, including within the UP:

For (target customer)

Who (statement of the need or opportunity)

The (product name) is a (product category)

That (key benefit, compelling reason to buy)

Unlike (primary competitive alternative)

Our product (statement of primary differentiation)

Following the agile modeling practice to display models publicly, this statement goes on the wall—in large font.

Books: Agile and Iterative Development: A Manager's Guide By Craig Larman, ISBN : 0-13-111155-8