Many senior product and engineering leaders are wondering about the future of Agility in the context of major macro-level events that we can all see on the news and their profound impacts on businesses around the world.
One of the thought leaders in the agile community and the founder of The Deeper Change Academy, Simon Powers, has taken the effort to research this topic. He wrote the report ‘The Future State of Agility‘ (Feb 2025) as a result. The following summarizes this report.
Key Themes & Findings
1. Decline of Agile & The Agile Industrial Complex (AIC)
- Agile has become an industry in itself, but its effectiveness has diminished.
- SAFe and other rigid frameworks have led to shallow implementations, reducing the value of agility.
- Leadership disengagement and lack of strategic alignment are primary reasons for the decline in Agile adoption.
2. Global Macroeconomic & Geopolitical Disruptions
- Economic instability, geopolitical conflicts (Brexit, Ukraine, Israel-Hamas), and rise of AI overwhelmed executives.
- Organizations are prioritizing cost-cutting and short-term stability over transformation initiatives like Agile.
- Leadership fatigue has led to avoidance of additional change programs.
3. The Shift in Leadership Priorities & Budgeting Challenges
- Inconsistent leadership in change programs, as leaders are unaware or uninvolved in Agile transformations.
- Budgets for Agile and change programs unclear or misallocated, leading to failure of many transformation efforts.
- Agile roles, like coaches and Scrum Masters, significantly reduced in organizations due to perceived low ROI.
4. Structural & Cultural Barriers to Change
- Agile has become an industry in itself, but its effectiveness has diminished.
- SAFe and other rigid frameworks have led to shallow implementations, reducing the value of agility.
- Leadership disengagement and lack of strategic alignment are primary reasons for the decline in Agile adoption.
5. The Role of AI & The Future of Agile Professionals
- AI is seen as a more scalable and cost-effective solution, shifting focus away from Agile frameworks.
- Agile coaches and change-makers need redefined roles, integrating AI and strategic agility into their expertise.
- Demand for agility will return, but under different job titles and with broader scope beyond traditional Agile roles.
6. Recommendations for Organizations & Change Leaders
- Shift from rigid Agile frameworks to strategic agility, prioritizing adaptability over compliance with methodologies.
- Improve leadership engagement and budget transparency to ensure change initiatives are effectively resourced.
- Break down silos and redesign team structures to enhance product development and customer-centricity.
- Adopt a culture of continuous learning and development (DDO model) to foster resilience and innovation.
Final Thoughts
The Agile industry is undergoing a transformation. Organizations must rethink their approach to agility, moving beyond rigid frameworks and instead focusing on strategic adaptability, leadership engagement, and organizational alignment. Agile change-makers need to evolve their roles to remain relevant in an AI-driven business environment.