Key Principle: Inspect and Adapt

I find the phrase “Inspect and Adapt” a useful shorthand for OODA and also for an appropriate, effective focus in Agile development. Agile teams should avoid being idealistic about their practices and instead adjust their practices based on empirical observations about what has been proved to work. Agile teams should regularly Inspect and Adapt everything—plans, designs, code quality, tests, processes, team interactions, organizational interactions—every factor that can make a difference in a team’s effectiveness. This is not a license to adapt without inspecting. Changes should be based on experience.

As I mentioned previously, the “Suggested Leadership Actions” lesson that ends each chapter emphasizes the value and effectiveness of this key principle.