2025 - The Year Agile Dies?

As we step into 2025, a provocative question looms large in the Agile community: Is Agile dying? Once celebrated as a revolutionary way of working, Agile now feels like a bloated elephant in the room—impossible to ignore, but too awkward to talk about. Job ads for 'Agile' are declining, major companies are phasing out roles like Agile Coach and Scrum Master, replacing them with Team and Enterprise Coaches. Are these just the same roles with a fresh coat of lipstick to avoid the stigma of Agile, or does the shift reflect deeper, systemic change?

Is Agile’s decline inevitable, or is it simply shedding its old skin to evolve into something new? In this article, I’ll explore why some believe Agile is dying, what might lie beyond it, and challenge you to start rethinking the future–and your role in shaping it. One thing is certain: 2025 will be a defining year for the Agile movement—whether as its obituary or its rebirth.

Why Do People Say Agile Is Dying?

Last year, I wrote about this very topic in my article, Agile Is Not Dead—It’s Evolving: The Future Beyond Agile. At the time, I concluded that Agile wasn’t dying—it was evolving. But now, six months later, I’d like to revisit this question with fresh insights.

So, why do people say Agile is dying? Here are six main reasons:

1. Framework Fatigue

Many organizations have grown disillusioned with rigid implementations of frameworks like Scrum, SAFe, or LeSS. When frameworks are treated as inflexible processes, they often lead to bureaucracy, slowing teams down, and creating dissatisfaction among team members.

Let’s be honest—it’s easier to blame the framework than to address the real issue: leadership. Instead of saying, “Let’s reinforce the mindset of our leaders,” it’s simpler to say, “Let’s stop doing Agile.”

2. Misinterpretation of Agile Values

Agile is often reduced to a checklist of processes and ceremonies, losing sight of its core values: collaboration, adaptability, and delivering value. Ironically, this is the exact opposite of what Agile was meant to be.

Take Scrum, for example. Its prescriptive nature can be helpful for new teams transitioning to Agile. But this structure is often misunderstood as a rigid process, leading teams to believe they must “follow Scrum” to be Agile. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth.

We should celebrate when teams want to move beyond Scrum—it often means they’ve matured enough to adapt their practices and recognize its limitations.

3. The Rise of Alternatives

I often hear, “We don’t use Agile; we use DevOps/Lean/Kanban/Younameit.” But here’s the truth: same values, different name. DevOps, Lean Startup, Teal Organizations, CI/CD—these movements aren’t rejecting Agile; they’re building on it.

Whether it’s DevOps, Lean, Kanban, or CI/CD, these approaches emphasize continuous value delivery, continuous learning, and removing impediments—the very principles Agile was founded on. These alternatives are often evolutions of Agile, not replacements.

4. Failure to Deliver Business Outcomes

Agile transformations don’t always deliver measurable business improvements, which frustrates executives. This failure often stems from cultural resistance rather than flaws in Agile itself.

Here’s the kicker: many organizations underestimate the cost of transformation—financially and in terms of temporary productivity dips. Agile isn’t a quick fix; it’s a long-term investment in cultural and operational change.

And let’s not forget Jeff Sutherland, co-creator of Scrum, who might have unintentionally set unrealistic expectations with the title of his book: Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time. It’s simply not that easy.

5. Buzzword Backlash

Agile has been co-opted by consultants and organizations promising quick fixes. This “Agile Industrial Complex” often leads to superficial implementations, skepticism, and eventual disillusionment. Too many Agile practitioners have overpromised and underdelivered, prioritizing invoices over outcomes.

When Agile becomes more about certification fees (looking at you, SAFe) and less about principles, it’s no wonder people start questioning its value.

6. The Excuse Machine

I’ve heard it all: “Agile doesn’t work for hardware.” “We can’t use Agile in HR, marketing, or law because our lead times are too long.”

These excuses ignore the flexibility Agile provides. Agile doesn’t demand two-week sprints for every context—it demands a mindset of adaptability. The real issue often lies in misapplication or resistance to change, not Agile itself.

Is Agile Really Dead—or Just Evolving?

New data suggests Agile isn’t dying—it’s evolving. Engineering and R&D teams are now the fastest-growing adopters of Agile, making up 48% of practitioners—a remarkable 16% increase since 2022. This growth demonstrates Agile’s ability to address challenges far beyond its traditional IT roots.

Here’s why Agile isn’t dead, but evolving:

1. The Core Principles Are Timeless

Responding to change, delivering value incrementally, and fostering collaboration are not just Agile principles—they’re universal drivers of organizational success. These principles will continue to shape how businesses operate, even if the terminology evolves.

2. Agile Goes Beyond IT

Business agility is expanding across organizations, reaching teams in HR, marketing, and beyond. For example, 86% of marketers plan to shift some or all of their teams to Agile methodologies, according to the Agile Marketing Report. This trend shows how Agile’s principles of adaptability, iterative delivery, and customer focus are reshaping industries outside of IT.

3. Hybrid and Tailored Approaches

Organizations are no longer treating Agile frameworks as rigid blueprints but are adapting them to fit their unique needs. Kanban, for instance, has seen notable success: 87% of adopters report that it’s more effective than their previous work management methods. These tailored approaches ensure Agile remains flexible, relevant, and impactful across diverse contexts.

4. Focus on Outcomes Over Process

The shift from process adherence to outcome-driven agility is redefining success. Nearly three in five Agile practitioners report greater satisfaction due to better alignment with business needs. This focus on delivering tangible value underscores Agile’s continued relevance when implemented thoughtfully.

A Personal Reflection

But here’s the challenge: if a vocal majority believes Agile is dying, does sticking with it make me a bakåtsträvare—what we Swedes call a stubborn traditionalist? Me? Someone who’s always been a forerunner, challenging the status quo and embracing change?

What I see is an evolution—not a decline. Agile may be shedding its buzzword status, but the principles and practices are far from obsolete. The real question isn’t whether Agile is dead—it’s how we adapt to ensure it continues to evolve in meaningful ways.

So, what’s my conclusion? Keep reading.

2025: A Year of Reckoning or Renewal?

If 2025 brings a reckoning for Agile, it will likely focus on these areas:

• Cultural Transformation: Organizations that embrace Agile as a mindset, not just a method, will thrive. Culture is the foundation of meaningful change.
• Leadership Evolution: Leaders who adapt to Agile principles—empowering teams, fostering trust, and embracing change—will shape the future.
• Pragmatism Over Purism: The future of Agile lies in adaptability, integrating the best ideas from Lean, Design Thinking, DevOps, and beyond.

If Agile is pronounced “dead” in 2025, it will be Agile as a buzzword that dies—not Agile as a set of principles for working smarter, faster, and more collaboratively. While the buzzword may fade, the movement and its values will endure.

Conclusion: My Challenge to You

2025 might not be the year Agile is pronounced dead—it might be the year it’s reborn. But for that to happen, it requires all of us to step up and take responsibility for its evolution.

Here’s my challenge to you:

• Reflect on Your Practices: Are you clinging to rituals and frameworks, or are you truly living Agile’s core principles of adaptability, collaboration, and delivering real value?
• Be a Changemaker: What can you do to ensure Agile evolves meaningfully in your organization, team, or community?
• Lead the Change: Don’t wait for someone else to define what comes after Agile. Speak up, experiment, and share your successes—and failures—with others.

The conversation needs to shift from “Is Agile dead?” to “How is Agile evolving—and how are we shaping that evolution?” The future is ours to create, and 2025 will be a defining year for what comes next.

What do you think? Is Agile facing an existential crisis, or is it shedding its old skin to adapt to new challenges? Let’s discuss! 🚀

Last updated Jan 16, 2025