Changing Software Development: Learning to Become Agile

10.2. Coaching

During the past few years, it has become increasingly common to find a coach attached to a software development team. In eXtreme Programming (and other Agile methods), the coach's role is to help the team follow the process and improve. The practise of professional coaching within business has been established for some years and there are many good books on the subject.

Yet there are differences between business coaching and the Agile development coaching. Agile coaching tends to focus more on the project in hand and the team. Business coaches tend to focus more on the individual and on improving his or her performance. Agile coaches are often involved with a team daily or weekly, while business coaches may work with an individual far less regularly.

There is much that Agile development coaching can learn from the field of business coaching. Because business coaching is more established, there's simply more written and taught about the field. Much of this can be used to inform and improve development coaching.

For someone attempting to introduce Agile development and improve the learning within their organization, there are two uses of coaching. The first is for yourself. Actually being coached by someone else can help clarify your own thoughts and help you move towards your objectives. For this, you might like to engage a professional to actually coach you through the process, or you may have a manager, mentor or confidant in your organization who can take on the ...