A guest post by David Vujic.

Who is that guy “Agile” anyway? Does he come from Japan? Where is his family? We have the right to know. I have done some research and here is the result of my work.

Let’s begin with the Star, winner of American Idol and the one everybody talks about: Scrum. Scrum has a kid sister, not yet as well known as her big brother. Her name is Kanban and is described by many as modern, attentive and a bit more up to date. Let’s be honest, all of us get old some day. So does Scrum. Please don’t tell him that; he is a bit sensitive about aging! The Rock-n-Roll attitude, simplicity, and innovative ideas of lil’ sister Kanban are properties appreciated by the constantly increasing fan base.

Scrum and Kanban have another sibling. They call him XP and perhaps he is a bit overlooked. His real name is eXtreme Programming, but he was so bullied in school for it he had to change his name. Sad, but that’s the real world. He also grew a beard very early in his teens, and that didn’t help very much.

As a teenager, XP added some well needed attitude to his personality and he often wore T-shirts with statements like I Unit Test on the First Date. He started to hang out with his brother Scrum and they found out that they actually have a lot in common and complete each other well. Today they are the best of friends.

Scrum and Kanban are both extroverts. XP is very thoughtful and passionate. People say that when you get to know him, you will have a friend for life. He is the one that resembles his father most and without knowing about it, both his sister and brother see him as a role model.

What about dad? Well, his name is Agile. He is the kind of father all of us wish we had. A man of wisdom, laid back and always giving you attention. He is the one with good advice and has never stopped trying make the world a better place. He is very proud of his children and you will spot him on almost every of his kids TV and live performances. Do you see the bald guy at the front row smiling and cheering? That’s Poppa Agile.

Agile was a little kid once, like all of us. A boy who admired his older sister Lean. Her sense for quality, respect for people, and long-term thinking has made her well respected and admired all over the world. Agile did spend a lot of time hanging out with big sister and her friends. They played video games, laughed, and listened to the radio playing the latest hits all day at home.

He reminisces: All I know comes from Lean and she is still my biggest inspiration. My youngest daughter Kanban visits here every summer and admires her aunt a lot.

Aunt Lean also has a daughter, called Lean Software Development. She is the not so well known cousin of Scrum, XP and Kanban. I hear people say she is the next big thing.

Scrum says: When our cousin was about to visit us, we all got so excited! We talked a lot about her, bragging about how cool she was. She always brought the latest stuff from Japan. Our Game&Watch toys was nothing compared to the gaming consoles she had, with the color screen and stereo sound. It was amazing. It felt like seeing into the future!

The Agile siblings and Lean Software Development both agree that they really should work together in the future. Let’s hope they do!

Yes, we have reached the top of the Family tree. A car? Yep, that’s right. Both Lean and Agile come from the garage. A very clean garage, I might add. The time travelling journey got us to the land of beautiful calligraphy, blooming cherry trees, razor sharp samurai swords, and the best car brand in the world: Toyota.

Respecting people, team work, responsibility, and sharing of knowledge is the soul of Toyota Production System (aka TPS). Will TPS make the world a better place? Kaizen (continuous improvement) and Hansei (reflection) must be a part of the daily work flow according to TPS. What about problem solving? Don’t settle with quick fixes. Try find the root cause by asking Why? at least five times. The philosophy of Toyota is: Base your decisions on long term thinking, even when they are in conflict with your short term financial goals.

Is TPS the answer to all your questions? Well, that depends. What about Scrum, XP or Kanban? Probably not.

Is there an answer? Actually there is: 42. You go figure out the question yourself.

Final words
Recently I received a message from someone called TPS:
You have still a lot to learn, David-san. I noticed that you have used the A3 format. Good. But your Family Tree should be turned upside down.

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