Following the PMI Global and Agile Alliance annoucement of merging effort together, A.Frédéric Joly, CEO of AFJ Solutions Holding Group have this to say on his special Podcast, this Wednesday, January 8, 2025.
Here’s the transcript:

“Good day, everyone, and thank you for tuning in. Today, I want to address a significant development in the Agile and project management communities. On January 3rd, Agile Alliance announced its integration into the Project Management Institute (PMI), marking what they describe as ‘a new phase of global development.’ However, I believe this decision represents a counter-revolutionary move, one that undermines the very essence of Agile as a mindset and its transformative values.

Let’s take a closer look at this announcement and explore its broader implications for the Agile movement.”

The Announcement and Its Framing:
“According to the press release, Agile Alliance — founded in 2001 by several co-authors of the Agile Manifesto — will now operate as PMI Agile Alliance. The press release positions this merger as a way to ‘broaden skill sets, expand access to resources, and foster a flexible mindset’ within the project management profession. On the surface, this sounds like a win-win collaboration.

However, I challenge the underlying premise of this merger. PMI, historically known for its structured and prescriptive methodologies, represents a fundamentally different philosophy than Agile. While the Agile Manifesto advocates for adaptability, collaboration, and iterative delivery, PMI’s approach often emphasizes control, documentation, and rigid planning. This merger risks diluting Agile’s original intent, transforming it into just another tool in PMI’s project management arsenal.”

“Agile was never meant to be a mere ‘delivery approach.’ It is a mindset grounded in principles that prioritize individuals, interactions, and responsiveness over rigid processes. PMI’s integration of Agile Alliance signals a troubling departure from these values. Instead of fostering agility, this move leans toward assimilation into a system that Agile was created to disrupt.

Teresa Foster, the Managing Director of Agile Alliance, asserts that this partnership will help ‘spread Agile principles and values.’ But how can these values be preserved when the partnership itself undermines the principles of decentralization, innovation, and respect for emergent practices? Agile has always thrived at the edges of bureaucracy — not within it.”

A Responsible Alternative to Agile’s Future:
“At Agile Lounge, we stand for what I call ‘Responsible Agility.’ This means staying true to the Manifesto’s principles while embracing innovation and continuous improvement. It also means challenging moves like this one, which could regress the Agile movement instead of advancing it.

We believe Agile should evolve organically, guided by practitioners and communities — not by aligning itself with institutions whose mandates are incompatible with Agile’s core. Joining forces with PMI is not a bold leap forward; it’s a retreat into a framework that prioritizes conformity over creativity.”