---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Agile methods derive much of their…"
description: "\"Agile methods derive much of their agility by relying on the tacit knowledge embodied in the team, rather than writing the knowleadge down in plans.\" —..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e6/barry-boehm-44945_agile_agile-methods-derive-much-of-their-agili_2064938.png"
---

#  Agile methods derive much of their agility by relying on…

![“Agile methods derive much of their agility by relying on the tacit knowledge embodied in the team, rather than writing the knowleadge down in plans.” quote by Barry Boehm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e6/barry-boehm-44945_agile_agile-methods-derive-much-of-their-agili_2064938.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e6/barry-boehm-44945_agile_agile-methods-derive-much-of-their-agili_2064938.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e6/barry-boehm-44945_agile_agile-methods-derive-much-of-their-agili_2064938.png)

> “Agile methods derive much of their agility by relying on the tacit knowledge embodied in the team, rather than writing the knowleadge down in plans.”

[Barry Boehm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-boehm/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Agile thrives on shared, unspoken team knowledge rather than rigid documentation, fostering adaptability.

**In simple terms:** Team tacit knowledge powers agility.

Key Takeaway

Leverage team expertise over exhaustive plans.

Themes

agility knowledge teamwork

Mood

reflective analytical

Type

process methodology

When to use this quote

- software development
- project planning
- team retrospectives

Key Concepts

tacit knowledge lean methodology

Questions to Reflect On

- What knowledge is tacit in your team?
- How to capture it?

A Different Perspective

Overreliance on tacit knowledge can hide gaps.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Agility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agility/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [Software engineering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/software-engineering/) [Team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/team/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/)

## Related quotes

> [So I hope I’ve made clear that imposing agile methods is a very red flag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-fowler/so-i-hope-i-ve-made-clear-that-imposing-agile-methods-is-a-very-red/)

[Martin Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-fowler/)

> [Tacit knowledge is one of the most important concepts of current scholarship in the humanities. Ambitious and important, Tacit and Explicit Knowledge is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-p-crease/tacit-knowledge-is-one-of-the-most-important-concepts-of-current/)

Robert P. Crease

> [While tacit knowledge can be possessed by itself, explicit knowledge must rely on being tacitly understood and applied. Hence all knowledge is either tacit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-polanyi/while-tacit-knowledge-can-be-possessed-by-itself-explicit-knowledge/)

[Michael Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-polanyi/)

> [Management Challenges to Implementing Agile Processes in Traditional Development Organizations,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-boehm/management-challenges-to-implementing-agile-processes-in-traditional/)

[Barry Boehm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-boehm/)

> [War is the admission of defeat in the face of conflicting interests: by war the issue is left to chance, and the tacit assumption…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/war-is-the-admission-of-defeat-in-the-face-of-conflicting-interests/)

[Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/)

> [Conventionality is the tacit agreement to set appearances before reality, form before content.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-key/conventionality-is-the-tacit-agreement-to-set-appearances-before/)

[Ellen Key](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-key/)

> [But the severe rules of discipline which the prudence of the bishops had instituted were relaxed by the same prudence in favour of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/but-the-severe-rules-of-discipline-which-the-prudence-of-the-bishops/)

[Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/)

> [There is ...a huge tacit conspiracy between the U.S. government, its agencies and its multinational corporations, on the one hand, and local business and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-s-herman/there-is-a-huge-tacit-conspiracy-between-the-u-s-government-its/)

[Edward S. Herman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-s-herman/)

> [True values are not taught and declared, they evolve through the acts and interaction of the living, they are understood at a near tacit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-snowden/true-values-are-not-taught-and-declared-they-evolve-through-the-acts/)

Dave Snowden

> [There's a tacit agreement between myself and the audience that I will entertain them when they buy their ticket, and I've been the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/there-s-a-tacit-agreement-between-myself-and-the-audience-that-i-will/)

[Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/)

> [(Politeness is) a tacit agreement that people's miserable defects, whether moral or intellectual, shall on either side be ignored and not be made the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/politeness-is-a-tacit-agreement-that-people-s-miserable-defects/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [I make a deal with the audience every time I direct a movie. The deal always is this: I'm showing you this world in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-oz/i-make-a-deal-with-the-audience-every-time-i-direct-a-movie-the-deal/)

[Frank Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-oz/)

> [Symbolic violence is violence wielded with tacit complicity between its victims and its agents, insofar as both remain unconscious of submitting to or wielding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-bourdieu/symbolic-violence-is-violence-wielded-with-tacit-complicity-between/)

[Pierre Bourdieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-bourdieu/)

> [ In the end, many of his more militant colleagues began to feel that \[Ho Chi Minh's\] tendency to compromise, and his reluctance to confront… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-duiker/in-the-end-many-of-his-more-militant-colleagues-began-to-feel-that-ho/)

[William J. Duiker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-duiker/)

> [We have Christians against Muslims against Jews, and no matter how liberal your theology, merely identifying yourself as a Christian or a Jew lends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/we-have-christians-against-muslims-against-jews-and-no-matter-how/)

[Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/)

## More by Barry Boehm

> [Negotiation builds a team as well as a set of requirements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-boehm/negotiation-builds-a-team-as-well-as-a-set-of-requirements/)

[Barry Boehm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-boehm/)

> [Poor management can increase software costs more rapidly than any other factor. Particularly on large projects, each of the following mismanagement actions has often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-boehm/poor-management-can-increase-software-costs-more-rapidly-than-any/)

[Barry Boehm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-boehm/)

> [Management Challenges to Implementing Agile Processes in Traditional Development Organizations,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-boehm/management-challenges-to-implementing-agile-processes-in-traditional/)

[Barry Boehm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-boehm/)

> [If a project has not achieved a system architecture, including its rationale, the project should not proceed to full-scale system development. Specifying the architecture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-boehm/if-a-project-has-not-achieved-a-system-architecture-including-its/)

[Barry Boehm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-boehm/)

> [Poor management can increase software costs more rapidly than any other factor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-boehm/poor-management-can-increase-software-costs-more-rapidly-than-any-2/)

[Barry Boehm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-boehm/)

> [About 90 percent of the downtime comes from, at most, 10 percent of the defects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-boehm/about-90-percent-of-the-downtime-comes-from-at-most-10-percent-of-the/)

[Barry Boehm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-boehm/)

> [Software engineering economics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-boehm/software-engineering-economics/)

[Barry Boehm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-boehm/)

> [Stop the life cycle-I want to get off!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-boehm/stop-the-life-cycle-i-want-to-get-off/)

[Barry Boehm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-boehm/)

[Explore all 9 Barry Boehm quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-boehm/)

## More Agile quotes

> [“Agile is a response to the need for more continuous software repair. Its central strategy is to reduce the size and increase the frequency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sussna/agile-is-a-response-to-the-need-for-more-continuous-software-repair/)

Jeff Sussna

> [There is no one-size-fits-all process. It differs from character to character and priority to priority. Every project has a different priority, and you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-massey/there-is-no-one-size-fits-all-process-it-differs-from-character-to/)

[Vikrant Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-massey/)

> [“Half, Not Half-Assed”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/37signals/half-not-half-assed/)

 37signals

> [“With agile retrospectives the team drives their own actions!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-linders/with-agile-retrospectives-the-team-drives-their-own-actions/)

[Ben Linders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-linders/)

> [The key idea of agile is that teams essentially manage themselves. ... It works in software, and it turns out that it works with kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-feiler/the-key-idea-of-agile-is-that-teams-essentially-manage-themselves-it/)

[Bruce Feiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-feiler/)

> [This is all about having great leaders who can drive agile innovation and agile decision-making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/this-is-all-about-having-great-leaders-who-can-drive-agile-innovation/)

[Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/)

> [There's a historical view that adding process into a scrappy start-up kills innovation, but I'm a firm believer that you need process at some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/belinda-johnson/there-s-a-historical-view-that-adding-process-into-a-scrappy-start-up/)

[Belinda Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/belinda-johnson/)

> [“Celebrate Successes, but Don't Declare Victory”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-guckenheimer/celebrate-successes-but-don-t-declare-victory/)

Sam Guckenheimer

> [“agility is relative and time-based. If your software team can’t deliver software and keep pace with changes in the environment, your team is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/agility-is-relative-and-time-based-if-your-software-team-can-t/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“It appears evident that, for the average team, insisting on writing tests first, before functional coding, improves quality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-anderson/it-appears-evident-that-for-the-average-team-insisting-on-writing/)

[David J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-anderson/)

> [“The increasing complexity and pace of change demand more agile and collaborative organizational structures.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrith-vanlon-smith-jr/the-increasing-complexity-and-pace-of-change-demand-more-agile-and/)

[Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hendrith-vanlon-smith-jr/)

> [“I noticed a bumper sticker that said, simply, "gravity works." yes it does. Rock climbers know this and plan for it. So do agile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyssa-adkins/i-noticed-a-bumper-sticker-that-said-simply-gravity-works-yes-it-does/)

[Lyssa Adkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyssa-adkins/)

> [I never allow my mind to run dry of ideas like the ocean which never runs dry of water. An idle mind leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-matobo/i-never-allow-my-mind-to-run-dry-of-ideas-like-the-ocean-which-never/)

[Frank Matobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-matobo/)

> [So I hope I’ve made clear that imposing agile methods is a very red flag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-fowler/so-i-hope-i-ve-made-clear-that-imposing-agile-methods-is-a-very-red/)

[Martin Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-fowler/)

> [Agile leaders encourage their teams to adjust and experiment constantly. In today's age of oversharing, the best leaders also have to be more open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-rottenberg/agile-leaders-encourage-their-teams-to-adjust-and-experiment/)

[Linda Rottenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-rottenberg/)

Browse all 69 Agile quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Agile methods derive much of their agility by relying on the tacit knowledge embodied in the team, rather than writing the knowleadge down in plans.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Barry Boehm"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-boehm/agile-methods-derive-much-of-their-agility-by-relying-on-the-tacit/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Agile"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-boehm/agile-methods-derive-much-of-their-agility-by-relying-on-the-tacit/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e6/barry-boehm-44945_agile_agile-methods-derive-much-of-their-agili_2064938.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e6/barry-boehm-44945_agile_agile-methods-derive-much-of-their-agili_2064938.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e6/barry-boehm-44945_agile_agile-methods-derive-much-of-their-agili_2064938.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Agile methods derive much of their agility by relying on the tacit knowledge embodied in the team, rather…” — Barry Boehm",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Barry Boehm",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-boehm/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Agile methods derive much of their...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-boehm/agile-methods-derive-much-of-their-agility-by-relying-on-the-tacit/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-boehm/agile-methods-derive-much-of-their-agility-by-relying-on-the-tacit/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```