Comparing the ITIL v4 Guiding Principles with the Twelve Principles of Agile Software Development
I work in IT Service Management, but also help lead my organisation’s Agile Community of Practice. I don’t see these two things as being different, so much as just being two distinct lenses through which we can observe and influence how work is done. One thing I have noticed is that I come across very few people who are familiar with both the ITIL v4 Guiding Principles and the Twelve Principles of Agile Software Development. This leads to assumptions that they are very different, and in many ways polar opposites, but there is actually a lot of synergy, and even the differences are not that different.
The ITIL guiding principles and the Twelve Principles of Agile Software Development share some common themes, such as a focus on value, collaboration, and continuous improvement. However, they originate from different frameworks: ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) is primarily concerned with IT service management, while Agile focuses on software development methodologies, but both are definitely usable with all sorts of different types of work outside what they were originally designed for.
Comparison of ITIL Guiding Principles and Agile Principles
| ITIL Guiding Principles | Twelve Agile Principles | Comparison & Key Differences |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Focus on value | 1. Customer satisfaction through early and continuous software delivery | Both emphasise delivering value to customers. ITIL applies this broadly to IT services, while Agile focuses on delivering working software quickly. |
| 2. Start where you are | 12. Regularly reflect and adjust behavior for effectiveness | ITIL suggests building on existing resources, while Agile promotes frequent reflection to refine practices. |
| 3. Progress iteratively with feedback | 3. Deliver working software frequently | Both advocate incremental improvements, though Agile focuses more on frequent product releases. |
| 4. Collaborate and promote visibility | 4. Business and developers must work together daily | ITIL emphasises collaboration across IT teams, while Agile insists on daily business-developer cooperation. |
| 5. Think and work holistically | 6. Face-to-face conversation is the best way to communicate | ITIL promotes a systemic, interconnected approach, while Agile emphasises direct, personal communication. |
| 6. Keep it simple and practical | 10. Simplicity—the art of maximising work not done—is essential | Both stress simplicity, but Agile focuses on minimising unnecessary work, while ITIL emphasises practical solutions. |
| 7. Optimise and automate | 8. Sustainable development should be maintained indefinitely | ITIL advocates automation for efficiency, while Agile promotes sustainable work practices to maintain long-term efficiency. |
Key Differences
- Customer Interaction: Agile emphasises continuous customer collaboration, while ITIL is more about delivering service value holistically.
- Speed & Adaptability: Agile encourages rapid iterations and responsiveness, whereas ITIL focuses on stability, efficiency, and control.
- Communication: Agile prioritises face-to-face communication, while ITIL supports visibility across IT services.
- Automation: ITIL actively promotes automation, while Agile focuses more on human collaboration.
Conclusion
Both frameworks advocate for efficiency, value delivery, and continuous improvement, but Agile is more developer-centric and fast-paced, while ITIL is more service-oriented and structured. Organisations often integrate both frameworks to balance agility and stability in IT service management, and that is very much the end goal I have for the work I am doing right now, and for my organisation as a whole.