It was 20 years ago this week that the Berlin Wall fell.  The event symbolized massive change and hope for the future.  It spelled an end to years of communist indoctrination, and offered a new way of thinking to millions of people.  Watching the anniversary on TV got me thinking about things that are happening around us in the IT world and what changes are afoot.

The communication problems associated with non-collocated teams are becoming a thing of the past due to advancing Internet technologies.  It’s becoming easier to pick a cost effective global team with the best skills, rather than selecting the immediate people around you who are available. Environmental concerns also mean that business travel is becoming less common. Additionally, working from home 1 or 2 days a week is catching on.

So what are the implications for Agile teams? I have heard many negative opinions from scrum coaches and trainers that virtual whiteboards don’t work – but is this looking to the past and not the future.  If virtual whiteboards don’t work is it because Agile approaches need to be adapted to cater for the way things will be rather than the way they were.

Should we review the Agile ideas of 2001 and adapt them to the coming decade? Is it time for the taskboard wall to fall and the virtual wall to rise? Is it time to be globally agile and to develop Agile Project Tools that enhance the creativity and diversity that a virtual team can bring?

Let me know your comments – either ‘for’ or ‘against’.