Wild West to Agile

Wild West to Agile: The evolution and revolution of software development, drawn from personal experience, from the Apollo moon mission to digital transformations.

In 2023, “technology is your business – no matter what your business.” But how did we get here and how could a historical perspective prepare us for the future? Jim Highsmith tackles the evolution and revolution of software development, embellishes them with personal experiences, from the Apollo moon mission to modern digital transformations, and introduces the adventurous pioneers—from structured era developer Ken Orr to Agile methodologist Kent Beck—who strived to make the world a better place, by building better software. Jim’s six-decade career has encompassed the Wild West (1966-1979), to Structured Methods and Monumental Methodologies (1980s), to the Roots of Agile (1990s), to the present Agile Era (2001-present). In each era, he explores the evolution of software development methods, methodologies, and mindsets. Whether you are from the 1970-1980’s generation looking for an “I was there too” moment, a newer generation interested in the evolution of software development, the Agile generation interested in how Agile methodologies were born and evolved, or have a general interest in information technology, Wild West to Agile has something for you.

Author Biography

Jim Highsmith is a well-known agilist and author, whose career spanned six decades of rapid technology and business change. Jim has been at the forefront of software technologies’ response to that change, from working on 1970s COBOL business applications, to recent engagements for digital transformation. With decades of business, management, and software development experience, he is uniquely qualified to explore the history of software development to help us prepare for the ever more chaotic future.

Jim is the author of EDGE: Value-Driven Digital Transformation; Adaptive Leadership: Accelerating Enterprise Agility; Agile Project Management: Creating Innovative Products; Agile Software Development Ecosystems; and Adaptive Software Development: A Collaborative Approach to Managing Complex Systems, winner of the prestigious Jolt Award and of the 2005 international Stevens Award for outstanding contributions to software development. Jim is a coauthor of the Agile Manifesto, a founding member of Agile Alliance, coauthor of the Declaration of Interdependence for project leaders, and cofounder and first president of the Agile Leadership Network. Jim has consulted with IT, product development organisations, and software companies in the US, Europe, Canada, South Africa, Australia, Brazil, China, Japan, India, and New Zealand.