Oh agile.

https://hwlebsworth.com.au/the-wide-world-of-agile-projects-lessons-we-can-learn-from-austech-applications-v-oz-wide/

It’s an evergreen theme. When your lawyer hands you a supplier’s services contract, is it clear and are you happy with what you will get, how much it will cost, when you will pay, and how much you will pay if you want to exit early?

Generally the contract payment process will either be fixed price (we pay when the thing is successfully delivered) or time and materials (we pay by the hour, day, or month and stop paying and using the service if we are not happy).

Agile, and agile contracting, is now old hat. I first wrote about how to draft and structure an agile contract a decade ago (!), and reading back I stand by what I said then:

https://iainmclaren.com/posts/2015-01-28-agile

Agile does not mean no project management or controls. Quite the opposite. An agile contract is a contract that provides just enough structure (and specifications) to ensure that both the supplier and customer act as the other expects. But an agile contract should then get out of the way of the individuals who actually deliver what the customer wants. That is the power of agile principle five:

Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done.

I am always happy to help you with drafting and negotiating your contracts. I would also be very interested to hear your examples of agile contracting victories and defeats.