Hands-on Agile 2025 is Here: From Concept-Based to Context-Based Agility
We’re thrilled to announce that Hands-on Agile 2025 is officially on the horizon and will be free to attend from February 4-6, 2025. This time, we will focus on how Agile needs to evolve from concept-based agility to context-based agility.
But before we discuss what that means, let’s take a step back and consider why Hands-on Agile 2025 is going to be a can’t-miss event for everyone in the agile community.
For those unfamiliar, Hands-on Agile isn’t just another conference. It’s an event built around the Barcamp model, meaning it’s a self-organized, community-driven gathering with one goal: Sharing knowledge and experiences.
From February 4 to 6, 2025, we will spend three energizing days engaging in sessions, practicing agile games, sharing war stories, and learning directly from each other. Hands-on Agile is all about creating a space for practitioners, coaches, leaders, and newcomers to connect in a truly hands-on way.
Save Your Seat Now!
There are no tickets; Hands-on Agile 2025 is free.
However, you will need to register nevertheless. Otherwise, you would not receive, for example, the invitation to the HoA2025 community or have access to individual session access credentials:
Please note:
- For technical reasons, your sign-up confirmation will be sent from stefan [at] age-of-product.com.
- Your registration to Hands-on Agile 2025 will also subscribe you to Stefan’s Food for Agile newsletter, one of the largest independent newsletters on agile practices worldwide.
- Your invitation to join the Hands-on Agile 2025 community will be limited to February 28, 2025.
The Barcamp Experience: Why It Works
The Barcamp experience is unique because it prioritizes open exchange over rigid structure. In a traditional conference, you have keynote speakers, panels, and rigidly timed workshops. Barcamps, on the other hand, are designed to be fluid. Everyone attending can propose sessions—for example, running a workshop, facilitating a discussion, or leading an exercise. The agenda is created on the spot, and everyone can participate at their own pace and according to their needs.
From Concept-Based to Context-Based Agility
In the early days of Agile, much of the focus was on concept-based agility, such as mastering the core principles, frameworks, and tools outlined in agile methodologies like Scrum, Kanban, or XP. Teams and organizations spent much time understanding these foundational concepts, applying them, and ensuring they were “doing Agile” correctly. Concept-based agility is essential for creating a common language and understanding within teams, but over time it has become clear that one size does not fit all. Rigidly applying agile frameworks without adapting to the unique challenges of each organization, team, or product environment often led to frustration and, in many cases, failure.
This is where context-based agility comes into play. Rather than adhering strictly to agile frameworks and practices as they are defined in theory, context-based agility emphasizes adapting agile principles to the specific needs and challenges of a given environment. It’s about understanding the context—whether it’s the size of your team, the complexity of your product, the market dynamics, or organizational culture—and tailoring agile practices to fit that context.
For example, a startup might apply Scrum differently than a large, established enterprise because their goals, pace, and challenges differ greatly. In short, while concept-based agility asks, “Are we following the principles correctly?” context-based agility asks, “How can we adapt the principles to be most effective—create value for customers and the organization—in our unique situation?”
At Hands-on Agile 2025, we plan to explore this shift toward contextual adaptability, offering participants the opportunity to share their experiences and insights on what works best in their particular environments. This shift allows teams and organizations to get the most out of Agile, applying it in practical, sustainable, and uniquely suited ways rather than being confined to rigid interpretations of agile concepts.
What to Expect at Hands-on Agile 2025
From February 4 to 6, 2025, we will run the event in English from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. CET daily, with sessions in other languages welcome as well. We structure the days around Open Space Technology principles, where attendees organize themselves into various session tracks, workshops, and discussions based on interest. You can expect a wide variety of sessions, ranging from practical exercises to in-depth discussions on the most pressing challenges facing the agile world today.
Whether you’re a seasoned agile practitioner or just starting your journey, there’s something for you. Some sessions will be geared toward beginners looking to build a solid foundation, while others will dive deep into advanced topics like organizational change and leadership in an Agile context.
A Global Virtual Gathering
One of the most exciting aspects of Hands-on Agile 2025 is that it’s entirely virtual. Thanks to Zoom, participants from all over the world can join, share, and learn without the need for expensive travel or accommodations. All you need is a stable internet connection, a modern browser (Chrome is recommended), and ideally an external microphone to ensure your voice is clear during discussions.
Since we want this to be as accessible as possible, there are no tickets required. However, you do need to register! Registration will ensure that you receive important details like the session planning information (happening on January 27, 2025) and Zoom credentials to participate in the individual sessions.
The Live Stream and High-Class Talks
In addition to the self-organized Barcamp sessions, we will also be hosting a live stream featuring well-known authors, peers, and thought leaders in the Agile community. These high-class talks will dive deep into topics shaping Agile’s future, from scaling practices to leadership challenges, all through the lens of context-based agility. We want these talks to spark conversations that carry over into the Barcamp sessions, so you can take the concepts shared by these experts and apply them to your own unique situations.
Session Planning: How You Can Get Involved
One of the core components of the Barcamp experience is session planning, and for Hands-on Agile 2025, this will take place on January 27, 2025, from 4 to 6 p.m. CET. This is your opportunity to propose and discuss sessions in which you’d like to lead or participate. Don’t worry if you’re new to session planning—our community thrives on collaboration, and there will be plenty of guidance on how to get involved.
If you’ve got an idea for a session, whether it’s an exercise, workshop, or discussion, now’s the time to share it! Submit your session proposal on the Hands-on Agile 2025 website. Don’t be shy; even if your idea is in its early stages, proposing it can help you refine and shape it with input from the community.
Spread the Word and Build the Community
Hands-on Agile 2025 thrives on community engagement, and we need your help to spread the word. The more agile practitioners, coaches, and leaders we have participating, the richer the experience will be for everyone. So, whether you share on social media, talk about it in your local agile groups, or mention it to a colleague, your voice can help bring more people into this incredible event.
No Fancy Technology Needed
We’ve kept the tech requirements for Hands-on Agile 2025 as minimal as possible. If you’ve used Zoom before, you’re already set. While using the Zoom client has its advantages, a modern browser will work just fine. If you’re running a session, make sure you mention the appropriate tools (like any additional software) in your session description.
Ready to Join?
Registration for Hands-on Agile 2025 is open now! Just to remind you, while the event is free, registration is essential to receive updates, session information, and community access. Don’t wait—join us for three days of learning, sharing, and community building. Let’s make Hands-on Agile 2025 an unforgettable experience!
We can’t wait to see you there.
Register today and let’s move from concept-based to context-based agility together!
