As per my previous post, Agile focuses on value, quality, adaptability, feedback, continuous delivery and time to market. Efficiency and optimization - boosted by removing waste (i.e.: everything that does not provide value) - are used to accelerate time to market, continuous delivery and innovation. Delivering value early is key.
The whole process is driven by a product vision, delivery (i.e.: execution) and empowering people for them to self-organise.
Agile is based on iterations based on feedback and an incremental approach normally timeboxed and based in features - albeit a functional approach doesn't stop the process being agile, this being a widespread false myth. Technical excellence (quality) embeds value into the product making the work done by self-organising teams easier to mantain, modify (adaptability) and scale.
In contrast, traditional project management focuses on scope (requirements), through planning, monitoring and controlling, not so much on execution.
Based on command and control to make sure what was planned is created according to its requirements, removing need for feedback and continuous delivery but killing innovation and self-organisation by doing so.
Too much time is dedicated to documentation and processes (i.e.: compliance). Radical application of traditional methods can easily end up being a justification through documentation where it's more important to show you're not the one to blame than what was created. Excessive compliance is perceived as a waste in Agile.
Traditional methods are mostly sequential, they expect "doers" instead of professionals with technical excellence, people that obey and do what they were asked (according to requirements).
[250 words]
Note: This reflection and words are my own but it was written after reading Highsmith, J., (2009). Agile project management: creating innovative products. Pearson Education. pp. 27-45.
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