Is Agile Dead? or it is a maturity stage

Summary of SAI CEO speaking point uring SAFe Summit Sorrento

Mark Saymen

4/8/20251 min read

Steve Elliot, CEO of Scaled Agile, Inc. during SAFe Summit Sorrento April 8-9
Steve Elliot, CEO of Scaled Agile, Inc. during SAFe Summit Sorrento April 8-9

Agile Isn’t Dead. It’s Just Middle-Aged.
Steve Elliot, CEO of Scaled Agile, Inc.

Let’s be clear: Agile is not a fading trend—it’s a maturing movement.

From AI integration to government systems, from product innovation to hardware design, agility is the engine behind today’s digital transformation. As Steve put it, “Agile is middle-aged,” and that’s not a weakness—it’s wisdom built on two decades of impact.

We’ve Crossed the Chasm

Scaled Agile has successfully moved beyond the early adopters and is now deep in the early majority. This is where transformation meets scale, and the need for proven outcomes and low-risk implementation becomes paramount.

The Market Confirms It

The Agile Transformation Services market is booming, projected to hit $140 billion by 2030. That growth is not coming from hype—it’s being driven by real business needs:

  • Product Operating Models

  • AI-driven innovation

  • Government agility

  • Enterprise hardware alignment

But Here’s the Catch...

As Tamara Nation asked, “Have you checked into Hotel Chaos?
Too many organizations are still checking in to chaos, thinking they’ve adopted Agile when in fact, they’ve only rebranded legacy thinking.

Agility isn’t about sticky notes and ceremonies.
It’s about clarity, flow, learning, and leadership.

The Message Is Clear:

Agility is essential. But YOU are the game changer.
It's not the framework that transforms an organization—it's the people who live it, lead it, and evolve it.

Let’s stop debating if Agile is dead.
Let’s start owning its next chapter.