> > All Agile did was put software development teams unfairly under a microscope.
Most managers crave control over their teams; this is not something that Agile introduced. If anything, Agile let them use the sort of control they were already demanding towards more useful and productive goals, by introducing bazaar-like practices to centralized software development (release early, release often; shorten feedback loops as much as possible; make extensive use of refactoring, software testing and XP principles); while at the same time not being altogether incompatible with self-organizing development teams (these were mentioned in the original Agile manifesto, after all).
Most managers crave control over their teams; this is not something that Agile introduced. If anything, Agile let them use the sort of control they were already demanding towards more useful and productive goals, by introducing bazaar-like practices to centralized software development (release early, release often; shorten feedback loops as much as possible; make extensive use of refactoring, software testing and XP principles); while at the same time not being altogether incompatible with self-organizing development teams (these were mentioned in the original Agile manifesto, after all).