How does Lean IT relate to Agile methodologies?

Lean IT and Agile methodologies share a foundational philosophy centered on delivering value quickly and efficiently. Both approaches are designed to streamline processes and enhance responsiveness, ensuring that products or services meet customer needs in a timely manner.

In Lean IT, the focus is on eliminating waste, which aligns with the Agile principle of iterative development. By regularly delivering working increments of products, Agile teams can gather feedback and make adjustments more swiftly, facilitating a cycle of continuous improvement. This prioritization of delivering value quickly and efficiently helps organizations respond to customer demands and market changes more effectively.

The other options do not capture the core relationship between Lean IT and Agile. While cost reduction can be a benefit of both approaches, it is not their primary focus. Extensive documentation is often viewed as a hindrance in Agile practices, which strive for simplicity and direct communication over voluminous paperwork. Similarly, long-term planning tends to be less emphasized in these methodologies, as both Lean and Agile prepare organizations to adapt and pivot based on immediate feedback and results rather than sticking to a rigid long-term strategy.