Agile Role Playing

I manage software development for a living. The basis for agile software development is the Agile Manifesto based on twelve principles. I believe role-playing should follow a similar pattern.

Manifesto for Agile Role Playing

Individuals and interactions over processes and a particular set of rules
Continuous delivery of interesting and fun adventures over comprehensive documentation and rules
Collaboration with the players over arguing rule specifics
Responding to change over following a plan, module, or rule

Principles behind Agile Role Playing

The highest priority is to satisfy the players through early and continuous delivery of interesting and fun adventures.

Welcome changing players and characters, even late in the campaign. Harness change for the opportunity to introduce new and exciting plot twists and adventures.

Deliver interesting and fun adventures frequently.

Build campaigns around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need and trust them to make the adventures interesting and fun.

The most efficient and effective method of conveying information is role-playing. Interactions with non-player-characters is preferable to finding notes and maps.

Players coming back repeatedly is the primary measure of progress in the campaign.

The Agile process promotes a sustainable campaign. The DM and players should be able to maintain a continual adventure indefinitely. The adventure is never over.

Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility.

Simplicity - the art of maximizing the amount of work not done - is essential.

The best adventures and campaigns emerge from the ideas of the players.

At regular intervals, the DM and the players reflect on how to make the adventures more effective and fun, then tune and adjust their behavior accordingly.