alt Hacker NewsAnd that's why agile is not a set in stone process, that imposes tools and process upon the devs, but states: "Individuals and interactions over processes and tools". Basically, it tells you, that you will need to figure out what works for this project and this set of people.
Which means Agile will always be more expensive, time-consuming and difficult than alternatives.
Say you're building a boat. Boats require not only lots of skills in woodworking, but a whole 'nother skill of design, to get a boat that does what you want on the water. It is always time-consuming, expensive, and hard.
And there's two basic ways to build it: with plans, and without plans. Without plans, you have to design it yourself, then try to build it, then make mistakes, maybe even to the point you have to start from scratch. Time-consuming, expensive, hard. But start with plans that have already been built, and you benefit from somebody else's time, money, expertise and toil. The boat is built faster with less effort and fewer mistakes. And instead of needing master craftsmen, you only need journeymen who can follow orders.