A
- Agentic AI
- AI systems that act with goals, plan steps, call tools, and revise their approach mid-task. This is distinct from one-shot chat. Underpins automation of Agile rituals like backlog refinement, sprint planning, and risk surfacing.
- Agile
- A mindset and set of values (per the Agile Manifesto, 2001) optimized for delivering value in uncertainty: small batches, frequent feedback, self-organizing teams, working software over comprehensive documentation.
- AI-Agile Operating Model
- Agile Visa's proprietary 4-zone framework integrating Agentic AI into Agile delivery. See the full framework.
- Anti-pattern
- A recurring problem-solving approach that looks productive but causes deeper harm, e.g. "story-pointing in hours," "PO-as-backlog-secretary," "burndown as performance metric."
B
- Backlog refinement
- Ongoing activity of clarifying, sizing, splitting, and ordering items in the product backlog so the next 1-3 sprints' worth of work is ready. AI now does roughly half of this mechanically.
- Business Agility
- An enterprise's ability to sense market shifts, redirect resources, and reshape its operating model in days/weeks rather than budget cycles. The subject of ICP-BAF.
C
- Capability bootcamp
- An intensive cohort-based training programme that builds a specific enterprise capability (e.g. AI-augmented product discovery) in 3-12 weeks rather than years.
- Coaching stance
- The internal posture (curious, non-judgemental, partnering) a coach takes, distinct from teaching, mentoring, consulting, or facilitating. Core to ICP-ACC.
- Cycle time
- The elapsed time from when work on an item begins to when it is delivered. A primary flow metric for Lean Portfolio Management and Predictive Telemetry.
D
- Discovery (product)
- The structured process of figuring out what to build before building it. AI compresses traditional discovery cycles from quarters to weeks. See AI for Product Discovery.
E
- Enterprise Agile Coaching
- Coaching at the organization-system level rather than the team level, addressing structures, policies, incentives, and leadership behaviour. ICP-ENT is the canonical credential.
F
- Facilitation
- The neutral practice of helping a group make progress on its own work, distinct from leading, teaching, or solving. ICP-ATF is the foundational credential.
- Flow architect
- The role a Scrum Master grows into when leveraging Predictive Telemetry. The focus shifts to systemic flow rather than ceremonies. See The Predictive Scrum Master.
I
- ICAgile
- The International Consortium for Agile, an independent accreditation body that defines learning outcomes for Agile certifications. Agile Visa is an ICAgile Member Organization.
- ICP
- ICAgile Certified Professional, the foundational Agile credential. See course details.
- ICP-ACC
- ICAgile Certified Professional in Agile Coaching, the flagship coaching credential. See course details.
L
- Lean Portfolio Management
- Applying Lean and Agile principles to enterprise investment decisions: quarterly funding cycles, portfolio kanban, value-stream-aligned governance. ICP-LPM is the credential.
M
- Marketing Agility
- Applying Agile principles to marketing teams: weekly experiment cadence, data-driven campaigns, cross-functional collaboration with product. ICP-MKG is the credential.
O
- Operating model
- The structural answer to "how does work get done in this org", covering teams, governance, funding, decision rights, and tooling. AI is reshaping every operating model in 2025-2026.
P
- Predictive telemetry
- Zone 4 of the AI-Agile Operating Model, using AI to observe team digital exhaust (commits, PRs, CI logs) to surface flow risk before sprint failure. See deep-dive.
- Product Owner (Agile)
- The role accountable for maximising value delivered by a Scrum team, owning the backlog, framing outcomes, and aligning stakeholders. ICP-APO is the credential.
- Product Discovery
- Structured pre-build investigation: who has the problem, how badly, and what shape of solution actually works. AI accelerates synthesis 5-10x.
R
- Retrospective
- The end-of-sprint Scrum ceremony where the team inspects its process and commits to one or two improvements. Predictive telemetry shifts retros from blame to systemic learning.
S
- SAFe
- Scaled Agile Framework, a structured way to apply Agile at enterprise scale via Program Increments, ARTs, and portfolio governance. Often used alongside ICAgile certifications.
- Scrum
- The most adopted Agile framework: time-boxed sprints, three accountabilities (PO, SM, Developers), five events. ICP is the broader literacy; CSM/PSM are framework-specific credentials.
- Scrum Master
- The Scrum accountability for the team's effectiveness, covering coaching, removing impediments, and protecting focus. Evolving into a Flow Architect with AI tooling.
- Systems coaching
- Coaching at the level of structures, policies, and inter-team dynamics rather than individual or team. ICP-SYS is the credential.
T
- Telemetry (in Agile)
- The set of signals AI agents extract from development activity (commit frequency, PR latency, CI/CD events) to diagnose flow health. Distinct from monitoring or surveillance.
- Transformation (Agile)
- A multi-year effort to shift an org's operating model, culture, and ways of working toward Agile. Most stall at pilot. ICP-CAT and ICP-ENT address this.
V
- Value stream
- The end-to-end sequence of activities that delivers value to a customer. Cross-functional teams aligned to value streams replace siloed functional structures.
Z
- Zone 1-4 (AI-Agile Operating Model)
- The four zones of Agile Visa's AI-Agile Operating Model: Adaptive Strategy (1), Augmented Product (2), AI-Augmented Delivery (3), Predictive Telemetry (4). See framework.