Nonviolent communication, which is also known as NVC or compassionate communication is a methodology that is developed by Marshall Rosenberg back in the year 1960. This principle is based upon the assumption, which says that all the human beings have a capacity to empathy and compassionate. People tend to violate only when they notice that there is no other effective method available for them to get their requirements catered. While working in an agile environment, it is important for you to have this understanding about nonviolent communication in mind and move forward accordingly.
According to Nonviolent communication, it is believed that human behaviour is originated from the attempt to meet the basic human requirements. Then it is said that their needs are never in conflict, but they are just strategizing to meet to meet their needs and end up with clashes. In the meantime, Nonviolent communication is proposing that it is important for the people to get to know about shared needs. These shared needs will be revealed through feelings and thoughts. Then they will be able to collaborate and develop better strategies, which will eventually help them to focus on catering the needs of each other in a better way. Along with that, it is possible to ensure interpersonal harmony. Along with that, proper cooperation can be achieved.
Nonviolent communication principles can be applied to an agile software development team as well. For example, when the testers are waiting too long for the developments to be released for testing and when they notice that there is not enough time available for testing, they will end up with getting into conflicts. Instead of going for such conflicts, the testers and developers will be able to work collaboratively and come up with an appropriate methodology to get their requirements catered.
— Slimane Zouggari