Unlike classical Project Management (PM), when a project is strictly regulated by predetermined requirements (contracts), using Agile software development you have responsiveness, as well as flexible adaptation to external and internal changes. This is achieved through iterative product development and effective interpersonal communication. Let’s see how it works.
3 key concepts of Agile
1. The process consists of 1-4 week cycles called sprints
At the end of each sprint a shippable product increment is delivered. According to the experience, it can be said that two-week sprints provide a balanced opportunity to make something valuable and qualitative over a short period of time.
2. Test scenarios are developed before programming starts
Test-driven development provides developers with an opportunity to test the workability of their code at once. In spite of the fact that actually many teams try to do this before programming starts, the most important thing is to write test scenarios, especially scenarios of unit testing which often are not used in the cascade model at all.
3. Stand-up meetings are held on a daily basis
During such meetings a team gathers in the form of a circle and each participant tells what they have done yesterday, what they are going to do today and what problems they have faced. All the questions, requiring more time and for which short discussion is not suitable, are recorded and considered later. Besides, it is of the first importance that everyone stands, as it underlines the need for being brief.
10 advantages of using Agile software development
- Fast detection of wrong approaches
Agile gives a possibility to track different mistakes concerning daily tracking of work process pretty fast.
- Fast decision-making
Most decisions are made by the partners working in one premise. If any questions arise, it is common practice for team members to gather for discussion.
- Joint efforts provide a great number of advantages
In teams who are using Agile software development methodology technical and business participants have the same responsibility, they are equally interested in achieving success. Technical workers are aware of difficulties that business department experiences with the current environment, while business workers are aware of technical difficulties in developing a new app. When any problems arise, they become known to all participants of the group and very often a solution is found by people who work on quite different tasks.
- Changes are inevitable and welcomed
When the agile approach is used, a system is transformed through some cycles and changes are made in the process of development.
- The end product contains the most useful functions
As business workers are directly involved into the development of a product, they efficiently define the functions improving it. Conversely, defining all the requirements at the initial stages of a project can lead to the development of useless or partially useful functions.
- More appealing environment for Gen Y
Currently the talks about involving the generation born at the end of 20th century are very popular. Agile is ideally suitable for this, as young workers like a dynamic work environment conductive to joint cooperation.
- Higher quality of production code
Taking into account that development always involves a large number of people coordinated by a Team Leader, developers try to write flexible code to avoid the necessity of rewriting the existing code by themselves or by their colleagues during making changes.
- Business group is most pleased with final results
In the process of studying the level of customers’ satisfaction it was found that the projects developed using Agile software development, gained more points compared with the projects based on the waterfall model.
- Drawing up technical documentation takes less time and has fewer mistakes
Taking into account that documentation is limited to the work products required for performing set tasks (user stories, test scenarios etc.), it reflects what has already been implemented, but not what could be planned.
- Simpler maintenance of the product
We all heard about the single point of failure, this means that only one person knows the code well enough to make changes there. It never happens in the agile model, as every part of a system simultaneously involves a couple of developers.
Conclusions or why do our customers using Agile software development with us:
Let’s set aside technical details and switch our attention to something more important, that is clear and hidden expectations of a customer. They, as opposed to rational reasoning and precise calculations, often define the choice of a work method.
Firstly, Agile is cheap
- MVP can be obtained as fast as possible. This is the task of Agile methodology to develop only those functions at the first stage that will be enough for launching the product at the earliest possible time.
- There is no necessity to spend money on documenting, as it is performed in the process of development.
- The project requires only one manager who will keep abreast of everything what is going on in the project.
Secondly, Agile is simple
It is simple for people who have no idea about the problems of software development. It can be explained to the customer. It does not have any frightful words, such as prototyping, architecture, work plan, areas of responsibility etc. Agile can be learnt within a couple of days and then you can confidently visit conferences listening to the speeches of the same ‘specialists’ as you are.