Everything you need to know about agile methods (2023)

I am often asked the question:What is the agile methodology?Agile is a process that helps teams provide quick and unpredictable responses to feedback about their product. Create opportunities to assess a product's direction throughout the development cycle. Teams evaluate the product in regular meetings called sprints or iterations.

An agile is veryempowerment processHe helps companies design and build the right product. The management process is very beneficial for software companies as it helps them to analyze and improve their product throughout its development. This allows companies to produce a quality product to remain competitive in the market.

Where does agility come from?

In 2001, a small group of people, fed up with the traditional product management approach to software development, drafted the Agile Manifesto. It is an improved way of managing the progress of the software product.

the agileManifesthas four important values:

1. The focus should be more on people and interactions than on processes and tools.
2. Working software is more important than complete documentation
3. Cooperation with the customer is more important than contract negotiations
4. The process must respond to change rather than following a plan.

exist12 principles of agile software development:

1. Achieve customer satisfaction through continuous delivery of valuable software
2. Always accept changing requirements, no matter how early or late in the project
3. Deliver working software in less time
4. Both developers and business people need to work together every day throughout the project.
5. Information is best transmitted between the parties in face-to-face meetings.
6. Motivate people to build a project by creating an environment of appreciation, trust and empowerment.
7. Working software is the most important measure of progress
8. The agile process promotes sustainable development
9. Continuous attention to excellence and quality in engineering and design increases agility
10. 10 Simplicity is an essential part of effective agile management
11. Self-organizing teams produce the best architecture, requirements, and design
12. Teams must reflect through inspection and adjustment to be most effective.

There are several Agile methodologies that promote the values ​​and principles of the Manifesto.hustleand XP are two well-known examples.

The advantages of agile software development

The best software developers have created agile meetings. After repeatedly experiencing the challenges and limitations of traditional waterfall development in real products, they wanted to create a more efficient process for analyzing product development. The approach they use directly addresses issues related to the philosophies and processes of traditional methods.

Stakeholder engagement and satisfaction

The agile process creates many opportunities for real engagement between the team and stakeholders during each sprint meeting. Since the customer is actively involved throughout the product, there is continuous collaboration between all parties. This gives the team the opportunity to fully understand the client's vision. By regularly providing high-quality, functional software, those involved quickly develop a trusting and authentic relationship with the team. This also promotes the bond between the customer and the team.

transparency

The agile approach actively involves the customer throughout the product, including iteration planning, review sessions and building new features into the software. However, customers need to understand that during product transparency, they see a work in progress and not the end product.

Early and predictable delivery

Sprints are carried out on a fixed schedule with a duration of 1 to 4 weeks. By using this time-limited method, predictability is high as new features can be rolled out to stakeholders quickly and frequently. It also allows the team to test the software early or release it when it has sufficient commercial value.

Foreseeable costs and schedule

Because sprints follow a fixed schedule, costs are limited and predictable and based on workload. By combining the estimated costs before each sprint, the customer will better understand the approximate cost of each feature. This provides better opportunities for decision-making when prioritizing features or adding iterations.

flexible prioritization

Scrum methodsAllow more flexibility by prioritizing customer-facing features. The team has more control over managing the deliverables at each sprint boundary. Continued progress toward final product milestone. In order to get a fast RIO from engineering, the work needs to be delivered to the customers early so that they see the value of the features.

change allows

While the focus should be on delivering the agreed subset of product features, agile processes provide the opportunity to continually re-prioritize and refine the product.product backlog🇧🇷 These changes can be added to the next iteration, so new changes can be introduced within a few weeks.

Focus on business value

The team has a better understanding of what is most important to the client's business and can provide resources that add value to the business.

focus on users

User stories are often used to define product features based on business-oriented acceptance criteria. By focusing on user needs, each feature provides real value and not just an IT component. It provides a better way to get valuable feedback by testing the software in beta after each sprint. This provides important feedback early in the product so changes can be made as needed.

improves the quality

The product is broken down into manageable units, making it easier for the team to focus on quality development, testing, and collaboration. By creating builds and testing or revising during iteration, errors and inconsistencies can be found and fixed earlier, improving overall quality.

Give your team a purpose

Most agile processes focus on creating a shared sense of ownership and common goals for all team members. This gives your team meaning instead of creating a false sense of urgency. Purposeful teams are more productive and challenge themselves to be faster and more efficient.

The Business Benefits of Agile

Agile management reduces overall risks associated with product delivery, scope and budget.

Motivatecooperationbetween the customer and the team; provide mutual benefit inhigh risk reductionduring software development.

in 2009 dr. David F. Rico compared Agile to traditional methods of managing software products. During his research and synthesis, he analyzed 23 agile processes and compared them to 7,500 traditional projects.

He found20 benefitsfor agile products:

• 41% were better in terms of overall business value
• 83% demonstrated faster time-to-market speeds
• 50% were of the highest quality
• 50% were cheaper
• 83% were more productive

agile Methods

There are several agile methods; all share similar philosophies, characteristics and practices. When it comes to implementation, however, each agile method has its own set of practices, terminologies, and tactics. Key components of the agile software development methodology include:

hustle

hustleis a management framework with powerful features to track and manage iterations and increments for all types of projects. They are lightweight and can be used with other agile methodologies for various engineering practices. Scrums have gained popularity in the agile software development community because of their simplicity and proven productivity rate.

Lean and Kanban

1. Lean software development

Lean Software Development is an iteration methodology originally developed by Mary and Tom Poppendieck. Many of the principles and practices of lean software development stem from the lean enterprise movement and were first adopted by large companies like Toyota. This value-based approach focuses on providing the customer with an efficient "value stream" mechanism that adds value to the product.

The basic principles of this methodology are:

• remove waste
• reinforce learning
• Make decisions as late as possible.
• Deliver results as quickly as possible
• train the team
• build integrity
• Imagine the whole project

By selecting only those features that have real value to the system, prioritizing them and delivering them in small batches, waste is avoided. Instead, the Lean methodology emphasizes speed and efficiency; relies on fast and reliable feedback between customers and programmers. The focus is on the idea that customer orders “pull” the product. The focus is more on faster and more efficient decision making by individuals or small teams than on a controlled hierarchical method. This methodology focuses on the efficiency of your team's resources and ensures everyone is always as productive as possible.

2. The Kanban method

Organizations use the Kanban method to manage product creation, emphasizing continuous delivery and not overloading the development team. Like Scrum, Kanban processes are designed to help teams work together more efficiently.

existthree principles:

1. Visualize what you're doing - see everything in context - more informative
2. Limit the amount of work in progress (WIP): Balance the flow-based approach so teams don't commit to doing too much work at once
3. Improve flow: Once a task is complete, start the next job further up the backlog

The Kanban method promotes continuous collaboration with the customer and the team. Encourage continuous learning and improvement to provide the best possible workflow for the team.

Extreme Programming (XP)

Extreme Programming (XP) was originally described by Kent Beck. It is one of the most popular and controversial agile methodologies. XP is a highly disciplined method of delivering consistently high-quality software faster. The customer actively works with the team to continually plan, test, and provide fast feedback to deliver software that works time and time again. Software must be delivered at three-week intervals.

The original XP method is based onfour simple values:

1. simplicity
2. Communication
3. return
4. Mut

To have12 The Support Practice:

1. planning game
2. small pitches
3. customer acceptance tests
4. design easily
5. pair programming
6. Test Driven Development
7. restructuring
8. continuous integration
9. collective code ownership
10. coding standards
11. metaphor
12. sustainable walk

Crystal

The Crystal methodology is one of the easiest and most adaptable approaches in software development. It consists of several agile processes including Clear, Crystal Yellow, Crystal Orange and other unique methods. These processes are driven by several factors, including team size, system criticality, and product priorities.

The Crystal family is focused on understanding that each product has unique characteristics, so policies and practices must be adjusted to reflect these characteristics.

The Crystal Method hasseveral key principlesincluded:

• cooperation
• Communication
• simplicity
• Consideration
• frequent adjustments
• improve processes

This agile process, like other methods, promotes the early and frequent delivery of working software. It encourages high user engagement, adaptability, and the elimination of distractions and bureaucracy.

Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM)

The Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM) emerged in 1994 to provide an industry-standard framework for delivering products for what was then known as Rapid Application Development (RAD).

Although the RAD approach was very popular in the 1990s, it evolved in an unstructured manner.

Since its inception, DSDM has evolved and matured; provides a comprehensive foundation for planning, managing, executing and scaling agile process and iteration products.

DSDM hatsix basic principlesaround business needs:

1. Valentina
2. Active User Participation
3. trained teams
4. frequent delivery
5. integrated exams
6. Cooperation of stakeholders

DSDM uses a "Fitness for Business Purpose" approach to delivery and acceptance criteria. It focuses on the formula: 80% system implementation 20% of the time.

Resource Driven Development (FDD)

Jeff De Luca, along with associates A.M. Rajashima, Lim Bak Wee, Paul Szego, Jon Kern and Stephen Palmer developed Feature-Driven Development (FDD). It is a short, model-driven iteration process that starts with first defining the form of the agile model.

Design by function, build by function iterations are performed bi-weekly. Features appeal to customers because they are small and useful.

FDD design and development are delivered using theseeight practices:

1. Domain Object Modeling
2. resource development
3. Component and Class Ownership
4. featured teams
5. The inspection
6. settings management
7. regular constructions
8. Visibility of progress and results

agile process

The agile process breaks down a larger software product into many smaller parts that can be developed in increments and iterations.Studies have shown that there is a negative correlation between product size and success (i.e. the smaller the product, the higher the success rate).

The agile approach reduces project size by creating many smaller products. This iterative approach distinguishes agile management from other management methods.

Unlike other methods, Agile Management uses iterations during theplanningand stages of development.Each iteration typically lasts a week.

During these sessions, the product team and customer team work together to prioritize what needs to be added to the iteration.the final resultIt's a jobSoftware program that is promptly delivered to the customerin a production environment.

Customers can then test your program and make changes if necessary. Many releases are made throughout the process as changes are made to the program. This iteration process is repeated until the design is complete.

General and agile management

Software programming is a critical component in almost every business these days. It means thatAgility is an essential process for all types of organizationsand way of working.

agile Methodsthat embody new values, practices, principles and benefits are abest alternative to the traditional command-and-control style of project management.The agile process is spreading across various industries and functions, including C-suites.

Although many companies are adopting some agile processes, they still work with a bureaucratic top-down approach. In today's mainstream digital economy, companies need to develop agile management practices. But many companies stillstruggle with this transitionand operate in a command style culture. This is reflected in the mindset and skills of top management and is the biggest hurdle for companies today.

agile practice

existmany different agile practices🇧🇷 Many are not used by Agile professionals. Those who want to move to the agile process should understand the different practices to understand how to apply the practice in their environment. The following examples help illustrate how agile practices can be applied.

Daily Standup (Reuniões Stand-Up)

daily meetingsalso called Daily Scrum Meetings. Scrum meetings are held daily by the team so they can share relevant information. These meetings should inform and update all team members equally about the project status. The key to all meetings is brevity.

During the daily scrum meetingsEach member must answer these three questions:

1. What did I do yesterday?
2. What am I doing today?
3. What issues are hindering my progress?

user stories

A user story is onebrief description of the functionality requested by the end user🇧🇷 existthree elements of the user story🇧🇷 You are:

1. A written description, story planning (usually written on a card)
2. A conversation about history for a better understanding.
3. A series of tests confirms the story.

The stories are written from the end user's perspective and use language that the end user understands. Stories act as a currency between developers and customers; both parties clearly understand them. You can read more about it4 reasons why user stories aren't "done" yet.

automated tests

Implementing formal and thorough automated testing is an essential part of the agile process. Testing finds bugs at their source and fixes them to ensure a working software package is delivered to the customer.

Developers can create test code under a safety net using a variety of available frameworks while developing software code.This method protects other functions while changes are made to the software.is also onefastest and most efficient way to find bugsdon't program.

automated constructions

A key principle for agile methods is to keep software runningever. In practice, the only way to do this is to ensure that all software development is regularly and automatically compiled, built, deployed, and tested. This usually happens several times a day and at least once each time a developer "checks in" code as the main part of the development branch.

Agile planning: release, iteration and abandonment

existthree levels of agile development planning: release, iteration and task.In the initial phase, project developers and customers meet to discuss the key user stories required for the software. The initial focus of the meeting is on the essential resources to assess and prioritize what needs to be done.

launch planningis a customer-centric planning session. Both customers and developers choose a date for the first set of product releases. You decide together which stories to include with each release. Developers focus on story rating, while clients focus on story selection. Estimation efforts come in a variety of forms, dictated by the needs and desires of the client and development teams.

iteration planningrequires a collaborative effort between customers and developers to initiate part of the release schedule. During iterations, the client defines and prioritizes user stories while the developers estimate how much effort is required to develop each user story. The time frame for iterations is much shorter, taking weeks instead of months.

task schedulingtakes place after the iteration planning. The development team breaks stories down into a series of workable steps. Task lists are developed and published in the project room so that they are visible to all group members. Common tools used during this planning session include sticky notes and whiteboards. Each developer voluntarily takes on a task and allocates a budget to it.

pair programming

In pair programming, two developers work together on a programming task. One person is the driver, the person entering the code, while the second person is the navigator, planning the next steps while adding the code to the bigger picture.

a common complaintPair programming isWaste of human resources to do the task🇧🇷 For a job that can be done by one person, two people should not be needed. Although the schedule means more work, the end result is worth the cost.

A recent study found thatPair programming requires 15% more effort but produces 15% fewer errors.While results may vary from case to case, developers often find that the reduced errors are worth the additional resources used.

MiscellaneousThe advantage is that pairing is not required all the time🇧🇷 Teams can set their own rules and schedule when deciding if it's best to pair up.

continuous integration

During continuous integration, development teams push their code into the system several times a day. Before code is added, a series of tests are run to ensure that other tests or existing functionality in the system are not compromised.

The developer must first run all system tests and fix all problems before integrating other code. The more frequently code is integrated into software, the faster and easier it is to merge and catch errors.

retrospectives

retrospectivesThese are meetings that take place at or near the end of a sprint. They give everyone involved the opportunity to look back andImpact on the work done during the process.

The whole team analyzes what worked where and what didn'timprovementscan be done and, more importantly, how they can translate the lessons they've learned into actionable change.

Conclusion

Agile management is an exciting and fascinating approach to software development.By integrating product developers and customers into the planning and implementation processes, the result is a more rewarding experience for everyone involved.

When agile programming is done well, companies can continuously find ways to increase value for their customers. It gives more meaning to whoever is actively working on the product and creates a more positive experience for the customer, leading to more bountiful results for the company.

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