By Insights
As companies strive to make their software development process more efficient, they increasingly adopt the Agile methodology. This has been the case for nearly 20 years as the practice grows in popularity. Related offshoots like Scrum, Lean, and Kanban are also in vogue across the software engineering world.
If you are relatively new to Agile, here are a few of the principles from the original Agile Manifesto that need to be on your radar. After all, leading application development projects using the methodology requires a deft hand. Use these ideas to help ensure a successful outcome.
Customer Satisfaction Through the Early and Continuous Delivery of Useful Software
The most critical words in this principle are the first two: customer satisfaction. This typically remains the ultimate goal of any software development initiative, Agile or not. “Continuous Delivery” is another essential concept, a Holy Grail leading many organizations to adopt DevOps with the hope of delivering software enhancements and fixes continually.
Welcome Changing Requirements, Even Late in Development
A change in requirements late in a software project is known as scope creep. Agile was created as a reaction to scope creep on older projects like those using the Waterfall methodology. It’s an approach that allows project teams to react to external changes, so the customer gains a competitive advantage.
Frequently Delivered Software (in Weeks not Months)
One of the significant benefits of Agile compared to the Waterfall involves getting Software into the hands of the customer as quickly as possible. Because of this, a project gets broken up into working features that are developed, tested, and delivered to the customer for approval. This approach works better than older methodologies where nothing is delivered until near the end of a project.
Close, Daily Collaboration Between Businesspeople and Developers
Collaboration is an essential part of any Agile project. In this case, the project manager (or Scrum Master) serves as a facilitator, ensuring the communication channels stay open and active. For success in this role, you need to possess the right mix of technical know-how, business acumen, and strong communication skills.
This need for collaboration is another reason for the popularity of DevOps, which merges developers, network engineers, and business people into one team with a focus on delivering Software quickly.
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