Agility is the ability to adapt quickly and efficiently to change.
The purpose behind developing agile development methodology was to have agility, which was missing in traditional waterfall models; it was the waterfall model that inspired agile methodology.
Agile software development is based on iterative and incremental development. Agile methodology uses continuous stakeholder feedback to produce high-quality consumable code through use cases and a series of short time-boxed iterations.
Four main Features of Agile methodology:
1. Stable code,
2. Continuous stakeholder feedback,
3. Cross-functional and Self-directed teams,
4. Sustainable pace.
In agile, there are small time-boxed iterations of 1-3 weeks, and each iteration involves the entire development cycle, including requirements analysis, design, coding, testing, and acceptance testing.
After this, the working product is demonstrated to the stakeholders.
The agile team structure is usually cross-functional and self-directed and takes full responsibility for the tasks for a particular iteration.
Team size is typically small(5-10 people) to make communication and collaboration easier.
Daily scrum meetings (only 10-15-minute standup meetings) are held to see the team’s progress and any blockers.
Agile Software Development is a methodology that values flexibility, collaboration, and customer satisfaction. It is based on the Agile Manifesto, a set of principles for software development that prioritize individuals and interactions, working software, customer collaboration, and responding to change.
Agile Software Development is an iterative and incremental approach to software development that emphasizes the importance of delivering a working product quickly and frequently. It involves close collaboration between the development team and the customer to ensure that the product meets their needs and expectations.
The Agile Software Development process typically consists of the following steps:
Requirements Gathering:
The customer’s requirements for the software are gathered and prioritized.
Planning:
The development team creates a plan for delivering the software, including the features offered in each iteration.
Development:
The development team works to build the software using frequent and rapid iterations.
Testing:
The software is thoroughly tested to meet the customer’s high-quality requirements.
Deployment:
The software is deployed and put into use.
Maintenance:
The software is maintained to ensure that it continues to meet the customer’s needs and expectations.
Software development teams widely use Agile Software Development.
It is considered a flexible and adaptable approach to software development that is well-suited to changing requirements and the fast pace of software development.
Agile is a time-bound, iterative approach to software delivery that builds software incrementally from the start of the project instead of trying to deliver all at once.
Principles:
- The highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software.
- It welcomes changing requirements, even late in development.
- Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference for the shortest timescale.
- Build projects around motivated individuals. Please give them the environment and the support they need, and trust them to do the job.
- Working software is the primary measure of progress.
- Simplicity, the art of maximizing the amount of work not done, is essential.
- Face-to-face conversation is the most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team.
Advantages:
- Deployment of software is quicker and thus helps in increasing the trust of the customer.
- Can better adapt to rapidly changing requirements and respond faster.
- Immediate feedback is given to improve the software in the next increment.
- People – Not Process. People and interactions are given a higher priority than processes and tools.
- Continuous attention to technical excellence and sound design.
- Increased collaboration and communication: Agile methodologies emphasize collaboration and communication among team members, stakeholders, and customers. This leads to improved understanding, better alignment, and increased buy-in from everyone involved.
- Flexibility and adaptability: Agile methodologies are designed to be flexible and adaptable, making it easier to respond to changes in requirements, priorities, or market conditions. This allows teams to quickly adjust their approach and stay focused on delivering value.
- Improved quality and reliability: Agile methodologies strongly emphasize testing, quality assurance, and continuous improvement. This helps to ensure that software is delivered with high quality and reliability, reducing the risk of defects or issues that can impact the user experience.
- Enhanced customer satisfaction: Agile methodologies prioritize customer satisfaction and focus on delivering value to the customer. By involving customers throughout the development process, teams can ensure that the software meets their needs and expectations.
- Increased team morale and motivation: Agile methodologies promote a collaborative, supportive, and positive work environment. This can boost team morale, motivation, and engagement, leading to better productivity, higher quality work, and improved outcomes.
Disadvantages:
- In the case of large software projects, it can be challenging to assess the effort required at the initial stages of the software development life cycle.
- Agile Development is more code-focused and produces less documentation.
- Agile development is heavily dependent on the inputs of the customer. The project will likely get off track if the customer needs clarity in his vision of the outcome.
- Face-to-face communication is more complex in large-scale organizations.
- Only senior programmers are capable of making the kind of decisions required during the development process. Hence, it takes time for new programmers to adapt to the environment.
- Lack of predictability: Agile Development relies heavily on customer feedback and continuous iteration, making it challenging to predict project outcomes, timelines, and budgets.
- Limited scope control: Agile Development is designed to be flexible and adaptable so that scope changes can be easily accommodated. However, this can also lead to scope creep and a need for more control over the project scope.
- Lack of emphasis on testing: Agile Development places a greater emphasis on delivering working code quickly, which can lead to an absence of focus on testing and quality assurance. This can result in bugs and other issues that may go undetected until later stages of the project.
- Risk of team burnout: Agile Development can be intense and fast-paced, with frequent sprints and deadlines. This can put much pressure on team members and lead to burnout, especially if the team needs adequate rest and recovery time.
- Lack of structure and governance: Agile Development is often less formal and structured than other development methodologies, which can lead to an absence of governance and oversight. This can result in inconsistent processes and practices, impacting project quality and outcomes.
