A Quick Introduction: Agile Software Development Methodology
What is Agile?
According to Agile Alliance : Agile is the ability to create and respond to change. It is a way of dealing with and ultimately suceeding in, an uncertain and turbulent environment.
Instead of betting everything on a “big bang” launch, an agile team delivers work in small, but consumable, increments. Requirements, plans, and results are evaluated continuously so teams have a natural mechanism for responding to change quickly.
Open communication, collaboration, adaptation, and trust amongst team members are at the heart of agile. Agile isn’t defined by a set of ceremonies or specific development techniques. Rather, agile is a group of methodologies that demonstrate a commitment to tight feedback cycles and continuous improvement.
What is Agile Software Development?
Agile software development is an umbrella term for a set of frameworks and practices based on the values and principles expressed in :
- Manifesto for Agile Software Development
- 12 Principles
Manifesto for Agile Software Development
The Agile Manifesto was written in 2001 by seventeen independent-minded software practitioners. While the participants didn’t often agree, they did find consensus around four core values.
“We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it. Through this work we have come to value:
- Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
- Working software over comprehensive documentation
- Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
- Responding to change over following a plan
That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more.”
12 Agile Principles
One thing that separates Agile from other approaches to software development is the focus on the people doing the work and how they work together. Solutions evolve through collaboration between self-organizing cross-functional teams utilizing the appropriate practices for their context.
The Characteristics of the Agile Development Methodology
The characteristics of Agile Development Method are as follows:
1. Modular Functioning
Modularity is the element that allows the components to break down and that broken component is called activities. Modularity allows development teams to envision and manage change more easily because it separates a program into components that contain functionality that is independent and interchangeable.
2. Iteration
Agile processes focus on small cycles. Each cycle has a task of defined activities and those activities must be completed in a correct manner, these cycles have a time slot of a week, from starting to completing the activities.
3. Time-Bound
Software development comes with time limits or the development team must give a delivery date to the customer to keep things under track the iterations. Play a good role as it keeps time limit between one and six weeks on each iteration and it can be scheduled accordingly.
4. Parsimony
Agile approach focus on parsimony, keeps the activities to minimal and only necessary to mitigate risks and achieve their goal.
5. Adaptation
During the development or during iterations, the agile approach is prepared to deal with the higher chances of unknown risks they may be exposed.
6. Incremental
Incremental development is an approach that uses a set number of steps or increments, that follow a linear path of progression. Each increment is tested independently and if found ok then all are integrated into the one system for the result.
7. Convergence
Risks solving during each iteration is one of the great processes that leads to a successful iteration.
8. People Oriented
The agile process is known for its priority towards customers over process and technology.
9. Collaboration
The agile process has a very practical approach for discussions that is face-to-face discussion whether it is with the customer or with the team members itself. Good communications play an important role in the success of the project in the software development field.
