Agile methodology has taken the software development and testing world by storm over the past few years. According to the latest report by VersionOne, 97% of all respondents’ organizations practice Agile methods to facilitate the development process.
So what is Agile and what makes it so popular in the app development world. Let’s find out what Agile methodologies entail and what benefits you can get while implementing it.
- About Agile
- Examples of Agile Methodologies
- eXtreme Programming
- Agile Methodology Tools
About Agile Methodology
Agile is a results-oriented and people-focused approach to software development, meeting the needs and demands of the modern world. Short-delivery terms, self-organization, and adaptive planning are the central element of Agile methodology.
Agile is reliable, fast, flexible and aims at continuous improvements by taking advantage of sophisticated tools like eXtreme Programming and Scrum.
The methodology denies the principles of Waterfall method. The step-by-step process “plan, design, build, test, deliver” works for any industry such as car making or building, but not for software development.
Agile was designed to accommodate change and need for much faster development. According to the methodology, there is a project leader who facilitates the work of the development team and helps them stay focused. Agile has nothing to do with setting milestones, it’s more about development hours, feature selection, prioritization, and meetings.
In contrast to Waterfall, the development team decides at the beginning of a sprint what can be accomplished during this sprint. Thus there is no need for strictly following the “plan, design, build, test, deliver” model. As a rule, after the initial meeting, the development team sets out to building features and delivering working software at the end of the sprint.
Examples of Agile Methodologies
The most widespread and common examples are eXtreme Programming (XP), Scrum, Feature Driven Development (FDD), Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM), Crystal and Lean Software Development (LSD), and Adaptive Software Development (ASD). As a rule, teams use one or two methods to deliver outstanding apps. XP and Scrum are the most widely used methodologies.
How Does Scrum Work?
Scrum is a simple and useful system consisting of several steps and components:
- A product backlog is a prioritized wish list drawn up by a product owner.
- A sprint backlog is one piece of the list that a development team plans to implement within a specified timeframe.
- A sprint is a period of time required to complete a sprint backlog. It usually takes 2 or 4 weeks.
- A daily scrum is a particular meeting where a team assesses the progress.
- A scrum master is a team leader who helps the team stay focused on the goal.
- At the end of a sprint, a scrum team delivers or show a product. A sprint closes after reviewing.
Let’s find out how Scrum works. A scrum master (let’s name it Tim) meets a client to discuss app requirements as well as business needs. During the first meeting, Tim draws up a lost of requirements (that’s a product backlog). Then Tim picks up the most important tasks to work on during the first sprint. He meets with his team to plan the work for the day ahead. At the end of the sprint, Tim delivers the work, reviews the backlog, and sets new tasks for the next sprint. The cycle repeats until the software is complete.
How Does eXtreme Programming Work?
XP is often used with Scrum to level up the customer satisfaction. XP is focused on delivering the features that the customers need right now instead of delivering everything the customer may want in the future.
XP features frequent releases and rather short development cycles. It takes advantage of code reviews, pair programming, testing, and communication with customers.
Here’s how XP works. Tim meets a client to build a list of requirements. He talks to the client to outline the key features. Then Tim builds a software release plan. The software will be delivered according to the iteration plan with one delivery every couple weeks. The team organizes work in programmer pairs with daily meetings to streamline the development process. Similar to Scrum, the cycle repeats until the last piece of the software system is delivered.
ActiveCollabActiveCollab is an easy to use and affordable tool for small businesses. This system doesn’t need any on-boarding training.
Agilo for ScrumAgilo is user-friendly system with automated updates on the project’s progress. It has sprint reports and burn down charts.
JiraJira is a powerful project management tool. It works with Scrum, Kanban, and any other customizable workflows.
Pivotal TrackerPivotal Tracker was designed focusing on mobile app development. The tool is simple once you get used to it.
PrefixPrefix is a free tool. It helps detect and fix bugs before they can deploy. Prefix is like a feedback loop that can catch every bug.
RetraceRetrace is a hands-on system that provides developers with app performance insights from integration to production.
Agile is a popular development methodology widely accepted by development teams all over the world. It helps streamline the development process and ship apps efficiently. At IDAP, we take advantage of Agile methodology to deliver top-notch software solutions for any business regardless of its size and industry. Have any questions? Contact us – we are ready to answer each of your questions.