If you’ve ever even just considered working in IT, you’ve probably heard the word “agile”.
But what exactly are agile methodologies?
It is an umbrella term for several practices that represent a dynamic and collaborative approach to project management and software development. The goal is to improve the overall efficiency and effectiveness of teams.
Are they truly beneficial though? And how can you incorporate them into your company’s workflow? What do all these agile methodology terms mean?
You’ll find the answers to these and more questions below:
What is Agile?
Agile is a project management approach. Its main goal is to break the work process into phases. All relevant teams are involved in a cycle of planning, executing, and evaluating. There’s a huge focus on continuous collaboration and improvement.
Agile follows 12 principles:
- Delivering useful software on time and consistently results in satisfied customers.
- Accepting evolving needs even after they have been developed.
- Delivering functioning software regularly, with a bias for shorter durations.
- Fostering constant, close collaboration between developers and business executives.
- Centring initiatives on driven people in a trustworthy, encouraging setting.
- The most effective and efficient way to transmit information is through face-to-face interaction.
- Using software that functions as the main indicator of development.
- Focusing on sustainable development, which keeps going at the same speed forever.
- Relying on smart design and technical proficiency.
- Understanding that the art of simplicity is to maximise the amount of work that is not done.
- Creating self-organising groups that generate the finest specifications, designs, and architectures.
- Debating on ways to improve effectiveness, followed by behaviour modification and adjustment.
Agile in IT emphasizes delivering small, functional pieces of software early and often. This approach allows teams to respond to feedback, fix issues, and add new features incrementally. Techniques like continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) are often used in agile environments to ensure that software is always in a deployable state.
The most widely used framework for applying Agile methodology is Scrum, which focuses on iterative development, teamwork, and regular feedback through short, time-boxed sprints.
In practice, the most common way of implementing
Usually, Agile teams consist of several key roles, each with specific responsibilities:
- Product owners – they represent the stakeholders, prioritize the product backlog, and ensure the team delivers value.
- Scrum masters – facilitate the Scrum process, remove obstacles, and ensure the team follows agile practices.
- Development team – a cross-functional group responsible for delivering the product increment. It includes developers, designers, testers, etc.
- Stakeholders – Stakeholders are individuals or groups outside the Scrum process who have a vested interest in the product’s outcome, such as customers, users, and business leaders, whose needs and feedback guide the decisions made by the Product owner.
Also:
If your team is employing any of the agile methodologies, it’s highly likely that you’ll be working with some of the following popular tools:
- Jira – software for tracking and managing agile projects, supporting Scrum and Kanban.
- Trello – a visual collaboration tool that uses boards, lists, and cards to organize tasks.
- Asana – a project management solution that helps teams track their work and collaborate effectively.
- Monday.com – a work operating system that allows teams to build custom workflows and track progress.
- Azure DevOps – a set of development tools that support agile practices, including planning, tracking, and collaboration.
- Slack – a communication tool that facilitates real-time collaboration and integration with other agile tools.
Now.
Let’s dive a bit deeper:
Agile Methodologies Explained
As mentioned, agile is actually an umbrella term. It refers to various frameworks and practices that adhere to the principles of agility. They include:
- Scrum – structures development into fixed-length iterations called sprints, typically lasting between two and four weeks. A cross-functional team works to complete a set of predefined tasks, aiming to deliver a potentially shippable product increment by the end of the sprint.
- Kanban – focuses on visualizing and managing workflow to improve efficiency and optimize processes. It relies on a visual board, typically divided into columns representing different stages of work, to track the progress of tasks. This approach emphasizes continuous delivery, just-in-time production, and limiting work in progress (WIP).
- Lean – helps you deliver more value to customers using fewer resources by optimizing processes, improving efficiency, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. It originated from the Toyota Production System in the mid-20th century, but has since evolved beyond its manufacturing roots
- Extreme Programming (XP) – promotes high customer involvement, rapid feedback loops, and a focus on delivering small, incremental improvements to the software. It is commonly used in startup environments, and in any development scenario where customer satisfaction and software quality are paramount.
- Crystal – tailored to fit the unique characteristics of different projects, such as team size, system criticality, and project priorities. More flexible and adaptable than the other agile methodologies, as it focuses on optimizing the way teams work together.
Benefits of Agile Methodologies
As you have probably noticed, agile methodologies have become increasingly popular in various industries, particularly in software development.
That’s because they have several undeniable benefits:
- Enhanced flexibility – the practices are adaptable, allowing you to respond quickly to changing requirements and market conditions. This is achieved through iterative development cycles (sprints or iterations) that enables you to adjust to changing priorities and feedback.
- Increased productivity – by prioritizing tasks and limiting work in progress, teams can work more efficiently and maintain a steady pace of development. That way you’re maximizing productivity.
- Faster time-to-market – one of the biggest advantages to agile is the focus on delivering small, usable increments of the product at the end of each iteration. So, teams release features and improvements more frequently.
- Better risk management – by breaking the project into smaller, manageable units, you can identify potential issues early and address them promptly. This reduces the likelihood of major problems arising later.
- Improved customer satisfaction – the methodologies prioritise customer collaboration and continuous feedback. That way you can ensure that your product meets all expectations.
One thing is clear – agile methodologies help companies create high-quality products that meet customer needs and easily adapt to changing requirements.
Who doesn’t want their team to be more efficient?
Wrap Up
So, what are agile methodologies?
The key to a streamlined and efficient workflow.
Thanks to those frameworks and practices, teams can quickly adapt to changing needs and feedback from clients. That way, the end product remains relevant and valuable. In addition, agile methodologies foster a collaborative environment. It not only boosts productivity but also improves the team spirit.
So, if you’re looking to manage a dynamic, responsive, and innovative development culture, try agile.
You won’t regret it.
And if you ever need a great software development team:
We’ll help you find the best talent.
FAQ
What are different Agile methodologies?
The different agile methodologies include Scrum, Kanban, Extreme Programming (XP), Crystal and Lean. Scrum focuses on iterative progress through sprints, while Kanban emphasizes visual workflow management and continuous delivery. Extreme Programming (XP) prioritizes technical excellence and customer satisfaction. Crystal optimizes the ways teams work together, and Lean helps deliver more value via fewer resources.
What is the most popular Agile methodology?
Scrum is the most popular agile methodology. It structures development into fixed-length iterations called sprints. Those typically last two to four weeks, during which cross-functional teams work on prioritized tasks to deliver product improvements.
How do I choose an Agile methodology?
Choosing an Agile methodology depends on your project’s specific needs, team size, and organizational goals. For example, Scrum is best a structured approach with regular feedback loops. Kanban is better, if you want a visual element. A good idea is to ask your team about their preferences.