Agile

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What is Agile? Agile is the ability to create and respond to change. The Agile software development process is practised around the globe today. It is not just a framework, but an umbrella term for practices based on Agile principles. It focuses on delivering software in iterations by breaking down the features and also incorporates a good feedback mechanism to improve the product in a timely manner. It has reduced the tension in developing and launching a successful product and has been a good friend of product and project managers. 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. History of Agile: I started exploring the history of Agile and found that it started in 2000 when a group of 17 software developers convened to discuss the frustrations of the software development process. There were many pain-points in the earlier process, 1. Adaption to changes were almost impossible. 2. Customers were completely disconnected from the development process. 3. Feedback was given only at the end of the development which made changes more costly. 4. The time that is taken to see a workable product was too long. This led to frustration and lack of motivations. The developers discussed the pain points and tried to alleviate some of them. The agile methodology was not born in one day. As the method, itself states, the current version of Agile is a result of continuous evolution. But the Agile Alliance (the group of seventeen developers) agreed on something called the Agile Manifesto. Agile manifesto mainly focused on twelve principles which are: 1. Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software. 2. Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer's competitive advantage. 3. Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference to the shorter timescale. 4. Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project. 5. Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need and trust them to get the job done. 6. The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation. 7. Working software is the primary measure of progress. 8. Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely. 9. Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility. 10. Simplicity--the art of maximizing the amount of work not done--is essential. 11. The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams. 12. At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly. Read: History of Agile How to be Agile? The Manifesto of Agile states different principles but not how to achieve it. To be more concrete it doesn’t tell us that we should have a daily standup. But we do it to achieve one of the Agile principles: The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams. This is one reason many companies that follow agile act differently. They have their processes defined based on how they believe they can be Agile. If your companies have daily standup, write user stories and has an epic that lasts for two weeks, but does not satisfy your customer's need then you are not Agile. There are a lot of best practices exists that we can utilize to become Agile but if you follow the best practices that do not mean that you are Agile. Let’s discuss the best practices to become Agile in the coming weeks. But the main takeaway from the Agile Manifesto is: