Why Agile software development is popular — and how you can make the most of it
The technology industry is one that has always been on an upward slope; inclining and increasing in terms of what it can offer, and how it can improve the way we live, study and work. The right software and applications are what have made it all possible, without a doubt. What’s more, the advent of cloud computing, cloud support services as well as becoming a dedicated AWS partner (or partnering up with any other provider, for that matter) has given businesses both big and small the chance to truly digitize their products and services.
The world has gone remote — and contactless. With consumers relying on their smart devices and mobile apps to buy essential goods such as groceries and medicines, companies need to digitally transform, else lose out to their competition. In the midst of it all, it is easy for the smallest players to panic. How can digital transformation take place with tight budgets and other resources? Nowadays, software development can be referred to as a specialty that happens on a global level, for even the most boutique agency based in an IT offshoring destination has all the means to cater to large international clients around the world.
The same applies to the very endeavour of developing software; tools and strategies are well in place to establish high-performance digital products, but without breaking the bank or even requiring advanced technologies. As our modern world continues to run at a breakneck pace, it’s imperative to stay abreast of rapidly changing customer demands too — no matter how challenging they may be. After all, this is what will determine your business’s key objectives, as well as the outcome of your digital product. Speaking of customer demands, how can these be addressed through your business’s proprietary software and mobile applications, in order to attract and retain customers?
With changes happening so rapidly, adhering to a static project plan isn’t going to suffice. By the time you’re done following this fixed plan, your customers’ behavioral patterns may have changed and your application may be suboptimal, or obsolete. Without a doubt, this calls for a more iterative software development process, in which changes are always welcome — no matter how late they appear during the entire process. Agile software development is such a project management methodology, which focuses on building robust digital products that precisely match business objectives and customer demands. While Agile is a term that is loosely used to refer to a multitude of methodologies, it is more a means of perceiving how you approach your one-of-a-kind software project, as opposed to a set of strict rules and techniques.
Here, we’ll break down what Agile is, which methodologies fall under its umbrella, and how advantageous it can all be for the modern and tech-centric business
What is Agile software development?
Focusing on building a working product within minimal timeframes and maximum face-to-face communication, Agile software development is an outlook towards creating high-performance software in an iterative manner. This means that collaboration is an ongoing process, as is the actual development which happens among your software development team behind the scenes. Clients and developers need to constantly check in to map progress, while the addition of new features are always welcomed at any stage of the process.
While ongoing collaboration is a key ingredient for successful Agile software development, it also enables a sense of autonomy for teams. In other words, teams are free to self-organize, while they are given the platforms and technologies to do their best work. At every check-in, the ultimate goal is to have a working product. Based on the latest update, it can be further enhanced to reveal better and stronger features, so that the product is in a constant state of evolution, as opposed to waiting for long-winding timeframes to roll by.
How does this software development model differ from other traditional models? While Agile may seem like a given to those who are just getting acquainted with it, a more traditional ‘Waterfall’ development methodology has more restrictions in place. This includes (but isn’t limited to) following a fixed plan that has been set in place post analysing client requirements, which offers restrictions to developers and especially businesses, since new items such as features cannot be added mid-process.
While a Waterfall method may be suitable in some cases, the level of flexibility provided by Agile has certainly made it a more popular option out of the two. This is why software development in Sri Lanka (which is a prime offshoring destination for a variety of IT-related operations) is done the Agile way, thereby accommodating the constantly shifting needs of dynamic and high-profile international clientele.
The most popular types of Agile software development
Scrum
One of the most popular Agile variants (if not the most popular), Scrum focuses on ‘sprints’ that may occur on a weekly or fortnightly basis, on average. The process begins by executing a particular set of tasks in order to create a working product. This may go on for a stipulated period of time, which could range from a few days to two weeks. Once this duration is complete, review meetings with the client will produce feedback, which will help to improve the product at its next iteration. The cycle repeats again, with the team’s Scrum Master guiding the team at every step of the way.
Kanban
With a history going back to the 1940s, Kanban is a simple yet highly effective system that was developed within the Toyota automobile factory, in order to maintain inventory and throughput in an organized manner. It has since been adopted for software development, owing to its ease of use and clarity. A Kanban board consists of three columns — To Do, In Progress and Done. Some might even consist of a Backlog column, which can be a mix of items that need to be put on the pipeline.
A card is dedicated to each item, and placed under its relevant column. Cards are then moved from one column to the other, from left to right, based on progress. In turn, this indicates whether a suitable cadence of work is present. If not, bottlenecks can be identified and rectified, to improve operations.
Lean
Another software development methodology that also has its roots in mid 20th century Toyota factories, lean software development aims to maximise the use of existing resources. As a result, costs can be drastically reduced with lean software development, since it focuses on only using what is already available at hand in order to achieve business objectives through software. Lean software development is ideal for Minimum Viable Products (MVPs), which are a rudimentary piece of software that only consist of the most basic functionalities. At every update, iterations can be made to improve the product — and add more resources only if required.
What really distinguishes lean software development from its other variants is the fact that only available resources are used — but any unnecessary resources and activities are also completely eliminated from the software development process. This is what makes lean software development truly minimalistic, so that zero wastage is made in the process to deliver an optimal software product.
The advantages of Agile software development
- Repeated iterations for a high-performance digital product.
Being able to constantly welcome changes, feedback and all sorts of improvements significantly increases the likelihood of a product that is powerful yet aligned with prevailing customer demands. It also allows businesses to change with the times — no matter how frequently it is required. There is no need to stick to a static plan (which is how the Waterfall method functions) and forfeit on any valuable improvements that may encounter your software development project in due course.
This way, your software or mobile application is always up-to-date, and most importantly, in line with what customers want at any given point of time.
- The ability to use only what you have (at least in the beginning).
One reason why software development teams both big and small are drawn towards Agile methodologies is due to their element of simplicity. There’s no pressure to follow complex documentation or rules, or even invest in sophisticated resources from the get-go. Use what you have and who you have — it’s as simple as that. As your software development process scales up in the future, more resources can be added as required.
In turn, this puts minimal pressure on software development teams that are embarking on a brand new project, or taking over an existing one. While this can be a massive cost saver, it also provides valuable insights in terms of resource allocation, and just how much is required, when and where.
- Being able to expect a working product within a short and reliable timeframe.
This is another principle within the Agile manifesto, which states that the focus should be on delivering a working product — no matter how basic it may be. Additionally, a working product is also a measure of progress for any software development project. In other words, perfection isn’t what’s important; a working product that is able to fulfil key requirements as outlined by business objectives holds more value than no product at all. The prospect of a fully-featured product that’s complete with all bells and whistles, but is still pending deployment at a much farther date, isn’t better either.
The focus towards an elementary yet working product is beneficial in a number of ways. For one, developers are once again burdened with less pressure, as a simpler product is easier to code, deploy and maintain. An MVP also offers a blank canvas for features that are ideal to satisfy customer needs — and this can be done by layering on new features based on user feedback. This outcome is much better than, say, a product that is released with a full scale of features, but may not all be relevant to users, and to your bottom line as well.
- The opportunity to have all stakeholders get involved.
With perpetual collaboration being an integral part of any Agile software development methodology, various stakeholders have ample opportunity to communicate with one another, and share differing perspectives. From investors to employees, your software development team will always have a constant stream of feedback that will substantially help in building a product that is always at the very top of its capabilities.
This also improves solidarity among all your stakeholders, as feedback can be welcomed at any time at all, with others pitching in for responses and counter feedback. This is also further streamlined with the absence of strict rules and documentation, thereby making Agile an approach that prioritises ‘people over processes’.
In a nutshell…
In this on-demand economy, consumers are constantly connected to their smart devices, and everything is within reach at the tap of a button. Businesses need to step up their game and bring their offerings to the forefront, else risk losing customers to their competitors. As the world continues to work remotely, software development teams need to up the ante in terms of delivering high-quality software: across differing business requirements, user demands and even geographical constraints.
Agile software development has long since been the go-to project management methodology of choice for developer teams large and small alike. Owing to its highly minimalistic and straightforward concepts, Agile is not just easy to begin with — but also offers immense clarity for infrastructure and other resources that will be required in the long term, for a project. Scrum is one of the most popular Agile variants, focusing on limited-time ‘sprints’ that involve development, before the next set of iterations are sought through client reviews.
Kanban and lean software development are other variants that come at a close second. While Kanban focuses on maintaining smooth throughput with ‘To Do’, ‘In Progress’ and ‘Done’ lists, Lean is all about only using what is required — and eliminating the rest.
