You may have heard of agile principles, scrum and lean processes, how they’ve worked for other companies, and considered how it would benefit you. An agile methodology definition is piecing out each part of product development to highly specialized teams, focusing on eliminating waste, and creating a quality product quickly. Agile methodology, in a nutshell, allows for rapid client feedback and corrections. The agile manifesto has values and principles that put people and their ability to self-manage their own skills and projects first, downplaying long-winded meetings and micromanaging. Agile manifesto principles emphasize doing what you’re good at and agile manifesto authors point to a happy, productive team as the backbone of agile manifesto values.
An iterative, constantly moving process, agile principles allow for rapid development of software, improvement based on testing and ultimately creating a polished finished product based on that testing. We’ll look at the specifics of the agile scrum methodology, what your agile development cycle would look like, and whether agile processes would help your business. By the time you’re done reading, you’ll understand what implementing an agile development model into your business could mean for your products.
What is agile methodology?
The agile manifesto as we know it today was created in 1970 by Dr. William Royce, who suggested that development of software should be sequential rather than the traditional waterfall model. Agile practices create specialized teams that have little interaction outside their group, allowing them to focus directly on their particular part of the process. Just like an assembly line, agile software design focuses on building one part after the other. For instance:
- The necessary structure is created – the designs
- Each team is given a specific goal, one that must be completed before the next is started
- Each goal has a set period of time, after which it’s done – the next team starts
- Integration of these agile principles means the working software is delivered to the client quickly to get their immediate feedback and make necessary changes.
The agile manifesto explained is to create agile lifecycle models of work – called sprints – in which each completed section plugs into a whole, allowing a functional product to be given to the client. The client then gives feedback that can be worked on immediately. This level of quickness and maneuverability gives rise to the name “agile”, as initial products and changes can be done very quickly through the agile life cycle model. What is agile in simple terms? It’s reducing waste, making your team more efficient and improving morale through constant, consistent goals. These are agile values and principles, and what you’d find on an agile methodology PDF, agile development cycle diagram, agile project management PDF, agile product development PDF, or agile manifesto wiki.
What are the 4 core principles of agile methodology?
Agile methods or agile methodology steps are focused on:
- Team members over rigid structure and tools
- Creating a functional product instead of developing needless documentation
- Client collaboration
- Implementing feedback quickly rather than pedantically sticking to a plan
Agile values and principles are people-focused, using individual skills and trusting your team to be able to do their own work. A simple read over of an agile methodology PDF in testing will help identify where a technical excellence agile manifesto can help your business reach new heights of productivity creating a perfect agile practical example of how a company can overhaul its best-practices.
What does the development cycle look like when you run an agile process?
A real-world example of agile model or agile methodology phases looks something like this:
- Conceptualization – The client requests software and your company brainstorms the project, identifies individual parts and how best to tackle them
- Development – Teams are split up and given a task, an area to work and time requirements are put in place. The goal of agile principles is to keep each component of the process separate and focused on their specific task
- Creation – Each team does their part, passing their completed piece to the next team until a completed product results
- Delivery – After testing by your company, the product is delivered to the client for feedback, and should it be warranted, tweaks in design
- Ongoing production – Your team continues to tweak the software and support the client as they launch and use the software in their own business
When this project is done, the agile manifesto cycle is complete and work can begin on the next project. It’s critical to support and anticipate the needs of each of your creative groups during each phase of the agile principle process, as this work is extremely focused and mentally taxing. Using a tool like Docket to track actions and capture decisions and next steps is instrumental in ensuring the teamwork is supported throughout the entire process. Creating agile methodology interview questions for your team to use for checks and balances can help ensure the process is consistent across your team. An agile development model means as much to your employees as it does to you and your client.
How can agile methodology help improve our process?
The largest benefit to agile values and principles is that the results are predictable. Because each team is in charge of a specific process, if that doesn’t work, you can go back and fix it specifically. This creates a faster delivery and smoother integration. Agile can help your business eliminate waste and lead time, and overall a total reduction in useless, extraneous work. Agile processes work best in small teams when you can focus on the individual talents and work methods of your team members. Whether following an agile methodology overview ppt, agile methodology phases explanation, agile principles poster, or agile model PDF, it will be evident that agile methodology provides a path for repeatable, reliable results through instanced handling of processes. An agile methodology tutorial for beginners, especially when presented in an easy-to-read agile methodology tutorial for beginners PDF, agile project management in easy steps PDF, agile web development example, or agile software development life cycle PPT can help you implement agile methodology in testing and in practice.
What are some ways I can get started in incorporating agile processes into our business?
If you want to apply agile principles into your company – especially for a larger business – take small steps to train or apply tools introducing agile methodology. An example of an agile methodology approach is Quizlet, who offers a scrum methodology tutorial flashcards. Begin with a section of your company, like IT, and then allow those people to train your next sector. As your employees see the benefits of this method, they will often be your driving force to get other sections to use these principles. Word-of-mouth about their team’s success can drive systemic adoption of these processes across your company. Remember that agile works best in specialized groups, moving outward organically.
