Agile software methodology:
3 of the most commonly used approaches

While Agile methods are used in virtually every sector of software development (by everyone), it might surprise some to learn that there is more to Agile than just one lone methodology.  Currently there are numerous Agile methods (around 12 which are fully documented), most of which are modified versions of standard approaches which might be used exclusively by specific developers.   In this piece, we’re going to examine what many consider to be the 3 most common (or visible) types of agile methodologies which are to be found in regular use across the globe.

Extreme Programming

Contrary to what its name implies, extreme programming was created as a means of implementing no-nonsense solutions to the same developmental cycle issues (which seem to pop up continuously).  The name “extreme” is really in reference to the application of common sense problem solving to more advanced (or extreme) problems.

Scrum

Scrum is arguably the most visible of all the Agile methodologies, and certainly carries a great deal of weight in the software development industry.  It essentially takes 4 areas of interest (requirements, schedule, assets and expertise) and seeks to keep them in balance with one another while servicing the needs of the project itself as well as the customer.  Scrum is typically used in situations where lots of ongoing, continuous changes are to be expected.

Crystal family of methodologies

The crystal family of methodologies is a hodgepodge of various methods which may be substituted as necessary to service a particularly unique situation.  Standards and policies play vital roles in how work is to be performed under the crystal family of methodologies.  This methodology is characterized by scheduled delivery of incremental progress, tracking, and direct involvement of users.   Automated testing, as well as other forms of increment-based monitoring is also utilized in tandem with development.

A quick and simple Agile methodology tutorial

For those of you who don’t know, Agile methodologies were created in response to the inability of traditional processes (often called “waterfall” development) to effectively deal with ongoing or incoming changes.  Shifting requirements for a project might come about as a result of user demands changing, or perhaps some other reason (like dramatic shifts in the consumer market).  What makes Agile methods so special is their ability to seamlessly and unobtrusively integrate change in an ongoing fashion.

Agile is flexible, it’s dexterous and quick; this new way of conducting software development emerged in the 1990’s in response to a rapidly expanding and growing technological market.  During this time, technology was stretching out into different directions at a remarkably fast pace, and as a result, better methods for meeting the demands for increased software development needed to created; enter Agile.  Through the participation of a great number of individuals, the agile manifesto was born and proceeded to overtake the software development industry.

Customer / user collaboration is / was also a feature that was primarily introduced via agile methodologies.  In the past, waterfall development might have given customers either no leeway, or perhaps too much.  For example, it’s never a good idea to let investors become directly involved in the actual work involved in software development; they lack the expertise and may hamper or derail a project very quickly.  By the same token, without any level of customer interaction, how can you be sure that the client will be satisfied with the software once it’s finished.  Agile remedies this situation by integrating the customer gradually at various stages and in meetings.  In this way, potential problems and issues can be dealt with as they arise so that expensive alternatives don’t have to be introduced during the late stages of the development life cycle. 

While there are an almost unlimited number of reasons as to why Agile is the preferred method for software development (in lieu of traditional “waterfall” methods), here are some of the most compelling:

Increased visibility across the board

One of the pitfalls of early software development methods was their inability to allow cross-functionality.  Often times, solutions to problems don’t uniformly come from the group / department / team that are tasked with working on that specific related area.  If someone working in a different area can provide a solution, they need to be able to easily do so.  This only increases the potential profits and effectiveness of the entire organization; but this type of synergy cannot occur without increasingly higher levels of visibility (which agile can provide).

Highly adaptive

Change is inevitable; this is especially true where software development is concerned.  The older traditional software development method sought to establish all the core ideas, goals, and directions at the initial stage.  The problem is that this approach doesn’t account for problems that might emerge, or the changing goals / desires of the customer.  As you might imagine, trying to initiate change at a late developmental stage is very expensive; luckily, Agile allows issues to be dealt with in an incremental fashion so that problems are dealt with early on.

Adds business-related value

Those involved in business usually don’t understand what’s involved in software development, nor do they care how it works; they simply want to know that a quality product that does what it is supposed to is on the way (and when it can be expected).  Through the implementation of Agile methods, time tables and deadlines are easily managed.  Likewise, business leaders tend to rest easier knowing that there is a quality methodology in place which is capable of producing real results, which can also be routinely monitored.

Decreases risk(s)

In keeping in line with adding business value, Agile is also a hedge against big and small risks.  Most risks in software development are associated with either missed deadlines or inappropriate use of budgetary funds.   For example, if a project takes too long to develop, a customer might decide to terminate, or if the team goes over-budget it might end up making next to nothing in terms of profit for that particular project.

Understanding Agile Methodologies

Before the early 1990′s, the majority of software was developed using a traditional model in which each phase of development must be completed and signed off, before moving onto the next phase. Although it worked relatively well and allowed for the successful planning, development and implementation of many high quality products, there were always flaws to this system. Last minute changes were notably difficult to make, and the dreaded testing phase could often last for months as many a bug was only discovered at this late stage of development. Not only did this cause many delays in release date schedules, but it also increased the overheads of projects, reducing their profit.

Finally a more cyclical solution known as Agile Development was put forward. Instead of completing stage after stage, agility suggests that you should iterate the development. Some high-level planning must be completed at the outset, however the analysis, design, development and testing of the finished piece of software or product are completed time and time again, until the end result is satisfactory.

No method for the development of any software, product or process is ever perfect, and that is why there are several different agile methodologies today. All encompass the overall aim of agility, to increase productivity and adaptability, but choosing which method is the best for your own unique situation is difficult until you know a little bit more about the options on offer.

XP, or Extreme Programming

The agile process of XP is particularly applicable to the software development cycle, and is used by manufacturers of software around the globe. Focusing on four core values, simplicity, communication, feedback and courage, this iterative solution incorporates developers often working together in pairs as they work to develop the software, helping to more quickly spot and correct issues. Frequent releases of the software are passed on to the customer, based on their desired specification. This makes progress very visible and helps to continually reassure the customer that things are on track. With customer satisfaction and teamwork as the backbones of XP, changes can be made easily within the development iterations.

Scrum

The Scrum methodology comes complete with three distinct roles, the Product Owner, responsible for the customer’s interests and passing on the vision of the product, the ScrumMaster, acting as liaison between the Product Owner and the rest of the team and working to remove any obstacles that may be hampering the team, and the Team Member, potentially a software engineer, analyst or tester working to complete the product. Project iterations within the Scrum methodology are known as Sprints, and commonly last for one, two or three weeks. Meetings at the end of each Sprint allow the project to be steered in the right direction throughout its development.

AUP, or Agile Unified Process

The AUP is a scaled down and simplified version of the very powerful Rational Unified Process. This particular methodology distinguishes beneath two different types of iteration; those iterations to be deployed to the Quality Assurance/Demo area, and those to be deployed to the production area. This allows for a clear timeline, allowing your employees to know exactly what’s going on and when. Focusing again on simplicity and independence, this is a method that you should seek to adapt to work in your own project environment.

Each of the agile methodologies has its benefits and drawbacks; you will need to assess which particular strategy will work the best for your own team based on your own situation. There are plenty of options out there and it can take a bit of time to discover the best solution. The benefits will more than outweigh that initial research time however, as using agility within the development of your own software or product will help you to see results sooner, keep your staff more satisfied and even maximise your profits.

Most of us are familiar with the concept of Agile project development (an incremental system whereby self-organizing teams are organized to collaborate regularly and reinforce project concepts and deadlines).  But what happens when a more elastic approach to Agile is required?  Scrum is this flexible approach; through Scrum, it is possible to not only lay out a more refined release timetable, but also to steer development itself in different directions.

Perhaps the real question is; why would anyone need to a system for project development which features ongoing assessment (like Scrum)?  Part of the success and popularity of Scrum can be traced back to the fact that so many people use it to both provide supple solutions as well as establish stability.  In a Scrum-based project, regular meetings whereby individual teams and members produce progress reports are common.  These reports are in turn shared with other teams in addition to those who might be investing in said project (stakeholders).  Furthermore, all plans are carried out in accordance with pre-established principles, yet at the same time, any changes that might be enacted are based directly upon real data gathered.  In this way, Scrum allows a team to make much more accurate predictions and progress – with regards to how a project will and should turn out.

Scrum is a perfect compliment to software development applications and is seen as one of the absolute best ways to micro-manage a team.  Through Scrum, leaders can take better advantage of Agile itself, ensuring that no details are left unaddressed and of course, that progress and abilities are a more distinct reflection of one’s budget, so to speak.   Today, almost every major software development institution utilizes Agile and Scrum in their daily operations.  To make a long story short, Scrum is now an essential fixture of modern software development.

An Agile development methodology is essentially just another potential way of applying or approaching Agile project management / development in general.  But before we get into specific examples of methodologies, let’s back up and examine what Agile development is.

Agile development is a system for managing projects, particularly software development that evolved out of the older system, often referred to as “waterfall software development”.  The hallmark of Agile is its “lightweight” approach to managing individual / specific elements of any project.  You see, in previous incarnations of software development, intense, stifling micro-management was fairly commonplace.  Over time, it became obvious that this older system was not as efficient or personnel-friendly as it could be.  Agile is merely a similar but superior system for software development, for all involved parties (including managers, developers, and customers).

Over time, individual methodologies were created to help deal with specific types of problems and projects.  For example, some projects might have more stringent requirements or deadlines than others; those projects might be better suited toward RAD development.  RAD development, or Rapid Application Development, is a means of producing a more completely functional prototype in a shorter amount of time.

Of the many types of Agile development methodologies, Scrum is arguably the most well known (and perhaps, used).  What sets Scrum apart is its system of mini-deadlines / meetings which not only encourage collaboration, but also creates the need for incremental developmental successes.  Scrum basically takes individuals, forms smaller groups of developers from them, and then assigns them incremental tasks to complete.   At the end of each “task”, all the individual teams are united where results are shared, problems addressed, and the next line of goals, laid out.

Simply put, an Agile methodology is a specific manner of applying Agile techniques and systems of organization.