What is Agile software development?

What is Agile software development?

Agile development is an approach to software development that prioritises people and their interactions over processes and tools. It is based on the Agile Manifesto, a set of principles for software development developed in 2001. There are four core values mentioned in the manifesto, which will help you understand more about the methodology. It includes the following:

• More Importance to Individual interactions over processes and tools
• Working software over detailed documentation
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
• Adhering to a plan in response to changes

To put it another way, Agile software development emphasises the quick development of working software, regular customer collaboration, and ease of adapting to changes. This methodology is beneficial for complex projects or projects with uncertain requirements. In this article, you will learn about its principles, advantages and disadvantages.

Agile manifesto’s core values

The Agile Manifesto was drafted in 2001 by a group of seventeen independent software practitioners. Despite their frequent disagreements, the participants did come to agree on four fundamental principles. These four core values are: customer satisfaction, early and continuous delivery, team collaboration, and evolutionary design. These core values are used to guide the software development process, helping to ensure that teams are able to quickly respond to customer feedback and adapt to changing requirements.

1. More Importance to Individual interactions over processes and tools

As said earlier, the methodology gives more importance to customer interactions than the software development processes and tools. It is because it is the people who drive the process and respond to the business requirements. Therefore, they should be the priority and should be valued over processes and tools. If the development team is motivated more by tools or procedures than by the needs of the customer, the product will be less flexible and responsive to change.

2. Working software over detailed documentation

The second value is the focus on developing working or functional software over detailed documentation of the process. Documenting the product during its development and delivery typically takes a significant amount of time. Long delays in the development process would result from the extensive list of documented requirements.

However, with Agile software development, documentation is streamlined so that the developer only receives the information required to complete the project, such as user stories, without completely doing away with it. Although working software is given more importance than documentation processes, the manifesto still values documentation processes.

3. Customer collaboration over contract negotiation

Agile software development emphasises teamwork between the project manager and the client to iron out the specifics of delivery rather than back and forth between them. When customers collaborate, they are involved at every stage of the development process rather than just at the start and finish, which makes it simpler for teams to satisfy their needs. 

For instance, in Agile, the customer may be invited to participate in product demos at various intervals. But the customer could also be there to meet with the teams every day, show up to meetings, and make sure the product fulfils their needs.

4. Adhering to a plan in response to changes

Change was once avoided in traditional software development because it was seen as an unnecessary expense. Agile eliminates this concept. Changes can be made quickly and easily with the Agile cycle’s brief iterations, which support the team in tailoring the process to suit their needs over time. The methodology holds that there is always room for improvement and new value to be added to the project.

Benefits of the methodology

Agile methodology has many advantages that are enjoyed by software development companies. They adopt it for a variety of reasons, and while different teams apply best practises differently, the advantages can change depending on the circumstances. It offers numerous advantages, a few of which are stated below:

• Compared to other project management techniques, it is more adaptable. Development teams are better able to make adjustments quickly.
• Enhancing communication between the product owner and the development team is one of its benefits. This has led to an increased emphasis on feedback and teamwork.
• It could be useful in lowering the risks connected to complicated projects. Project managers can analyse complex projects and meet shareholder demands by dividing them into smaller sprints.
• Customers are often happier in environments that support Agile software development. This is a result of the client’s participation in the development process and feedback at every turn in the project.

Disadvantages of the methodology

Despite the benefits that Agile software development can offer, it’s not for everyone. As a result, it’s important to be aware of the disadvantages of the methodology. Here are certain drawbacks to the methodology, such as:

• It may be challenging for a project owner to maintain control over the project due to the greater flexibility of agile development. This presents a challenge for projects that have tight deadlines or financial constraints. 
• Generally speaking, the approach generates less documentation than other project management techniques. Projects that demand a lot of documentation may have this problem. 
• It demands a high degree of teamwork, which can be problematic for remote teams that are not accustomed to it, which can lead to disagreements and frustration.
• Compared to other project management techniques, it frequently takes longer. This is because more documentation needs to be created and meetings need to happen more frequently.

Agile software development is one of the biggest buzzwords in the software development industry and is a different way of managing software development projects. You read about its values, advantages, and disadvantages. The Agile Manifesto lays out a set of values, principles, and practices for software development, rather than a specific method. As said earlier, the methodology cannot benefit everyone. So, make a wise decision based on the article, considering what suits your project.

Interesting Links:

Know about the Agile Software Development Life Cycle

More information about Agile Software Development

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The author: Sascha Thattil works at Software-Developer-India.com which is a part of the YUHIRO Group. YUHIRO is a German-Indian enterprise which provides programmers to IT companies, agencies and IT departments.