Importance of Agile Methodology in Software Development Introduction Software development processes like Agile methodology have proven themselves useful for software development companies. Companies are constantly looking for ways to improve software quality frequently and provide the best solution to their clients. In today’s fast-paced world, businesses should be always prepared for the customers’ rapidly evolving needs. And without a proper strategy or framework, it is difficult for companies to keep up with customers’ demands. To maintain customer satisfaction and prevent losses, companies are investing heavily in agile. The benefits of scaling agile frameworks in software teams are required for staying competitive in the market. What is Agile Methodology? The meaning of agile in software development is the ability to respond to swift changes. As a popular choice among software developers, agile methodology processes assist in completing projects successfully and quickly. Methods like the waterfall model in the conventional software development process are time-consuming. The agile methodology is composed of a series of iterative and incremental methods of software development. Popular methodologies involve continuous planning, testing, integration, and fast feedback loops. Thereby, making it possible to deliver a working product for customers to work with. Moreover, the flexibility and adjustability make agile methodologies suitable for adapting to project needs. Agile methodology is designed to prevent common development issues and focuses on making on-spot decisions. Thereby, increasing the efficiency of the software development team members. The lightweight framework helps the development team in handling complex technical landscapes while ensuring continuous delivery. Thus, reducing the overall risks involved in the development of software. Types of Agile Methodology There are several types of agile methodologies that follow the agile mindset. However, some of the most popular and mainstream methodologies are listed below. Scrum One of the most popular out of the many types, Scrum is a lightweight framework of Agile Project Management. It is used for controlling iterative and incremental projects. The product owner is responsible for creating a list of product backlogs that contain bug fixes, features, etc. And with the help of the Scrum team working together, they aim to deliver a successful working system during each sprint. As each sprint ends, the product backlog is reset to select new deliverable functions for the next sprint. Scrum is a simple yet highly effective method. Moreover, it incorporates many of the overarching Agile practices. As a result, its popularity grew over time. Crystal Out of all Crystal is the most lightweight and adaptable methodology. The Crystal methodology is based on the idea that every project has unique characteristics that require customization. Thus, this methodology is divided into various categories like Crystal Clear, Crystal Yellow, Crystal Red, and more. The distinction of each category is based on the size/ number of team members. Crystal methodology focuses on principles like interaction and communication of people working on Agile projects, community skills, teamwork, and talents. The main intention is to deliver the best software development process. Dynamic systems development method (DSDM) The Dynamic systems development method or DSDM provides a framework for building and maintaining systems. The Rapid Application Development (RAD) approach of DSDM makes it dynamic. It focuses on creating, planning, executing, managing, and scaling the software development procedure in a very short period. The main objective of this methodology is to deliver quality products on time while making new adjustments. DSDM is based on its eight principles which are: The top priority on quality Collaboration Continuous on-time rapid delivery Continuous and clear communication Demonstrated control Iterative and incremental development Reversible changes Focus on business need Extreme Programming (XP) The Extreme Programming methodology is a supportive and lightweight framework that ensures high-quality software and maximum productivity. This type of Agile methodology is generally used with Scrum and focuses on continuous delivery with speed. Extreme programming is responsible for improving continuous planning and testing, fast feedback loops, and enhanced customer involvement. The main objective of Extreme Programming is to improve the software quality and responsiveness while making adjustments to customer requirements. Since it is based on communication, feedback, simplicity, and courage. Customers collaborate with the development team to prioritize their user stories. Lean This is another iterative method that makes use of a value stream mapping to ensure that customers are satisfied. Although it is flexible, it does have a few guidelines or principles like: Enhancing Knowledge Team Empowerment Faster Deliveries Removing unnecessary things Quality over anything Differing commitments Integrity development This methodology aims to provide fast and efficient software development by maintaining proper feedback between customers and programmers. And to achieve this, teams are provided with clearance to make their own decisions. The lean methodology incorporates only those features which are truly valuable to the customers and eliminates other non-essential features. As a result, it saves up time and money and ensures every team member is productive. Kanban It is an agile method that manages product creation and prioritizes continuous delivery using its highly visual workflow management method. Kanban creates a stress-free environment in the software development lifecycle (SDLC). Kanban projects are supervised using a Kanban Board, which helps in depicting the software development process. As a result, it increases visibility for teams to track progress through every stage. Feature-driven development (FDD) It is a perfect composition of software engineering practices such as code ownership, developing by feature, and domain object modeling. FDD is a lightweight, agile process that is iterative and accumulative. The major objective of FDD is to deliver an operational, stable, and fully functional product on time. The 12 Principles of Agile Methodology A couple of decades back in 2001 developers were looking for new ways of software development. The founders of Agile came up with a manifesto based on 12 principles which are: Providing quick software releases through continuous delivery to ensure customer satisfaction. Software development teams must be capable of providing frequent software updates and releases. Customer demands are a top priority even after the successful completion of tasks Ensure a good customer-developer… Continue reading Importance of Agile Methodology in Software Development