Freelance tech writer Alisha Hill considers the benefits and challenges of agile product creation
Agile is one of the most powerful tools used in the software industry, which involves software development methodologies of iterative development. Agile software companies and methods were invented from the real-life experiences of software professionals who were exhausted of the challenges and limitations of the traditional waterfall methodology. This methodology is a process of project management commonly used in web development projects.
With the help of Agile software, development projects can be managed using different frameworks and methods. This software helps in maintaining the demands, solutions, and collaborative effort between cross-functional teams. Agile is the most used tool by the nearshore development company.
Here’s the benefits:
Enhanced Quality
Agile software helps in breaking down a project into manageable units, which allows the project teams to focus on high-quality testing, collaborations and development. One of the most significant benefits of Agile software is enhanced product quality. Many nearshore outsourcing companies provide enhanced quality agile software.
Team and Stakeholder Engagement
Agile software helps in involving stakeholders in every step of the project, and there is a high degree of collaboration between teams. The agile process provides several opportunities for stakeholder and team engagement before, during, and after each Sprint. This process provides more opportunities for the team to understand the software quickly, business’ vision, deliver working, and frequently increase customer’s trust.
Transparency
Agile software provides the opportunity for the involvement of client and customer throughout the project. It helps in prioritising features, iteration planning and review sessions, or frequent software builds containing new features.
Frequent and early Delivery
New features are delivered quickly and frequently, with a high level of predictability with the help of using time-boxed and fixed schedule Sprints of one to five weeks. It also provides the opportunity to release the software earlier than planned if there is fair business value.
Expected Schedule and Costs
Agile software provides a fixed duration of each Sprint, so it is easy to predict the cost. Teams can perform the work in the fixed scheduled time box. The companies are also able to understand the approx value of each feature, which is very helpful in making decisions about the priority of features and the need for additional iterations.
Allows for Change
One particular advantage of agile methodology is it allows for change, unlike a Waterfall model. There is a benefit of constantly reprioritising and refining the overall product backlog, while the team needs to stay focused on delivering an agreed-to subset of the product’s features during each iteration.
Challenges of this methodology include:
Developing Mindset changes
Introducing new methodologies isn’t all plain sailing – perhaps the biggest challenge to using Agile software methodology is changing mindsets within an organisation. Changing the way people work is not an easy task; the habits and culture of a large development organisation are typically inbuilt and can mean there is resistance to change from within.
Daily stand-up call
The daily stand-up is a commitment and coordination meeting for the entire team. It is designed to ensure that the whole team is aware of the process, what is done or not done, and what tasks are ready to be pulled from one team member’s to-do list into someone else’s. As we all are aware that companies work globally, so this is one of the biggest challenges to have people available together at the same time from all regions for a stand-up call.
Avoiding failure
Issues, challenges, and problems which occur in agile are unique and occur due to differences in the organisation, the people, the execution of the practices, or other factors. To avoid failures and uphold success, there are a few practices, processes, examples, and suggested measures listed for going agile in a proper way.
Selecting and Customising the Right Methodology
The different agile methodologies must be compared from one another to choose the best option available. The method must be elected according to the requirement of the organisation. After the study and gaining experience with a methodology through its use, it should be customised to fit the organisation and project situation.
About the author
Alisha Hill is a freelance writer, with articles featured in many national and international publications. She has expertise in writing about business, marketing and technology.
