agile methodology used in business by team

How Is Agile Used in Business?

Agile Methodology is a set of software development methods that have been developed by the Association for Software Development International (ASDI). The purpose of this association is to promote and expand the use of agile development in business. One might be wondering what exactly are Agile, and what is its scope? Below are some basics on what is Agile and how it is used in business today.

What is Agile methodology?

We see Agile as a subset of the software development life cycle, which is generally known as the Software Development Life Cycle. This subset refers to methods and procedures developed to support the software development life cycle. The different approaches of Agile methodologies include Scrum, Extreme Programming, Kanban, Lean, and others. Agile is said to improve efficiency by removing the routine, and by allowing the team to think as a group rather than as departments.

So, how is Agile used in business?

In an early stage of an Agile project, a concept of an overall sprint plan is developed. This initial sprint plan should cover the functionality requirements of the user, with a focus on meeting the initial “user experience” needs. From this point on, Agile begins to define the release’s architectural shape, including the use of release cadence. The product development team (P TC) begins to work on user stories, defining each of these stories within the sprint plan, and testing these stories in parallel. At this point in the sprint, the actual release can begin, with a focus on meeting the anticipated functionality needs.

Throughout an Agile project, test automation software will be used to run a series of tests, designed to check the code coverage, robustness, and security of the software. These tests, often written in Java or Python, are executed in parallel by the P TC along with a primary team of testers. These tests cover the functionality defined in the sprint schedule.

“brittle” test processes are those that rely on single inputs that cannot be checked by a series of secondary or tertiary tests. For Agile projects, these tests include code, functionality, and infrastructure tests. While these tests are referred to as “brittle,” they are very robust and flexible. They allow the business to spend money early with stability tests and save money later with refactoring or redesigning. This saves the company money because of the reduction of hiring and training costs associated with such tests.

agile methodology used in business by team

Useful for quality assurance testing

Agile software development relies on quality assurance testing to generate realistic results, and ensure the integrity of the code. While some testing may occur during the software development process, most testing occurs at the end of the process, right before the ship date. Some organizations have the opposite approach: they conduct continuous integration (or CI) on their projects. Continuous integration includes the addition of new code, testing, and acceptance testing throughout the software development life-cycle.

Useful for delivering value to customers and leaders

The Agile methodologies have been found useful for delivering value to customers and leaders within a business. When properly applied, they help the team realize their collective potential and create a culture of open communication. This facilitates collaboration between individuals and departments and leads to a sense of teamwork. Team building is another benefit to Agile that can lead to increased productivity in the workplace. Also, it has been proven as a great tool for better time management.

Finally

Agile methodologies provide an agile platform that can be implemented by business owners themselves. It doesn’t require formal training and certification to implement the Agile model. Business owners simply need to take ownership of the process and be willing to invest time and resources into making it work. Implementing Agile will require a change in mindset for business owners. They must first accept the principle that their company cannot do everything, and that a team is always needed to complete any task. Once a business adopts Agile, it takes on a whole new culture, one that brings with it several benefits including the ability to deliver software that is cheaper, more efficient, and more innovative than competitors’.