What is Agile?
Since I started learning about Software development I was always hearing the word Agile, and everyone seems is doing Agile Development. But a simple Question of What is Agile? and how is it implemented in your company? can expose that many people working in organizations that claim to be Agile don’t have a firm grasp on this concept principles and practices..
The word “Agile” comes from the Agile Manifesto. In 2001, a group of experienced developers met to discuss traditional ways of managing software development projects. They agreed that software development was failing too frequently and decided there had to be a better way. They introduced the Agile Manifesto, which highlights four fundamental values that guide the principles of Agile development:
1. Individuals and interactions
over processes and tools.
2. Working software
over comprehensive documentation.
3. Customer collaboration
over contract negotiation.
4. Responding to a change
over following a plan.
- 1. Individuals and interactions over processes and tools.
- 2. Working software over comprehensive documentation.
- 3. Customer collaboration over contract negotiation.
- 4. Responding to a change over following a plan.
The Agile Manifesto makes it clear that Agile is not a strict method or specific way of doing software development. It’s not a framework or a process. At its heart, Agile is about values and principles. These principles emphasize flexibility, collaboration, and continuous improvement. The Agile Manifesto outlines 12 principles that guide Agile development practices. Here they are:
- Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through the early and continuous delivery of valuable software.
- Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer’s competitive advantage.
- Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference to the shorter timescale.
- Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project.
- Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done.
- The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation.
- Working software is the primary measure of progress.
- Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.
- Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility.
- Simplicity–the art of maximizing the amount of work not done–is essential.
- The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams.
- At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.
"Agile is not about doing more work in less time; it’s about doing the right work at the right time." — Sriram Narayan
So, the main goal of Agile is to prioritize customer satisfaction and responsiveness to change. It also focuses on delivering high-quality software quickly through collaboration and iterative development. It’s important to note that each team must base their decisions on Agile principles; simply copying another team’s practices won’t make your team Agile. In short, Agile isn’t a methodology, or developing with specific tools or framework. Agile is really a collection of beliefs that teams can use to guide their decision-making in software development.
