UNIT 2 Software Development – An Agile Approach

What is Agile?

Agile is a popular technology that allows you to build and respond to changes. It is a collection of
several principles that are used in the field of project management and software development. This
practice works on the continuous iteration of testing and development for the complete Agile
software development lifecycle of a given business project.

Rather than making big changes at work, Agile aims to help teams work toward small achievable
goals, which proves to be successful in delivering customers what they need easily without having
to set big, unattainable goals. Agile requires professionals to continuously evaluate several plans,
requirements, and results, and this allows them to respond to necessary changes easily and quickly.

It involves close collaboration between the development team and the customer to ensure that the
product meets their needs and expectations.

The Agile Software Development process typically consists of the following steps:
1. Requirements Gathering: The customer’s requirements for the software are gathered and
prioritized.
2. Planning: The development team creates a plan for delivering the software, including the
features that will be delivered in each iteration.
3. Development: The development team works to build the software, using frequent and rapid
iterations.
4. Testing: The software is thoroughly tested to ensure that it meets the customer’s
requirements and is of high quality.
5. Deployment: The software is deployed and put into use.
6. Maintenance: The software is maintained to ensure that it continues to meet the customer’s
needs and expectations.
Agile Software Development is widely used by software development teams and is considered to
be a flexible and adaptable approach to software development that is well-suited to changing
requirements and the fast pace of software development.
Agile is a time-bound, iterative approach to software delivery that builds software incrementally
from the start of the project, instead of trying to deliver all at once.

Core Values of Agile

• Working product over comprehensive documents
• Individuals and interactions over tools and processes
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
• Responding to changes over following a plan
Agile Principles

• Focus on customer satisfaction: The first priority of Agile is to ensure customer

satisfaction via quick and continuous delivery of necessary products.
• Accept changes: It is important to address the changes in requirements, even if they are
introduced late in the development process. Agile implements changes to help companies
gain a competitive advantage over their rivals.
• Deliver work frequently: The product needs to be delivered frequently, keeping in mind the
shortest timescale for customer preference.
• Work as a team: The development team and the business team must work together for the
entire duration of a given project.
• Work with a motivated team: While working with a team, ensure that the team members
are trusted, motivated, and have faith in the project. You must also create an environment
where the team members can work with each other and receive the support required.
• Have face-to-face interactions with the team: Having face-to-face conversations and
interactions with team members is among the most effective methods for communicating
and conveying the required information.
• Focus on the working product: The significant measure that shows progress is the working
software; it indicates the progress toward the final result.
• Ensure sustainable development: Agile methods can promote sustainability when
developers, sponsors, and users are able to maintain a regular and constant pace.
• Enhance agility: The agility of the product can be enhanced by providing regular attention
to the technical details and design.
• Have simplicity: It is important to have simplicity in your product to waste minimal time,
use most of the time efficiently, and get the work done.
• Maintain a self-organizing team: The best type of design and architecture can only be
achieved through a team consisting of self-organizing members.
• Reflect and update: The team reflects on making the product more effective regularly. The
team further adjusts and makes improvements in the features of the product.
Benefits of the Agile Model

• It helps in providing transparency to the clients and offering them clear knowledge of the
steps of project development.
• It allows interaction and collaboration between the project team and the clients.
• The product is always delivered on time or early.
• The product cost can be estimated.
• Changes help in making an improved product.
• The entire project is broken down into small parts that offer a better quality of development
and testing.

Traditional Method vs Agile Method

Agile Development Process model
Agile Development Tools

Together, the team can work more efficiently thanks to the agile tools that improve
communication and collaboration. It reduces misunderstandings and errors by filling
up the communication gap. Moreover, it ensures that all members are on the same
page by working as a single hub for all project data.

Scrum Methodology

Scrum is adaptable, fast, flexible and effective agile framework that is

designed to deliver value to the customer throughout the development
of the project.

What are sprint

Within each framework task occur within a Process pattern (discussed in the
following paragraph ) called sprint
The Scrum team consists of the following roles:

Scrum master: The person who leads the team guiding them to comply with the
rules and processes of the methodology. Scrum master manages the reduction of
impediments of the project and works

Product owner : Is the representative of the stakeholders and customers who

use the software.

Team : A group of professionals with the necessary technical knowledge who

develop the project

Benefits of Scrum Methodology

Easily Scalable:
Scrum processes are iterative and are handled within specific work periods, which
makes it easier for the team to focus on definite functionalities for each period.

Flexible to changes:
Quick reaction to changes in requirements generated by customer needs or market
developments.

Compliance of expectations:
On a regular basis, in the sprint demos, the Product Owner verifies that the
requirements have been met and transmits feedback to the team.