philosophy of agile

Agile is a software development methodology that involves flexibility and iterativeness in the work process. The core principles of Agile include frequent, short development cycles, active customer engagement, and the ability to respond quickly to change.

The most important thing that executors and project managers should understand is that it is necessary to change the approach to the project, each employee should see the whole picture, and not his own small piece of the overall work. We are talking about such a concept as “Flexible Thinking” — the ability and ability to think creatively, outside the box in finding an approach to solving problems. The ability to adapt and quickly complete the most complex tasks, dividing them into iterations, is not only the basis of the Agile philosophy, but also the key to successful self-realization of an employee!

Agile Values

1. People and interactions are more important than processes and tools. Successful software development depends not so much on processes and tools, but on employees and the quality of communication between them. There is no strict hierarchy with documentation of each task, but there are regular meetings where participants discuss problems and find solutions in an informal setting.
2. A working product is more important than detailed documentation.
   The goal of development is to obtain functional and working software, and not a stack of beautifully designed documents. Agile emphasizes step-by-step development with active customer participation, rather than redundant documentation that will slow down the process.
3. Being prepared to change is more important than sticking to a plan
   Developers must be prepared for changes in requirements, technologies, and priorities. Keep calm, we’re not talking about anarchy. Of course, there is a certain systematicity in Agile and we will talk about it a little later.
   The keys to success are:
   Firstly, the team’s willingness to make changes while working on each iteration and thus minimize risks.
   Secondly, the customer’s willingness to sacrifice part of his plan to speed up/increase the uniqueness/improve the quality of the product being sold.
4. Cooperation with the customer is more important than agreeing on the terms of the contract
   The process of creating software in Agile is based on close communication within the team and with the customer, as well as on trust. There is no need to create an enormous contract. If the customer decides to change something in the project right during its development, this is not a problem, this is the whole point of the flexibility methodology.

So, how does an Agile team work?

We have already mentioned iterations (sprints) — stages of work sequentially divided into equal parts. Each iteration is approximately 2 weeks of work on a specific task, after which the product will become even more effective or useful.

The work begins with planning processes, in broad strokes. Here we define the goals of the software and the basic requirements for it. A task backlog is also created (a list of all necessary functions)

Next, the project is divided into sprints. These are small pieces of larger tasks that are easier for the team to handle.

Then you need to plan the next sprint — select which tasks from the backlog will be completed in the coming weeks. Regular meetings are very important here to help the team keep its finger on the pulse and track progress.

At the end of the sprint, the team conducts testing and collects feedback from the customer. Necessary adjustments are made.

And finally, release. After going through several scripts and working on all the tasks from the backlog, the team is ready to release a full version of the product. But this does not mean that the team says goodbye to the project completely — you can always improve the product by repeating the cycle.

Pros of Agile:

1. Flexibility: Agile allows you to quickly respond to changes in customer requirements and market conditions.
2. Customer participation: The customer is actively involved in the development process, which contributes to a more accurate fit of the final product to the needs.
3. Working product in the early stages: The product is gradually developed, and the customer receives a working version of the program in the early stages of development.
4. Adjustment of the plan: Possibility of reviewing and adjusting the plan in accordance with real conditions and changes in priorities.

Disadvantages of Agile:

1. Customer Dissatisfaction: If the customer does not clearly define the requirements, this can lead to dissatisfaction with the results in the early stages.
2. Active Participation Required: Successful Agile implementation requires a high degree of participation and commitment from all team members.
3. Challenges in Estimating Time and Budget: Due to the flexibility and variability of the process, estimating time and resources can be challenging.
4. Not suitable for all projects: Agile may not be effective for large or highly fixed projects where strict control and detailed planning are required.

Therefore, this methodology is not suitable for every team and not every project. However, if you do not have a suitable team, but if you want to quickly get results, actively manage the process and see every stage of the development of your project, agile team is what you need.