Agile: Software Development Done Smart

When it comes to working on projects there are a few different ways to approach them. One way to approach a project is to create a plan at the beginning and use that for the entire project. In this option there is really only one route to follow as the whole product is put together at once. An increasing option for a project is to use agile development. Agile development is more flexible as the progress is in intervals and the customer can see parts of the project come to life. This way the customer receives working software continuously and frequently. The Agile Manifesto.

How does one get started with agile development? The key to agile is the customer and developer communication. Each agile development interval is called a sprint which usually lasts two to four weeks. The sprint start with a scrum where the customer gives a relatively simple description, a “user story,” of what they want and then the developers figure out how to solve the customer’s problem. A list of what the customer wants is created and then the order in which they are implemented and what sprint they are going to be worked on are decided. During the scrum a leader is chosen as well to communicate with the customer and divide the work amongst the team members. In the following scrum meetings team members share what they worked on, will work on, and identify any blocks to progress. At the end of the spring a working, not necessarily final, product is shown to the customer and the customer can decide on any changes that need to be implemented. An interesting way to estimate the effort of a “user story” is to use a method called planning poker where the developers pick a numbered card depending on the amount of work they think is required. Then everyone shows their cards at once and discusses why they picked their number. You can test out and get a better idea of planning poker at www.planningpoker.com.