While debate about the effectiveness of Agile software development continues, more software pros
and development organizations are adopting Agile practices and using Agile tools. Indeed, some have
been using Agile in development, testing and business processes for years. This Agile tutorial
provides expert advice and user commentary for recent agile adopters and longer-term agile users.
Topics covered include scaling gile; choosing and using open source, automated and integrated
Agile-optimized tools; requirements gathering and management in Agile environments; pros and cons
of Agile and waterfall methodologies; and more.
Requires Free Membership to View
When you register, you'll receive targeted emails designed to keep you informed of the most relevant information on Agile development, application security, testing & QA, software requirements, and more.
Hannah Smalltree, Editorial Director
Table of Contents:
- Agile methodologies and trends
- Scaling Agile projects using Focus Stories
- Agile project management best practices and responsibilities
- Agile tools
- Waterfall vs. Agile
- What the experts have to say – podcasts with Agile leaders
Agile methodologies and
trends
Agile software methodologies include a number of different methodologies that follow the basic
principles outlined in the Agile Manifesto that was authored in 2001.
 |
||||
|
|
|||
|
||||
We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it. In the
following video, Agile guru Lisa Crispin answers the question, "Are there times when Agile is not
the right approach to software develoment?" She suggests that team practices are just as important
as the methodology teams use.
The growing trend of Agile use was examined in a survey, discussed in the following video by Dave West. He highlights some of the survey's findings, touching on Agile tools, planning and integration.
Agile
by the numbers: Survey finds more adoption, but age-old problems
Agile software development methodologies, with an emphasis on Scrum, continue to grow in
popularity according to results from a recent searchsoftwarequality.com reader survey. Trends show
increased numbers of distributed agile teams and that organizations are using various hybrid
approaches such as Scrum/XP, a combination of Scrum and waterfall, or the emerging Kanban
methodology. Documentation, communication, and resistance to change remain the top three challenges
for those using agile methodologies. Find out how respondents are dealing with these challenges,
the tools they find most essential in an Agile environment, and the benefits they are gaining from
an Agile approach.
Read
Full Story
Agile
development growing, but problems remain
Promoting flexibility and change, Agile methodologies themselves have been morphing and
undergoing change and adaptation since the Agile Manifesto was written in 2001. From organizations
that use homebrew methodologies peppered with agile practices to die-hard practitioners that follow
a specific agile methodology to the letter, there are a variety of ways groups are using Agile.
Scrum continues to gain momentum as the pervasive Agile methodology while Extreme Programming (XP)
has been losing mindshare, though remains popular in northern Europe. Add Dynamic Systems
Development Method (DSDM), Crystal , Lean and Kanban to the mix and you find there's no shortage of
Agile methodologies to choose from. Has everyone jumped on the Agile bandwagon?
Read
Full Story
To The Top
Scaling Agile projects using
Focus Stories
|
|
|
|
|
|
In this four-part series, Principal Agile Coach Mike Dwyer steps us through the use of Focus Stories for large Agile development efforts. There is often skepticism around use of Agile practices on large-scale software development projects. Through the use of a Focus Story – a high-level definition at the goal of the project with a measurable and time-based definition of DONE -- large projects are able to stay on track. Dwyer steps us through the processes and benefits of aligning work being done on multiple teams to one over-arching Focus Story, ensuring efficiency in work processes for the smaller teams, all working together to achieve a common goal.
Part 1: Scaling
Agile development: Get your Focus Story together
Part 2: Aligning
business goals with Focus Stories
Part 3: Agile
development: Quality assurance, consistency in testing
Part 4: How to
manage your development portfolio through Agile Focus Stories
To The Top
Agile project management best
practices and responsibilities
Software project management comes in a variety of flavors. Project management methods and
approaches in agile project management, include: iterative, incremental, adaptive, process-based or
a traditional phased approach, often called a waterfall model. Some organizations are using hybrid
approaches which may combine the disciplines of the traditional approaches with the flexibility of
some of the Agile methods. The software project management and quality assurance industry leaders
are continually striving to find new and better ways to improve efficiency and quality in the
software development lifecycle. These articles give some of the issues project managers face and
the differences between managing in an Agile environment rather than a more traditional
environment.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adaptation in project management through Agile (Agile
Project Management by Jim Highsmith)
Traditionally, project management has been about managing budget and resources to deliver a product
on time that includes the features and functions originally specified. So how is Agile project
management different? Agile is more about managing change. In traditional environments, project
managers struggle with following the original plan and aim to minimize change. In an Agile
environment, the project manager works at adapting to the inevitable change that is expected and
welcomed. The goal of the Agile PM is to achieve customer satisfaction by allowing the customers
the flexibility to change the plan over time. Adaptive and traditional approaches are quite
different and require different styles of management, processes and measurements for success.
Read
Full Story
Software
expert on Agile's rise, avoiding project management mistakes
Agile software development has been getting a lot of attention, but is it always the right
solution? In this interview , project management consultant, author and Agile expert Barbee Davis
shares her views on the popularity of Agile, mistakes that software project managers make and
career advice for those entering the field of software project management. Read more to find out
Davis' thoughts on the difference in methodologies and how she believes project managers can best
succeed in any environment.
Read
Full Story
|
|
|
|
| David Christiansen | |
|
|
Best
practices for Scrum and when to apply them
Software testing, when using a Scrum methodology, occurs right alongside development. While there
are no silver bullets, there are some best practices that can be put in place to help improve the
chances for high quality and success with each code iteration. In this article, David Christiansen
provides useful tips on how testers can make sure a story is properly tested using such techniques
as the HICCUPPS method and automation. Christiansen outlines some key guidelines that project teams
should be following in order to address some of the common weaknesses of Scrum-based
projects.
Read
Full Story
As the software development industry continues to grow and change, so do the tools that are used to manage the software development lifecycle. There are a plethora of new tools, both open source and commercially available, supporting projects that are being managed using Agile methodologies. In this set of articles you will learn about some of the popular tools that are used in an Agile environment, including open source tools for the budget-conscious, automation tools for speed, and reporting tools allowing for project transparency throughout the organization.
Free
tools for Agile testers
In this tip, software expert David Christainsen describes the benefits of free testing tools,
particularly useful for those testing in an agile environment. Selenium IDE is a record and
playback tool used for testing Web applications through a Firefox browser. This tool can be used to
replicate bugs for error reports as well as for functional automation. Sun VirtualBox will allow
for testing your application on various operating systems and browser by creating simulated
environments of the needed technologies. PivotalTracker is a project management tool, specifically
for agile teams. Learn more about these tools and others that will help your team achieve success
without impacting your budget.
Read
Full Story
|
|
|
|
|
|
Using
automation to speed up software testing in Agile
Can automation improve and speed up software testing in Agile development? In this informative tip,
test pro Matt Heusser discusses a variety of automation techniques and tools that can be used in
your Agile environment. Types of automation include record and playback, keyword-driven testing,
behind-the-GUI testing and model-driven testing. Find out the differences in each of these, the
best tools to use in each scenario and how to get started. Automation does not solve all problems
and is not necessarily the right approach for every project. Heusser explores the subtle
differences and helps readers become aware of options so that they can decide what would be best
for them.
Read
Full Story
Tools
bringing traditional, agile projects together
Larger organizations' distributed teams' "stickies on the whiteboard doesn't cut it," said Todd
Olson, of Rally Software. "Executives need a different set of tools." Organizations that have a
combination of both traditional and Agile approaches to development are looking for tools that will
accommodate either methodology. This article looks at three tools that provide the transparency
required of agile applications in large-scale, geographically dispersed organizations. Reporting
tools are necessary to give organizational insights into the status of their projects and in
heavily regulated industries, provide traceability evidence. Read more to find which tools are
recommended and some of the functions they provide.
Read
Full Story
To The Top
Waterfall vs. Agile
The age-old debate continues between the traditional phased waterfall methodology known for its discipline and adherence to standards and the leaner Agile methodology, touted for its adaptability for change. These articles outline some of the differences between the two, examining the strengths and weaknesses in each approach.
Testers
debate differences between waterfall, Agile test automation
In this two-part discussion between seasoned test experts, Matt Heusser and Lanette Creamer,
Creamer poses some difficult questions about the differences between the Agile and waterfall
approaches to software development. Creamer questions whether testing practices such as Test-Driven
Development (TDD) and automation are really Agile techniques or practices that can be applied to
any software project. She also asks about depth of test coverage or integration testing with legacy
systems in Agile environments. Read on to find out how Heusser answers these tough questions and
what Creamer and Heusser agree is benefiting testers, regardless of the methodology they use when
developing software.
Read
Full Story
Why
waterfall developers still shun Agile
Is agile for everyone? In this post we find Agile experts who admit that there are certain
instances when the tried-and-true waterfall approach may be the most appropriate for a software
project. This resistance to change may be due to a variety of reasons, but basically, if the team
is operating successfully, they don't see a compelling reason to rock the boat. Another major
reason some are resistant to join the Agile movement is the resistance of the Business to get more
involved in development processes. This post includes a video clip from HyperStratus CEO Bernard
Golden giving his point of view.
Read
Full Story
Ways
Agile beats waterfall development and boost software quality
This article says explains some of the differences between the agile and waterfall approaches to
software development, stating that Agile allows the team to reach its goals by providing short
iterations, each with its own development cycle, allowing for continuous integration and
improvement based on customer feedback. Tests are carried out throughout the Software Development
Life Cycle (SDLC), enhancing quality throughout, rather than squeezing it in at the end. Find out
more why so many people feel that Agile is the best approach to developing software.
Read
Full Story
To The Top
What the experts have to say – podcasts
with Agile leaders
|
|
|
|
|
|
Succeeding
with software requirements in Agile projects
Have you ever wondered what CRUD activities are and
when you perform them? What about YAGNI documentation? Curious about what the best practices for
Agile requirements management are? Ellen Gottesdiener, principal consultant at EBG Consulting Inc. speaks on these topics and more in
this SearchSoftwareQuality audiocast.
Listen
To Podcast
- How to determine which items from the backlog should be chosen for an iteration
- The amount of detail needed for user stories
- How teams can "tamp down" requirements
- How to best handle documentation requirements
- How the "big picture" requirements are considered in an Agile environment
|
||||
|
|
|||
|
||||
This was first published in March 2010