Agile Methodologies Used by Software Development Companies

Ever since it first surfaced in 2011, I’ve seen how Agile software development has grown to become one of the most efficient methodologies. At BairesDev, a nearshore software outsourcing company, it’s our preferred approach to software development.

According to the Project Management Institute’s 2017 Pulse of the Profession report, 71% of organizations now use Agile methodology ‘sometimes, or often, always’.

So, what makes Agile so popular? Well, it’s focused on the principles of collaboration, communication, flexibility and adaptability. Unlike its predecessor, Waterfall, which uses a ‘step-by-step’ approach to development, Agile breaks projects down into smaller, more manageable cycles known as ‘sprints’.

Whenever I’m asked about how to choose an outsourcing partner, my advice is always to find one that practices Agile methodologies. At BairesDev, we use several different Agile frameworks because we find that their principles are easy to work with and they keep clients involved throughout the development process

Let’s take a look at some of the more common Agile methodologies used by software development and IT companies:

Scrum

Scrum uses lightweight processes to maximize production and manage complex development. It condenses projects into ‘sprints’ and enables software to be tested and adjusted quickly and easily. According to the 2017-2018 State of Scrum Report, the average length of a sprint is 2.4 weeks.

As Scrum requires a high level of project management, each development team is led by a Scrum Master whose job is to guide a project through to completion.

I’ve always found Scrum to be a highly flexible, adaptable and responsive framework that’s well-suited to projects that require constant, rapid testing to deliver quality results.

Out of all the Agile methodologies, I’d say that Scrum is the most popular. This is echoed in the State of Scrum Report, which highlights that 97% of developers will continue to use the methodology in the future. 

Extreme Programming

Extreme Programming (XP) operates on a ‘test-first’ basis, which requires highly productive development teams to write and test code as a priority. It’s considered the most specific of Agile frameworks and follows five principles:

• Simplicity - only focuses on what is absolutely essential and aims to keep the design of the system straightforward.
• Communication - proposes face-to-face communication with visual aids like whiteboards.
• Courage - to change direction when something isn’t working and to raise any issues in regards to effectiveness.
• Respect - between fellow developers and the client-provider relationship.
• Feedback - actively encourages constructive criticism and questioning to reveal the most efficient practices.

XP offers fantastic visibility as its continual testing means client involvement is higher than in any other framework. I find that it’s well-suited to projects that need code to be written quickly and efficiently. At BairesDev, we recommend our developers adopt XP for high-risk projects that use new technologies.

Extreme Programming requires a high level of client involvement and is therefore well-suited to nearshore outsourcing. A good nearshore outsourcing provider will have the processes and tools in place to ensure open collaboration and clear communication on a regular basis.

Kanban

Kanban is a methodology focused on visualization as a way of assisting project management. It creates a virtual picture of the development process, ensuring everyone, from developers to product owners, can see what’s happening at all times.

Once a task is complete, a card progresses to the next stage. Here’s an example from visual management company KanbanTool of what a Kanban board looks like:

Development teams don’t need additional training to use the Kanban framework and no immediate investment is required. I’d say that Kanban is well-suited to software development projects that require continual maintenance and improvement.

It’s used by many nearshore outsourcing services because it enables clients to keep an eye on a project’s progress at all times. It’s also a hugely effective way for external development teams to control and manage workloads while monitoring productivity.

Lean Software Development

Lean software development focuses on optimizing development time and resources by eliminating waste and delivering only what the product owner has asked for. Lean originates from the manufacturing industry after Toyota introduced the approach to enhance the creation of its cars.

Lean software development has many core strengths, including the ability to save resources and streamline development processes. It’s an ideal framework for organizations that use old technology that needs a refresh, or when there is a brief that focuses heavily on values and time.

At BairesDev, our lean development teams are experts at ensuring no resource or time is wasted. We work closely with our customers to determine essential features and understand core functions. This enables us to successfully deliver quality projects on tight timescales, using simple code.

Rapid Application Development (RAD)

Rapid Application Development (RAD) was introduced in 1991 as a response to Waterfall, and is an agile framework that focuses on the rapid prototyping of software products. It involves frequent iterations based on feedback and continuously releases updated versions of the software to market. Here’s how RAD works at BairesDev:

RAD is a framework that allows for rapid, low-cost development to quickly and continuously improve products. Its iterations enable flexibility and adaptability as circumstances change.

RAD is best applied to relatively small projects, or to those that rely heavily on user feedback and testing to shape the software’s core functions and design.

According to research published by MarketsandMarkets?, The global RAD market is projected to grow from $7.8 billion to $46.2 billion by 2023. Aside from its increased visibility and the opportunities it provides for feedback, RAD’s growing popularity is due to the growing demand for customized applications.

As you can see, there are several Agile frameworks to choose from, and these are just the ones that we tend to prefer. In any case, a good nearshore software outsourcing company will work closely with you to determine which one will add the most value to your project.