Why Agile Is the Answer To Project Management Challenges In IT Companies?

The agile?methodology?includes various methodologies?in itself. Agile methodologies?like Scrum, FDD, and so on are all part?of the agile manifesto, which was presented in the year 2001. Agile methodology?is often compared with the waterfall model?in the software development?industry. In any case, agile methodology is considered to be better.

It utilizes an incremental methodology where a sample?prototype?is discussed?with the customer. The prototype helps?in understanding the key aspects, including the requirements. The consecutive prototypes reflect?the changes?done in the previous prototypes. This keeps happening?till the customer?is satisfied, providing?a better final product?to the customer. The idea?is to maintain product quality in the whole phase?of development. In the year 2001, a few agile principles?were discussed?and agreed?upon under the Agile alliance. The principles?were to be followed?for agile software development.

While comparing?the Waterfall model?and the agile methodology, Royce concluded?that:

• Each phase?is a result?of the process?of previous steps
• The process should be repeatedly checked for consistency
• A single iteration?would not give a clear picture?of the process.

Why Agile?

• Agile Methodologies have overcome the traditional methods of the waterfall model by becoming flexible, fast, lean, responsive, and consistent.
• The agile method focuses on people and is more communication-oriented
• Agile methods are tested in a dynamic environment and prove to be very flexible by adapting to the change happening in the business.
• Agile methods include regular inspection in a disciplined manner, which consequently improves the leadership qualities to boost teamwork.
• The agile method follows best practices that help in getting high-quality software very quickly. The challenges highlighted below are the outcome of both waterfall execution as well as semi agile execution. The answer to both is, to implement Agile the right way.?????????????????????????

CHALLENGE?1- FREQUENT REQUIREMENT CHANGES:

Agile software development teams embrace change, accepting?the idea?that requirements will?evolve throughout a project. Agilists understand because requirements evolve over time that any early investment in detailed?documentation will only?be wasted. Instead, agilists will do just enough initial requirements envisioning to identify?their project scope and develop a high-level schedule and value; that is all you really need?early in a project, thus that is all you should do. During?development, they’ll model storm in a just-in-time manner to explore every requirement in?the necessary detail.

This article addresses the subsequent issues:

1. The agile change management process

• Freezing requirements during an iteration?
• Modelling ahead?

1. Why requirements change
2. Prioritizing requirements
3. Estimating requirements
4. Why this is desirable
5. Potential challenges with this approach

The Agile change Management method

• Because requirements change frequently you need a streamlined, flexible?approach to requirements change?management. Agilists want?to develop software which?is high-quality and high-value, and the easiest?way to develop high-value software?is to implement the highest?priority requirements first. This enables?them to maximize stockholder ROI. In short, agilists strive to?manage change, not to prevent it.
• overviews the disciplined agile approach to managing the work products potentially?needed?to be accomplished by the team. This approach reflects the Disciplined Agile Delivery (DAD)’s approach to work?management which?is an extension of the scrum methodology’s approach to requirements management. wherever scrum treats requirements as sort of a prioritized stack called a product backlog, DAD?takes it one step further?to recognize?that not only do you implement requirements as a part of your daily job but you also do non-requirement related?work such as taking training, go on vacation, review products?of other?teams, address defects so on

CHALLENGE 2-PEOPLE DEPENDENCY:

Top 3 Dependency Types

True?agility comes?by breaking dependencies?between teams across?the organization. It all starts by defining?a rational system?of delivery for the project. Next, healthy?culture and solid?practices should emerge within?that rational?delivery framework. For those who wish?to develop their organisations, solving?the issues that get in the way of effectively practising agile is what should guide?you. First, focus on the fundamentals of agile delivery, while methodically?and systematically breaking dependencies. In?this way, we can achieve true enterprise?agility.

Business Dependencies

May emerge when?the backlog?doesn’t sufficiently?meet the meaning of ready when?there’s too much work in process, or requirements are?unit being shared across?teams. Often, multiple?teams can be dependent on?each other to deliver a single feature.

Structural?Dependencies

May originate?from highly?frameworks organizations, not having instantly available people, or having limited?access to SMEs (topic specialists). Though companies try to keep people busy, sharing people between teams often results in delays.

Technical?Dependencies

May originate?from large products?with diverse technology, too much technical?agile or defects, or low union and tight coupling.

Where?Dependencies?Come Back From

• Lack of clarity.?Your system?of delivery needs to be well understood. Your backlog should to be clear and ready. There must?be a shared understanding?of governance.
• Lack of accountability.?People must know?what they’re responsible or accountable?for. Ensure you have the proper?organizational?structure.
• Lack of progress.?You want metrics?and tools?to measure?the system?of delivery. At scale, a physical team board isn’t enough?to provide real-time progress. Make?sure you’re contributing the proper metrics?to ensure?you’ll see value flowing?through the system?of delivery and there’s a balance between?capacity and demand.

CHALLENGE?3-VAST DOCUMENTATION:

The scope?and variety?of documentation is a project-specific thing—these zone units driven by what has been agreed?upon with the client?in SOW. But generally, there’s no getting away?with a few?standard documents?like Function specifications, technical design documents, Unit test?designs, release notes, User guides etc.

Also, in a CMML5 service-based organization, there are many?process-level documents to be created.

There are 2 prime challenges?in creating?these documents?–

• Some documents?even when created prior to the development has?to be retouched?post-development. It’s often?the designer?or the architect?who creates?the technical design document?in the design phase. But updating?the documents?post development?is generally done by developers. With people?changing, the context?changes.
• The team shrinks?post development and there is a sudden rush?of closing?the documents?that are agreed upon in SOW (Statement of Work). Result-the quality?of the documents?is being compromised.

CHALLENGE?4- DEFECT DENSITY:

What is Defect Density?

Defect?Density is the number?of confirmed defects?detected in software/module?during a specific?period?of operation or development divided by the size of the software/module. It enables one to decide if a?piece of software is ready to be released.

Defect density?is counted?per thousand lines of code also known as KLOC.

Recipe to live Defect Density:

Defect Density = Defect count/size of the release

A standard for defect density

In any case, there’s no fixed?standard for bug?density, studies?suggest that one Defect per thousand lines of code is generally considered a sign of good?project?quality.

Factors?that affect?the defect density metrics

• Code complexity
• The type?of defects taken?into account?for the calculation
• Time duration which?is considered for Defect density calculation
• Developer or Tester skills