Today’s software products are complex and constantly evolving throughout the entire product cycle. That makes it harder than ever to hold everyone on the same page.
Agile methods reduce overhead, but increase risk by removing process steps which are key to managing larger projects. The answer is to not abandon time-tested processes and documents. The answer is to make the creation and maintenance of software engineering documents dramatically faster and more effective.
The Agile method is often used by startups for new Android mobile solutions where the mobile developers need rapid feedback. It’s also utilized by IT organizations whose internal customers can’t agree on what they want.
At Android Developers Ltd we use agile development extensively across Android mobile development projects of different scale and needs.
Agile software development caters to fast turns and evolving requirements.
Software engineering is the practice of using selected process techniques to enhance the quality of a software development effort. This is based on the assumption, subject to endless debate and supported by patient experience, that a methodical approach to software development leads to fewer defects and, therefore, ultimately provides shorter delivery times and better value.
Which agile development methods should you consider? They have to not only respond flexibly to changing requirements, they must also provide a disciplined framework with predictable schedules.
Two methods which have proven to work when requirements are not well-understood are the Rational Unified Process and Agile Software Development.
Benefits with Agile Software Development:
- Minimized project risk
- Maximized project visibility
- Enhanced predictability, and adaptability
- Generation of relatively high quality software
- Availability of options to track and review the project regularly
- Cost Control
Most agile programming methodologies lay emphasis on building releasable software in brief time periods just like other iterative development models. Agile development differs from other development models in two key aspects. These primary differences are the short and strict time periods for every iteration, each of which do not exceed week, and a highly collaborative manner of working with the client.
Some of the key steps involved in an agile development process include:
- Initiation of the Project: Initiation involves setting up the plan, specifying the business needs, freezing the specifications, building the team, and preparing initial architecture modeling.
- Development Iterations: This repetitive stage involves active client participation, rigorous and collaborative development by professionals, adding new features upon requirement, confirmatory and investigative testing, and internal deployment of software.
- Release of the product: This stage involves final system testing, final user acceptance testing, and deployment of system into production and regular and updated delivery of software which meets the changing needs of the client. Release phase allows the end user to review the software and send the feedback as well as request for more features if required.
Production: This phase involves the regular maintenance of the system and identification of defects to enhance the system performance as well as stability.
Agile dedicated teams can essentially decrease risks typical for other outsourcing models. Really, here, the key activities in project management, software development and quality inspection are comprehensively controlled by the customer. Being used properly the agile dedicated team model provides both the principle benefits of nearshore/offshore IT outsourcing (such as cost savings) and a high level of control and confidence inherent for in-house software development processes.