Nov 14th, 2023
Agile Development in 2023
Agile development has been a buzzword for years now. The benefits of adopting this approach to software product development have become evident as more and more companies have implemented agile methodologies into their development strategies.
Agile development in 2023 has coalesced into a well-defined set of standards and practices. There are now names for at least six different agile approaches, each with its own benefits and drawbacks.
Current State of Agile Adoption
Agile adoption is high in 2023—many companies are now seeing the benefits of this development approach. Let’s take a quick look at the six top agile models popular today.
Scrum
Scrum, the most recognizable form of agile development, breaks down projects into small tasks, which are then worked on by separate teams in a flexible priority order under iterations called “sprints.”
Kanban
Kanban organizes tasks into named columns (using physical organization tools or software.) Columns might be ToDo, In Progress, Done, etc. This pushes teams to commit to small, limited tasks at one time.
Extreme Programming (XP)
XP is similar to Scrum, focusing on short sprints and multiple iterations. Where it differs is in its focus on high-quality code facilitated by pair programming and continuous feedback (both from humans and automated systems.)
Scaled-Agile Framework (SAFe)
Scaled Agile Framework is the most popular method for enterprise companies to scale their products. It seeks to provide a set of guides and practices to streamline scaling and allow multiple teams to share methodologies and tools.
Scrum of Scrums (SoS)/ Scrum at Scale (S@S)
Scrum of Scrums focuses on building a scaled network of Scrum teams to move products efficiently through two lifecycles: the Scrum master cycle and the product manager cycle. This is the second most popular agile scaling model after SAFe.
Spotify
Recently, Spotify has gained attention for its eponymous agile model, in which companies are organized into Squads, Tribes, Chapters, Guilds, Trios, and Alliances. Each team has a specific set of tasks to perform, and each team provides checks and balances to the other teams.
Benefits of Using Agile Modeling for your software development project
The benefits of agile are well known now. Agile software development helps companies deliver superior products by promoting the ideas of rapid iteration, user feedback, automation, communication, and flexibility. By accelerating the delivery of MVP products, software testing those products, and collecting user feedback, agile teams can quickly respond to market trends, detect issues in their software early on, and strive for continuous improvement of their product.
Which Agile PM Approaches Fit Your Digital Transformation and Projects?
The right agile approach for one team may not be suitable for another. The easiest way to begin to adopt agile principles is to involve stakeholders in a conversation about the product and begin to outline project requirements.
From there, establish clear and concise communication channels between teams and stakeholders. Set milestones and deadlines. When first starting out, it’s a good idea to allow individual teams to pursue their own agile methodologies. Remember, flexibility is key!
