The Agile methodology is a proper way of managing the project with breaking them into smaller phases which is iteration. It basically focus on flexibility of the project which we can change and improve the team work regularly as per requirements.

What is Agile?

Agile is a Project Management and software development approach that aims to be more effective.

1. It focuses on delivering smaller pieces of work regularly instead of one big launch.
2. This allows teams to adapt to changes quickly and provide customer value faster.

Agile is not just a methodology; it’s a mindset. Agile isn't about following specific rituals or techniques. Instead, it's a bunch of methods that show a dedication to quick feedback and always getting better.

What is the Agile Methodology?

Agile Methodology is a way to manage projects by breaking them into smaller parts. It focuses on working together and making constant improvements. Teams plan, work on the project, and then review how things are going in a repeating cycle.

• They prioritize flexibility, collaboration, and customer satisfaction.
• Major companies like Facebook, Google, and Amazon use Agile because of its adaptability and customer-focused approach.

History of Agile

• In 1957, people started figuring out new ways to build computer programs. They wanted to make the process better over time, so they came up with iterative and incremental methods.
• In the 1970s, people started using adaptive software development and evolutionary project management. This means they were adjusting and evolving how they built software.
• In 1990s, there was a big change. Some people didn't like the strict and super-planned ways of doing things in software development. They called these old ways "waterfall." So, in response, lighter and more flexible methods showed up.

What is the Agile Manifesto Software Development?

The Manifesto for Agile Software Development is a document produced by 17 developers at Snowbird, Utah in 2001. This document consists of 4 Agile Values and 12 Agile Principles. These 12 principals and 4 agile values provide a guide to Software Developers. The Manifesto for Agile Software Development emerged as a transformative guide to Software Development.

What are the 12 Agile Principles?

There are 12 Agile Principles mentioned in the Agile Manifesto. Agile principles are guidelines for flexible and efficient software development. They emphasize frequent delivery, embracing change, collaboration, and continuous improvement. The focus is on delivering value, maintaining a sustainable work pace, and ensuring technical excellence.

The Agile Alliance defines 12 lightness principles for those who need to attain agility:

1. Our highest priority is to satisfy the client through early and continuous delivery of valuable computer software.
2. Welcome dynamic necessities, even late in development. Agile Processes harness modification for the customer’s competitive advantage.
3. Deliver operating computer software often, from a pair of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference to the shorter timescale.
4. Business individuals and developers should work along daily throughout the project.
5. The build comes around actuated people. offer them the setting and support they have, and trust them to urge the task done.
6. the foremost economical and effective methodology of conveyancing info to and among a development team is face-to-face speech.
7. Working with computer software is the primary life of progress.
8. Agile processes promote property development. The sponsors, developers, and users will be able to maintain a relentless pace indefinitely.
9. Continuous attention to technical excellence and smart style enhances nimbleness.
10. Simplicity—the art of maximizing the number of work not done—is essential.
11. the most effective architectures, necessities, and styles emerge from self–organizing groups.
12. At regular intervals, the team reflects on a way to become simpler, then tunes and adjusts its behavior consequently.

Life cycle of Agile Methodology

The Agile Software Development Life Cycle helps you break down each project you take on into six simple stages:

1. Requirement Gathering

• In this stage, the project team identifies and documents the needs and expectations of various stakeholders, including clients, users, and subject matter experts.
• It involves defining the Project's Scope, objectives, and requirements.
• Establishing a budget and schedule.
• Creating a project plan and allocating resources.

2. Design

• Developing a high-level system architecture.
• Creating detailed specifications, which include data structures, algorithms, and interfaces.
• Planning for the software's user interface.

3. Development (Coding)

• Writing the actual code for the software.
• Conducting unit testing to verify the functionality of individual components.

4. Testing

This phase involves several types of testing:

• Integration Testing: Ensuring that different components work together.
• System Testing: Testing the entire system as a whole.
• User Acceptance Testing: Confirming that the software meets user requirements.
• Performance Testing: Assessing the system's speed, scalability, and stability.

5. Deployment

• Deploying the software to a production environment.
• Put the software into the real world where people can use it.
• Make sure it works smoothly in the real world.
• Providing training and support for end-users.

6. Review (Maintenance)

• Addressing and resolving any issues that may arise after deployment.
• Releasing updates and patches to enhance the software and address problems.

Benefits of Agile development methodology

The Advantages of the Agile Model are as follows:

• Flexibility and Adaptability: Agile can quickly adapt to changes, allowing teams to respond to new customer needs and market conditions.
• Improved Collaboration: Agile encourages constant communication between developers and stakeholders, ensuring the product meets user expectations.
• Faster Delivery: Agile ensures quicker releases, keeping customers engaged and their feedback incorporated early.
• Enhanced Quality and Customer Satisfaction: Agile focuses on customer feedback, ensuring the product meets their needs and delivering high-quality results.
• Iterative Development: Work is done in small, manageable steps, allowing for regular improvements and quick adjustments.
• Transparency: Agile keeps stakeholders informed at every stage, ensuring clarity and alignment.
• Quality Assurance: Agile prioritizes quality, ensuring the product meets users' expectations through continuous improvements.
• Continuous Improvement: Regular feedback ensures the product keeps improving, preventing last-minute issues and maintaining high quality.

Types of Agile Methodologies

Agile is a flexible framework with several approaches, each suited for different project needs. Here are some of the most common Agile methodologies:

1. Kanban

Kanban Method is an approach to evolutionary and incremental systems and process change for organizations. A work-in-progress limited pull system is the central mechanism to uncover system operation (or process) complications and encourage collaboration to continuously improve the system.

Kanban is best suited in the below scenarios:

• Dynamic/ frequent changing requirements which need to be delivered faster.
• In case of changing priorities, the team can pull the prioritized work as soon as the WIP limit drops.
• Frequent releases are there (Periodically).
• When incoming work is continuous.

2. Scrum

Scrum is great for small teams and works in sprints—short, focused work periods. A Scrum Master removes obstacles for the team. Scrum includes two key events:

• Sprint Planning: Decides what the team will work on in the next sprint.
• Sprint Retrospective: Reflects on the last sprint to improve the process for the next one.

3. Extreme Programming (XP)

Extreme Programming (XP) focuses on technical practices and rapid delivery. It emphasizes values like communication, simplicity, feedback, courage, and respect. XP helps teams release updates frequently, making it ideal for projects where customer feedback and fast changes are crucial.

4. Adaptive Project Framework (APF)

Adaptive Project Framework (APF) is designed for projects where things can change unexpectedly. It's often used in IT projects where traditional methods may not apply. APF focuses on adapting to changes in resources, budgets, timelines, or team members as the project progresses.

5. Extreme Project Management (XPM)

Extreme Project Management (XPM) is used for complex projects with a lot of uncertainty. It’s highly flexible, allowing teams to constantly adjust their processes and strategies. XPM involves short sprints for rapid problem-solving and adjusting approaches as needed.

6. Adaptive Software Development (ASD)

Adaptive Software Development (ASD) is about continuous learning and adaptation. The three main phases are:

• Speculate: Develop ideas about how the project should progress.
• Collaborate: Work closely with the team and customers.
• Learn: Use feedback to improve and make better decisions.
  This approach is fluid, allowing teams to work through all phases simultaneously and adjust quickly.

7. Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM)

Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM) is more structured and covers the entire project lifecycle. It includes four main phases:

• Feasibility and Business Study: Understand the project’s goals and its feasibility.
• Functional Mode or Prototype Iteration: Build prototypes to refine the solution.
• Design and Build Iteration: Develop the final solution.
• Implementation: Deliver the completed product.
  DSDM is ideal for projects needing a solid structure while still maintaining flexibility.

8. Feature Driven Development (FDD)

Feature Driven Development (FDD) focuses on developing specific features. The team works on one feature at a time, delivering regular updates based on customer feedback. It allows for fast fixes and frequent progress, keeping the project moving forward.

Agile Software Development

Agile Software Development is a software development methodology that values flexibility, collaboration, and customer satisfaction. It is based on the Agile Manifesto, a set of principles for software development that prioritize individuals and interactions, working software, customer collaboration, and responding to change.

Agile Software Development is an iterative and incremental approach to software development that emphasizes the importance of delivering a working product quickly and frequently. It involves close collaboration between the development team and the customer to ensure that the product meets their needs and expectations.

Agile Development Models

The Agile Development Model was primarily designed to help a project adapt quickly to change requests. So, the main aim of the Agile model is to facilitate quick project completion. To accomplish this task, agility is required. Agility is achieved by fitting the process to the project and removing activities that may not be essential for a specific project. Also, anything that is a waste of time and effort is avoided. 

The Agile Model refers to a group of development processes. These processes share some basic characteristics but do have certain subtle differences among themselves.

Agile Software Development Methodology

Agile Software Development Methodology in software development is an efficient methodology that helps teams produce high-quality software quickly and with flexibility. Agile is not just a methodology; it’s a mindset. At its core, Agile values individuals and interactions, working solutions, and customer collaboration over strict processes and comprehensive documentation. It acknowledges that the needs and priorities of a project may change, emphasizing the importance of adaptability and continuous improvement.

What is Agile Product Management?

In simple terms, Agile Product Management is a concept and approach that focuses on speed while taking the demands of customers into account throughout the product development life cycle. As compared to traditional Waterfall approaches, which follow a ‘linear and sequential’ process, Agile uses iterative cycles of operation; developers can return to customers for feedback or modifications constantly. That is a mindset that prioritizes people and interactions over processes and systems, working products over detailed documentation, and customer collaboration over contract negotiation.

What is Agile Project Management?

Agile Project Management is a revolutionary approach, that is aimed at continuously delivering solutions for the changing requirements of the project in a spiral way.

• It was established by the Agile Manifesto’s principles, calling for iterative and incremental development of the project into manageable sprints that create potentially shippable increments.
• Agile Project Management is the concept of being agile and agile method in the new challenges of advanced projects, concerning its community-oriented spirit, planning flexibility, and ongoing progress.

Agile Software Testing

Agile Testing is a Type of Software Testing that follows the principles of agile software development to test the software application. All members of the project team along with the special experts and testers are involved in agile testing. Agile testing is not a separate phase and it is carried out with all the development phases i.e. requirements, design and coding, and test case generation.

Agile Methodology Advantage and Disadvantage

The main advantage and disadvantage of agile methodology are:

• Advantages: Agile methodologies allow for flexibility and adaptability in responding to changes. Teams can easily adjust their plans and priorities based on evolving requirements or feedback during the project.
• Disadvantages: The iterative and adaptive nature of agile can sometimes lead to uncertainty, especially in projects with unclear or rapidly changing requirements. This may pose challenges in estimating timelines and costs accurately.

Read More: Agile Methodology Advantage and Disadvantage

Agile vs Waterfall Methodology

If you want to know Agile vs Waterfall, then Agile is like a good fit for projects that need to be flexible and change a lot, such as making computer programs.

Here is the simple comparison between the Agile vs Waterfall Methodology

Read More: Agile vs Waterfall Methodology

When to use the Agile Methodology?

If you want to know When to Use the Agile Methodology, then it is particularly well-suited for projects and organizations where the following conditions or needs are present:

• Unclear or Changing Requirements: Agile is great for projects with requirements that aren't well-defined or might change.
• Complex Projects: It's good for big, complex projects by breaking them into smaller pieces.
• Customer Focus: Use Agile when making customers happy is a priority and you want to involve them throughout.
• Quick Time-to-Market: If you need to get your product out fast, Agile can help.
• Small to Medium Teams: Agile works well for teams of a few to a few dozen people.
• Team Skills: It's best when you have a mix of skills in your team, like development, testing, design, and more.
• Collaboration: Agile promotes working together and open communication.
• Regular Updates: If you want to check progress often and make changes as needed.
• Transparency: Agile emphasizes being open and clear with everyone involved in the project.
• Risk Control: It helps manage risks by tackling issues as they come up.
• Innovation: If you encourage trying new things and learning from experience, Agile supports that.
• Continuous Improvement: Agile fosters a culture of always getting better over time.

Agile Methodologies vs Traditional Approaches

Agile and traditional project management (like Waterfall) are two different ways of handling projects. Each has its own benefits and is better suited for different types of work. Let’s break them down:

Read More: Agile Testing vs Traditional Testing

Limitations of Agile Methodology

The disadvantages of the agile model are as follows:

• Less Documentation: Agile methodologies focus on less documentation; it prioritizes working on projects rather than paperwork.
• Challenges in Large Organizations: Busy schedule of clients can make daily meetup and face-to-face communication difficult.
• Need for Senior Programmers: It may require experienced programmers to make critical decisions during the development of software.
• Limited Scope Control: It has less rigid scope control, which may not be suitable in certain situations.
• Predictability: Compared to more structured project management methods, it may lack predictability.

Popular Agile Tools for Software Development

Agile Tool for software development or platforms that help teams manage and track their Agile projects more effectively. These tools streamline collaboration, enhance productivity, and ensure that projects stay on track.

Some popular Agile tools include:

• Jira
• Trello
• Asana
• Pivotal Labs
• ClickUp
• Monday.com
• CollabNet
• Axosoft
• Zoho Sprints
• Active Collab

Conclusion

In these article we seen how Agile Methodology works really well in the all development perspective of the project. Agile help to manage the project efficiently. If you want to explore more of SDLC model do refer "SDLC Top models".