So your company has decided to use agile as its primary software development methodology. You’re probably here because one or two rogue teams felt limited by the typical waterfall paradigm and wanted to try something new. They began by adhering to the 12 principles of agile software development and saw great outcomes. The rest of the company is now eager to follow suit. If it worked for one or two teams, it would work even better for ten. Right? Perhaps not. Too many cooks may make a big impact spoil the software.
As companies scale, there is a lot of anxiety, uncertainty, and doubt surrounding agile, but not all of these concerns are legitimate. Here are some of the most rumoured, widespread myths and misconceptions, and misunderstandings, as well as the ones you should be worried about.
The Top 5 Agile Software Development Myths:
- Agile is only used in IT development.
- Agile is always more responsive and more agile (fast).
- Stakeholders have the right to change the scope of work at any time.
- Agile means no specification guides
- Agile does not require the ongoing participation of the product owner.
1. Agile Is Only Used In IT Development.
Agile as a methodology was referenced for the first time in the Agile Manifesto, a statement written in February 2001 about IT development. The concept was a huge success, and it quickly extended to all company niches as a major management tool.
What exactly is agile? It is just dividing the entire scope of a project into logic iterations. In contrast to executing all of the work at once, agile is a method that allows you to change business goals by making changes to the established iterations and focusing solely on high-priority tasks that you set in the sprint.
All shareholders’ suggestions, thoughts, and ideas can be added to the so-called “backlog” and examined before the next sprint formation. Then you determine whether or not to begin working on it.
Although the idea that agile is solely related to IT is one of the most popular myths these days, it still doesn’t make it true.
Agile is much more than IT development, and you can make it work for you.
2. Agile Is Always More Responsive And More Agile (Fast).
In the previous point, I indicated that agile gained widespread acceptance, which led to individuals applying an agile methodology to all projects. Thus, whether appropriate for the project, agile was applied to all IT development projects and work patterns.
Iterations of work that have been thoroughly tested are an essential component of agile. Therefore, each sprint stage is subjected to regression testing. However, it is not always necessary in some instances or for all projects.
Furthermore, I believe that a well-documented fixed-scope project would be produced faster using waterfall.
In some circumstances, it is critical to show a high level of functioning in a short period to secure funding for continued development. Using Kanban, for example, would be a lot faster.
Agile technique, when compared to a tortoise and a rabbit, is as quick as a rabbit.
3. Stakeholders Have The Right To Change The Scope Of Work At Any Time.
Although adaptable, agile does not imply that the scope of work can be changed at any time; it is not Kanban. Furthermore, each stakeholder or product owner should be aware that some changes may necessitate the reconstruction of the basic architecture.
Also, according to agile, all modifications should be added to the backlog, while the current sprint (typically two or three weeks duration) should be maintained.
Compared to a fixed-scope project, where alterations are strongly discouraged during development, agile is regarded as a flexible paradigm that embraces adjustments and revisions.
However, it is critical to engage with a project manager on when and how to implement a necessary change.
4. Agile Means No Specification Guides
A thorough specification guide is one of the most crucial components to proceed with clean and well-managed development. Therefore, a general specification guide is strongly recommended for any project, whether a fixed-scope project or ongoing development on a sprint-by-sprint basis.
It is worthwhile to prepare a specification guide for the software you intend to develop to avoid human errors or misunderstandings. However, it is also feasible to discuss and generate tickets in Jira — or any other management application — and proceed once the iteration’s scope has been accepted.
But, don’t forget that there are also other ways to achieve the stated functionality. For example, when you have a guide that shows you what to do next, you can always apply things from the current sprint to match a future development plan.
5. Agile Does Not Require The Ongoing Participation Of The Product Owner.
That is not true. Agile does, without the need for doubt, require the consistent participation of the product owner. It is critical to developing sprints with the product owner or a technical representative from the other side.
Because agile is usually about 2- or 3-week sprints, the work process usually looks like this:
- The first sprint is forming.
- Second sprint negotiations and formation
- The first sprint has been completed, and the second sprint has started.
- Third sprint negotiations and formation
- It is worth noting that the negotiations and formation take place simultaneously with the previous sprint.
It is worth noting that the negotiations and formation take place concurrently with the previous sprint.
As you can see, constant sprint formation and verification of outcomes when the iteration is complete will take a significant amount of time from the product owner.
If you don’t have enough time to attend daily stand-up meetings and regular phone calls with project managers, consider another choice.
Remember that the product owner must communicate with the agile team through whatever means possible.
Demystifying Agile Software Development Myths
Choosing a model for your product’s development is a crucial decision for your company. These five myths demonstrate the importance of agile in providing customers with a clear idea of what to expect.
In my experience, erroneous responses to seemingly easy queries result in project delays, strained working relationships, and misunderstandings.
However, you now understand that agile will necessitate your continual involvement in the project and may not always be the quickest delivery option.
Besides, agile is not always applied to IT development; in some circumstances, agile is solely concerned with business goals divided into iterations.