Partial Agile Execution and Its Positive Outcomes

Organizations must move quickly to gain traction in the market and the same principles apply to application development. Businesses first deploy Agile transformations and then implement DevOps practices. A complete change is a complicated move. It is both tedious and expensive. Employees must take on new roles and train to acquire new skills. Agile principles banish old norms and form new teams based on new principles.

A true Agile transformation is hard to implement in an organization as a whole. The change goes beyond new methodologies, roles, and processes. It is one of the most ambitious initiatives an organization’s IT department can take. The best way to approach Agile transformation is from the top down hierarchy in the organization. Senior management must promote it and lead by example.

The nature of the industry itself can hinder Agile adoption. The healthcare sector particularly finds it challenging to implement Agile practices because the industry requires heavy testing and quality control documentation. Organizations lack in their quality standards and have a conflict with the idea of Agile’s rapid development. Even if an organization cannot fully transform as per Agile manifesto, a decree that defines four fundamental values and 12 principles that software developers must use as a guide, these principles are still partially implementable.

True Meaning of Agility

It is entirely feasible to achieve Agile benefits despite all the methodology’s complexities and challenges. Partial agility is possible because it translates to the ability to move, react, and change quickly. The Agile approach to code creation is beyond process; it is a software development philosophy. The Agile Manifesto explains this philosophy perfectly. Organizations form small; self managed teams of experts to tackle unpredictability. These teams follow successive work sequences known as iterations and with timeboxed builds. Developers break each feature in small pieces and deliver them separately.

The Right Approach to Agility

Irrespective of old methodologies implanted by an organization, Agile approach to software development is still possible. Agile practices are even applicable to Waterfall Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) approach. Enterprises must introduce Agile methods throughout the SDLC, especially in planning, team development, and project management. Start by breaking down the requirements into smallest components. Create and keep a backlog of streamlined requirements that allows team members to shift among priorities.

Here are a few tactics that help an organization. Decrease the release cycles to make time to fix bugs. Keep technical debt in mind and enhance speed to market. Develop minimally viable products (MVPs) with minimum features to satisfy requirements that assist in speed to market because MVPs are faster to code and test. Collect early feedback with various demos. This tactic equips the firm in reducing errors. Lastly, implement the fixed timelines with variable requirements to increase flexibility.