Agile Methods

1
Agile Methods
2
Overview

• To frame our discussion, consider
• What characterizes the agile methods?
• Why the fuss?

3
Outline
4
Progress?

• No Process - Code and Fix
• Heavyweight - Process Planning

5
Rise of Methodology

• Methodologies impose a disciplined process upon
  software development.
• The aim is to make software development more
  predictable and more efficient.
• This is done through developing a detailed
  process with a strong emphasis on planning.

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Consequence

• The umbrella activities
• Software project management
• Software quality assurance
• Software configuration management
• Reusability management
• Measurement
• Risk management
• must have a home.
• Where in the organization should these activities
  reside? Who is responsibility? Who is
  accountable?

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Lightweight Methods

• Agile methodologies are a reaction to the
  bureaucracy suggested by heavyweight
  methodologies.
• These are an attempt at a compromise between no
  process and too much process.
• Strategy provide just enough process to gain a
  reasonable payoff.

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Agile Methods

• Agile methods are adaptive rather than
  predictive.
• Agile methods are people-oriented rather than
  process-oriented.

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Predictive vs. Adaptive

• Separation of Design and Construction
• Unpredictability of Requirements
• Gaining Control
• Adaptive Customer

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Putting People First

• Plug Compatible Components
• Programmers are Responsible Professionals
• Process is People Oriented

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Adaptive Process

• An adaptive process is flexible. Can change (be
  changed?) to meet the needs of those involved.

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Methods

• XP
• Crystal
• Scrum
• Feature Driven Development
• Adaptive Software Development

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eXtreme Programming (XP)

• Fine scale feedback
• TestDrivenDevelopment via UnitTests and
  AcceptanceTests
• PlanningGame
• OnsiteCustomer
• PairProgramming
• Continuous process rather than batch
• ContinuousIntegration
• RefactorMercilessly
• SmallReleases
• Shared understanding
• SimpleDesign
• SystemMetaphor
• CollectiveCodeOwnership
• CodingConventions
• Programmer welfare
• SustainablePace (original name FortyHourWeek)

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Sources

• Martin Fowler The New Methodology
  http//www.martinfowler.com/articles/newMethodolog
  y.html
• Extreme Programming, http//c2.com/cgi/wiki?Extrem
  eProgramming