Introduction:

Customers nowadays become more informative than ever. They sometimes are overwhelming with information and get themselves uncertain about what they really need. It is, therefore, much more challenging to create an app that finally satisfies the needs which seem to be vague initially of clients. Agile software development methodology emerged and made the case less painful to the software development companies. The Agile approach is iterative and applications built using the method will, therefore, be delivered incrementally through phases instead of nearly at the end of the project as other development methodologies. Customers and software companies have more chances to communicate and update the product to the extent that utmost meets all the changing needs.

First thing first:

Some basic knowledge about app development process will facilitate your understanding about the Agile Methodology mentioned in the next part of this post. App developers and their customer would go through the following steps to make an initial idea to be the successful app could properly work on your phones. Lacking or encountering problems with any of the steps would cease the whole process. 

• Idea brainstorming
• Designing
• Developing
• Executing
• Testing process

To facilitate the whole application development process, thorough and constantly communication between the customer and the software development company is considered the top most important factor. In other words, the software and/or mobile app are the result of good effort in communication of both parties engaging.

Agile software development approach, in short, provides the clients and the customers with the communication channels which enhance their process of exchanging information during the above mentioned steps.

Agile Methodology – The WHAT

Literally, agile means to be able to move quickly and easily in an intelligent way. Relating that to the development methodology, it is the ability of the process that allows you to make any changes in a fast and easy way, however, at the same time could guarantee the satisfaction of client on the final outcome by breaking down the “big” process into smaller phases that are flexible to changes and reassessment.

As you may already knows, the company that employs the Agile software development methodology allow their clients to integrate with their team of developers (e.g. mobile or web app development team) during stages of building up the app. Changes are to be occur and adapted  throughout the stages thanks to the continuing interaction between the company and the clients. Testing would be implemented after each change made to ensure quality of the product and the satisfaction of their customers.

As changes are to happen anywhere during the working process, following rules should be strictly follow to bring out the best outcome finally and reduce the waste of resources.

• Satisfaction of customers is of highest priority.
• Changes are always welcomed no matter how late they are during the process.
• Working software is delivered frequently
• Frequent delivery of working software
• Thorough continuing communication between development company, face to face interact is advisable.
• Dedicated, trusted, and self-organized, reflective team is a must.
• The ability to maintain constant pace should be guaranteed.
• Continuously focus on splendid design and technical excellence.
• Being simple

We have gone over the background knowledge of the methodology. Understanding of the Agile will facilitate more comprehension for the next part of Why Agile become useful to app development process.

Agile Methodology – The WHY

The flexibility:

Generally, Agile is much more flexible then other development method, in this case, Waterfall. While Waterfall method is pretty like a sequence construction process which requires strict workflow from the beginning to the end. Changes made to any steps of the process would cause trouble to the whole work, and sometimes, re-build from the crash is a must.

Agile, however, more likely is a group of smaller projects working together. This allows access to any step of the process from Conception to Implementation anytime without interrupting the work of others and at the same time enhances the flexibility and adaptation of the whole process, more important, prevents it from being overturned.

The testing:

In Waterfall methodology, Testing is a come-after process after the team finishes with the prior stage – Building. In contrast, the Testing phase in Agile Methodology is performed concurrently with Building.

As the Testing phase could happen anytime during the process, the nature of the test is more unstructured in comparison with other methods and less effort is required for planning and documentation consequently. The product should be illustrated to the customer at the end of any iteration where changing and testing occur.

The customers:

As the main focus of the methodology is the satisfaction of the customers, the final product would promisingly meet the need of the customers and sometimes would be much more than what they initially expected. Besides, clients continuously involve with Agile application developers Company during the process of working and thorough communication is constantly maintained, they more likely trust the company and they quality of the final product.

The risks:

Agile lowers the possibility of completely fail project to the lowest level. For the overall process is break down into  smaller projects as mentioned above, any threat of failure that occurs during the work could be effectively addressed.

Adapting continuously to the client’s needs during the working process as they just incur reduces the chance in which the customers get unsatisfied with the app they are working on. This at the same time offers more opportunities to gain more positive feedback for the business in the further projects.

Requirements

To guarantee the above mentioned benefits, both the clients and the app development company should be ready for the following factors:

• The scope of the project could change anytime along the process and then the requirements of the staff and other resources have to be adaptive in time. The app company that embraces Agile should be confident of their team to meet the unexpected needs that occur.
• The final outcome could be far different from the first intention. So, both the customers and the developers should open mind enough to embrace the new version of the app.
• The team working in Agile project are required to be dedicated enough to work continuously with customer during the process, embrace all the unexpected changes, work collaborate to adapt to the changes occur and at the same time ensure the quality of the final outcomes.

Conclusion:

Though developers now have many choices among development approaches for their developing process, Agile stands out as a clever choice for flexibly meets changing needs of customers. Dedicated software developers working collaborated together and continuous communication between customers and the company are main factors contributing to the success of Agile.

Contact Us