Much of my experience with agile methodology deals with web app development, specifically the corporate sites of G2iX, including Exist, MaestroDev, Morphlabs and the main G2iX website. I had the great opportunity to spearhead the production (if not, most of the iterations) of all these websites last year and agile development has always been our de facto model for delivery.

The great aspect of agile development is really the collaborative process that takes place among distributed cross-functional teams. It’s that which gives fruit to rapid productivity. We had no choice but to use agile — to be agile, is it even apt to say it like that?

Our requirements evolved rapidly and we always had limited development timetables. These factors made agile development necessary.

Despite tight schedules, I enjoyed the thrill of sprints and the challenge of hitting our target dates with full completion of deliverables. Most of the time, we were able to deliver what was needed and what we had set out to achieve. That’s why they call it sprints, anyway, right (or that’s why there are such things as sprints)? To follow up on a different set of requirements — some of which are residues from previous sprints.

I still have a lot to learn from this software delivery model and I’m ready to listen. One of the things that we’ve tried was to integrate sprints in marketing events, which honestly, I think hasn’t been solidified just yet. We can be nimble and very productive yes — but sometimes, I’m left wondering if we were just pseudo-agile. Or maybe I’m just being extreme in thinking that we should be doing it purely the agile way? (When should it/what are the instances in which it should be applied (in marketing), that is my question.)

And since learning about agile methodologies is at the top of my list (or part of it), here’s something I’d like to share for development teams who’re still not sold into it.

To quote Gartner, “As organizations seek to improve productivity and reduce application operating and maintenance costs, we will continue to see an evolution of software development tools, platforms and practices. To take advantage of this, organizations must shift structures and practices while embracing new technologies — a challenging proposition.”

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Posted on 03.09.10 to Uncategorized by Macelle. Tagged agile methodology, software development. Subscribe to follow comments on this post. 3 comments. Add your thoughts or trackback from your own site.

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