Case Studies on Agile Software Development
Earlier today, I stumbled on this post: ROI - Is it always required for a software project. It was an interesting read, and so I decided to react to it.
The post starts with a question: Can you think of an instance where a software project had to completed on schedule and the measure of ROI was of secondary importance?
At first, it seemed like I was going to answer NO. But when I start to think about some of the Exist software development projects, Udayan Banerjee’s classification of projects eventually sounded “true”. Well, I’m still a bit confused, but let’s see …
Let’s talk about some of our projects and try to classify them:
1) ROI projects. One of our ROI projects — our latest in our portfolio — an English training tool, originally built in Flash, that had to be ported to the iPhone platform. Our client wanted to take advantage of the iPhone’s reach and revenue opportunities and decided to emulate its existing app to run on the iPhone.
How agile methodology helped:
It was necessary to employ agile methodology because the iPhone application had to be developed in a short period of time. UI prototyping, a practice that facilitates agile development, also helped the client understand what was going to be delivered for them.
2) 7th Habit Projects. First project that comes to my mind is our healthcare software project. This project required a radical improvement of an existing healthcare system in order for our customer to operate more effectively.
In the post, it says there that: One of the challenges in using agile methodology for this particular project is the reluctance of users to contribute time and effort. If no major enhancements are planned then the developers are expected to study the existing system and derive the requirement. However, if the user interface is being revamped, then iterative refinement with constant user feedback can make or break the project.
How agile methodology helped:
Agile methodology helped because it made the software (more) “usable” and gave more flexibility for our customer. Because of its iterative nature, where requirements and solutions evolve through collaboration, the output product becomes more relevant to the business requirement/s.
3) O-Ring. Let me skip this and return to you in another post.
4) Hype-Cycle Projects. For such software projects, “being there” as quickly as possible is a major driver. Though, cost and quality cannot be ignored, but they take a back seat.
How did agile methodology help?
We have been working closely with Morphlabs in building its cloud computing technology and agile methodology has enabled us to deliver rapidly on emerging and changing requirements.
5) Build to Flip projects. We had this client in Australia — 3eep — who needed to “bring its idea to life” to grab a market opportunity. 3eep needed a solution that could be delivered rapidly, easy to maintain, and at the same time scalable enough to grow as the community grows and as the company included more features on the site. Shifting business environments also compelled for flexible software solutions.
How agile methodology helped:
Initial launch of the social networking platform enabled 3eep to raise funding for further development of the sports community service.
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