Based on iterative models for software development, a modern and widely used method called Agile has been developed. It is not a method but rather an approach that allows you to apply measures and solutions and create high-quality software. Agile allows cascading, iterative models within a single project, and it happens at different stages.
What is the essence of the Agile approach?
The main feature of the approach is that specialists differentiate the software development process into several separate tasks. Programmers in a UK software development company perform their duties independently of each other. Teams hold regular meetings to discuss the project and make necessary changes at each stage.
The stages into which the tasks are divided are called Sprints. Within each such Sprint, the developer’s mission is to fulfill the set goals and realize their objectives.
This approach or method is used widely by the IT team in a software development company in Uk which has a lot of ideas, but the most relevant ones still need to be implemented. Also, an agile software development system allows you to quickly respond to changes and new requirements that arise for the customer during their project. In this case, programmers do not have to start all over again but only make point changes in the project and distribute new tasks between groups of specialists.
Specialists are using Agile when creating large projects with a long life cycle. With the help of this approach, it is possible to make all the necessary changes and adapt the software to changing conditions over the long haul.
Advantages and disadvantages
It is worth considering its strengths and weaknesses to better and more accurately characterize the agile approach to software development.
Let’s start with the advantages, which include the following:
- No detailed plan is required. You don’t need a detailed action plan to start working on a project. It is enough to have a few formulated ideas;
- Customers are in complete control of the processes. They can monitor even the most insignificant changes in the software product and make adjustments in the development process. In this way, it is possible to avoid problems at the final stages and create software that fully meets the client’s requirements;
- No significant financial investments are required. Therefore, customers can gradually finance the project. They consider the progression of the task and the completion of individual short sprints. Since the sprints are short, constantly adapting the software project to market changes is unnecessary.
At the same time, the Flexible Approach has some disadvantages. Let’s name the main ones:
- Difficulty in estimating the budget. If there is no clear plan of action, sometimes there are situations when it is difficult to say precisely how much money will be needed for development and how long it will take. But when it comes to professional teams, this disadvantage loses its relevance;
- Risk of failure at the initial stages. The project may fail at the start. It is necessary to use a flexible budget to prevent this from happening.
The crucial advantages outweigh the conditional disadvantages. Therefore, it is unsurprising that modern software development teams actively and regularly use Agile. Of course, when applying it, it is essential to consider some factors and peculiarities, but if the agile method is used competently, it is possible to achieve excellent results.
