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Kathlika Thomas Fontes, head writer of the IT Project Blog, has over a decade of business analysis and PM experience. She has managed numerous international projects and has also developed several workshops and training programs.

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Agile Software Development Projects: Pros and Cons

Posted on Thu, Aug 26, 2010
  
  
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There are many ups and downs to agile development. This special IT Project Blog video post goes over the differences between iterative and waterfall development. It also gives an example of an agile software development project. The video is summarized below for those of you who can't watch at work :)



Agile development methodologies place emphasis on:

  1. Individuals on the project team

  2. Producing a working deliverable

  3. Collaborating with business owners/clients

  4. Responding quickly to necessary change


Advantages:

  • Faster speed-to-market and increased business efficiencies

  • A reduced budget

  • Less defects in the final product

  • Fewer “surprises” (scope changes)


Drawbacks:

  • When change comes so quickly, it is difficult to avoid resistance from stakeholders and complications to end user training

  • Because agile methods are not process-oriented and require quick response to change, a lack of documentation is often a primary characteristic


A customer story from NuWave Technologies shows just how successful agile software development projects can be. A US government agency had 23 disparate databases that needed to be consolidated into a single data store. NuWave completed this project in phases:

  1. Consolidate the 23 databases into one central database, all while capturing updates from the individual databases
  2. Replicate database on a SQL server and monitor performance
  3. Convert old reports to new Crystal reports

If you would like help with one of your IT projects, email info@nuwave-tech.com or call (603) 594-9896 x252.


Share your agile experiences! What advantages and disadvantages would you add? What real-life examples?

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Comments

This is one of my favourite posts so far. Great points and great video Kathlika.
Posted @ Thursday, August 26, 2010 12:41 PM by Sean A
Thanks for the comment, Sean!
Posted @ Monday, August 30, 2010 7:47 AM by K Thomas
I'm not a real Agile fan. 
 
Off the cuff random thoughts. (In an Agile sort of way) ;) 
 
It does seem that the definition of what is Agile has morphed over the years - Anything that is not waterfall development. Funny thing Iterative existed in it's own write before Agile. 
 
Seems there are different schools of thought on what Agile is. Division in the religion? 
 
 
 
I recall when OOP came along. Procedural programmers added a view objects to their code and called it OO. <weak>. 
 
 
 
I rcall when having a "cowboy" programmer on your team meant him/her getting credit and others cleaning up the mess when the "left town". 
 
I think Agile (seems to be many schools) may have a category where it fits in. Off hand - non-enterprise, users are VERY accessible. definitely not in a system that was mission critical - You need written requirements for that. etc. 
 
I do not do so much programming anymore. BUT I recall one of the most frustrating things was to be asked to modify someone else's undocumented code.  
 
Software development is NOT the main software effort on a piece of Software; Maintenance is.  
 
 
 
On the other side. I like process. Well written good process lets you focus on doing the job an be assured things are being done right. 
 
I recall when the goal was a minimalistic process. That meant a lean process; no fluff. 
 
 
 
Why do architects, engineers and builders, etc. need to follow standards? 
 
 
 
One last comment. You can not see software. You can write tests to make software seem good. 
 
So how do you demonstrate or ensure complete and correct software. 
 
I guess, as a back up, you can have a "cowboy" on call..
Posted @ Wednesday, June 15, 2011 8:39 AM by John
Thank you for very useful information. It is interesting to know that there are outsourcing software engineering companies that helps in software development.
Posted @ Friday, June 24, 2011 9:22 AM by Software Development
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