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For bagged projects, many organizations choose a traditional approach, such as Waterfall Model and rush to meet project deadlines.
There is nothing wrong with the waterfall model. However, the project's success rate is less likely due to less frequent and inconsistent interactions with clients/customers.
Later in this blog, we will discuss the waterfall model and compare it with other superior methodologies.
Organizations require a process/practice to manage projects in order to maintain the balance between work life and personal life.
To overcome the problems of the Waterfall model, Agile Methodology has been introduced. Although Agile can be used by any type of organization, it is most popular in Software Development.
What's Agile?
Agile refers to the ability to accept and create changes, be transparent, and work with others to achieve success in an uncertain/unruly setting.
The Agile Methodology is a well-rounded approach to Project Management.
It focuses on the continuous interactive delivery of projects in modules rather than one-off delivery like in waterfall. Project failure probability is extremely low.
Agile Methodology believes in less documentation
What is Scrum?
Scrum is a framework for managing agile projects. Using a set of values, principles, and practices assists teams in organizing and managing their work.
Scrum is an approach that encourages teams to rehearse for large-scale sporting events.
Although software engineers tend to utilize Scrum most frequently, its ideas and lessons may be applied to any kind of workgroup.
Scrum is highly cherished because of this. A framework for agile project management is Scrum, which is used often. It outlines a selection of gatherings, resources, and job descriptions that combine to support teams in planning and managing their work.
In this post to better grasp how a conventional scrum framework functions. There are also instances of how our clients have customized these ideas to meet their demands.
The scrum product owner
The champions of their product are the product owners. Understanding the market, clients, and company requirements is their main concern.
The engineering team's task is then given priority. Product managers that are successful
- Manage and build the product backlog.
- Partner closely with the business team and the Team to ensure that everyone is aware of the items in the product backlog.
- Provide clear direction to the Team on what features they should deliver next.
- With a preference for more frequent shipping, decide when the product should be shipped.
Not all product managers are also product owners. The primary concern of product owners is ensuring that the development team contributes the most value to the business.
It's crucial for product owners to have personalities. A development team does not need advice from several product owners.
The Scrum Master
Leading scrum teams and promoting the Methodology are scrum masters. They are the ones who instruct teams, product owners, and other business personnel on Scrum and look for ways to enhance their Methodology.
A scrum master is someone who has a thorough grasp of the Team's work and can assist them in maximizing their responsibility, transparency, and delivery flow.
He or she plans the necessary resources (both human and logistical) for sprint planning, stand-up, sprint review, and the sprint retrospective in his or her capacity as the facilitator-in-chief.
The Scrum Development Team
Scrum teams accomplish. In terms of sustainable Development, they are pioneers. The majority of scrum teams have five to seven members, are co-located, and are close-knit.
Team members frequently have a variety of skill sets. Cross-training is an excellent technique to make sure that nobody becomes a bottleneck for task delivery. Strong and well-organized Scrum teams tackle their projects with a definite "we" mentality.
Each team member contributes to the success of the Sprint.
The scrum team establishes each Sprint's strategy. Using their historical velocity as a benchmark, the scrum team projects how much work they estimate they can do during each iteration.
The development team can maintain a set iteration duration to get feedback on their estimations and delivery procedures over time, improving the accuracy of their projections.
Scrum artifacts
Scrum teams may use artifacts to define the product and estimate the amount of work necessary to create it. Scrum requires two product backlogs and one sprint backlog as its three artifacts.
Your idea of "done" is an increase. A scrum team should remember these three constants both throughout sprints and over the course of time.
- Backlog of products The main list of tasks that the product manager or owner must perform. This dynamic list includes features, specifications, upgrades, and fixes. Input for the sprint backlog is provided by it. It essentially serves as the Team's "To Do" list. The Product Owner continually reviews, reprioritized, and maintains the product backlog so that it may be updated as necessary. Something might be out of date or new issues could emerge.
- Agile Backlog is the selection of products, user stories, or bug patches made by the development team for inclusion in the current sprint cycle. The Team determines which items from the product backlog it will work on during each Sprint at the sprint planning meeting, which we'll discuss later in this article. Backlogs for sprints can be flexible and altered during a sprint. The Team's current sprint goal, which is its desired outcome, cannot be compromised.
- The usable result of a sprint is known as an increment or sprint goal. During the end-of-sprint showcase, we often display the "increment," which is the Team's summary of the Sprint's progress. The word "increment," even though you might not hear it in the news, is frequently used to refer to the Team's concept of "Done" (a sprint goal, a milestone, or even a complete version, or a shipped epic). What your Team considers to be "Done" and your sprint objective will determine everything.
- For instance, some teams provide something to clients at the conclusion of each Sprint. "Shipped" is how they would define "done." Other kinds of teams might not be affected by this. Consider developing a server-based solution that you can only provide to clients once every three months. For your server-based product, you may still like to work in 2-week sprints, but the term "done" may also indicate the completion of a section of a bigger version that you aim to release collectively. A software release that is delayed increases the likelihood that it will be missed.
Your Team can specify the many variants that exist inside artifacts. It's critical that you be willing to adjust the way you handle artifacts.
You could discover that your Team is under too much pressure as a result of your definition of "done." If so, you might have to go back and pick a different definition.
What is Software Development?
Agile Software Development refers to a group of theories and methods that are followed by the values and principles outlined in the Agile Manifesto.
Different frameworks can be used to implement Agile Methodology, such as Scrum and KanBan
Principles and Manifesto
This combination of values and principles was reflected in the Agile Manifesto and the Twelve Principles.
Agile Manifesto reads:
"We're discovering better ways to develop software teams by helping others and doing it ourselves.
This work has brought us to the following:
Individuals and interactions over processes and tools, Working software over comprehensive documentation, Customer collaboration over contract negotiation.
Response to change in response to a plan.
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THE 12 AGILE PRINCIPLE
Agile Principles demonstrate the character of:
- Clients are satisfied when software is delivered promptly and continuously.
Customers/Clients are happier when they get more deliverables than waiting for the final product over a long period of time.
- Never say no to changing requirements and embrace them throughout the development process.
This Agile principle ensures that there are no delays when a feature or requirement changes.
- Continuous delivery of software is a Scrum principle.
The Team follows software sprints, or iterations, which ensures regular delivery.
- Collaboration between all Project stakeholders and developers throughout the project - Transparent and correct decisions are made when business and technical teams are aligned.
- Projects are built by motivated and supportive people.
Motivated teams are more likely than unmotivated ones to produce their best work.
- Face-to-face communication and interactions speed up the process.
It is natural and transparent.
- Software is the primary and most important measure of progress.
Delivering software to customers is a vital factor in measuring progress.
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Agile Development promotes sustainable Development and stakeholders to keep a constant/consistent pace of Development.
Teams establish a consistent and repeatable speed at which functional software can be delivered, and then they repeat it each Sprint.
- Technical excellence is important and continuous improvement in Design and engineering is key to agility.
The right set of skills and the best design solutions will ensure that the Team can keep up the pace and continue to improve the product and maintain changes.
- Simplicity The art of minimizing the work that is not done is vital.
Agile developers are able to focus on high-value activities and have higher priorities.
- Self-organizing groups The best architectures and requirements are developed by self-organizing teams.
A self-organized, skilled, motivated team takes responsibility for their work, communicates openly with each other, and shares ideas to deliver high-quality products.
- Team members discuss and reflect on ways to be more efficient and then adjust their behavior.
- Self-improvement, process improvements, introspection, and advancing skills, techniques, and tools help team members work more effectively.
Scrum
We already knew about Agile, Its Principles and its Manifesto. It is now time to find out how to put Agile into practice.
There are many frameworks that can help you do this. To implement Agile.
Scrum is a very popular framework in the Software Development team for implementing Agile.
Scrum is a simple, lightweight framework that allows people to address complex adaptive problems and produce products of the highest value.
Scrum is fundamentally built on empiricism.
- All Scrum Artifacts must be transparent to stakeholders
- All roles are empowered to do their jobs right.
- Scrum is a continuous improvement process that relies on short feedback loops.
- Scrum meetings allow collaboration, inspections, and adaptations.
Empirical Method:
- It is based on experiments. It is suitable for situations where output is not well defined.
- Based on feedback from experiments, steps in the process can be adjusted.
- Transparency, Inspection, and adaptation are the three legs of the Empirical Process. These three must be accepted by all stakeholders.
Scrum can be Iterative or Incremental:
Incremental Development aims to create a small amount of a fully-fledged product. Each increment adds value to the software.
Iterative Design means building something, getting feedback, refining it to make it better, and keep doing so until the product is good enough to use.
The Scrum Valu
Scrum is a team that uses values to guide its processes and interactions. These core values make the Team more productive, productive and instrumental.
Openness:
We should communicate how we are doing and what challenges we face as we work together so they can be addressed.
Courage:
We feel supported and motivated and have more resources to back us up when we work together as a team. This allows us to be motivated and has given us the courage to face difficult challenges.
Commitment:
You must be committed to a cause or activity. Scrum requires a commitment to the Team, process, and oneself.
Focus:
Be a customer-focused, product-quality-oriented person. This makes the process more efficient and self-motivating.
Respect:
Be open to hearing others' suggestions, even if they aren't useful. Also, be respectful of their opinions and encourage healthy discussion.
As in Scrum, credit or loss is given to the group and not to individuals in the Team.
Scrum Framework :
Scrum Framework is a very simple process.
Software Development is a competitive industry. Stakeholders are the key to success. Each process and every framework has its own Roles.
In the traditional Project Management approach, PM, Team Leader, Developers, Testers, Designers, and Clients play key Roles.
Read More: Magento PWA is Able to Provide the Opportunity For a New User Experience
3 Roles
Scrum Master
Scrum Master serves as a servant leader and champion for Scrum teams. Scrum Master makes sure the Team follows Rules and Scrum Theory.
Scrum Master facilitates team meetings as required and requested. Scrum Master must be a great listener.
Responsibilities:
- Teach Scrum to the organization and Team.
- Responsible for building the product quickly by eliminating waste.
- Create a healthy and happy environment for Scrum Team members.
- Helps product owners prioritize the work.
- Allows the Product Owner to see the product planning, needs, and dependencies of tasks
- Coaching Agile principles for teams.
- Identifies and removes impediments that are preventing progress.
An Effective Scrum Master
Scrum Master is a servant leader who helps the group achieve a common goal. Also known as Facilitator, Scrum Master is also called Facilitator.
The Facilitator is not a lecturer who stands in front of the group like a Project Manager. The Facilitator acts as an impartial member of the learning process.
Scrum Master facilitates Scrum meetings/meetings based on agreed agendas.
Assists with resource planning and motivating resources. Assists the group in brainstorming and problem-solving.
Product owner
The Product Owner is the only person responsible for maximizing the value of the product as well as the work of the Team.
Responsibilities:
- Creates the Product vision.
- Creates and manages Product Backlog with the Sprint Review Meeting stakeholders.
- Attends Scrum meetings :
- Sprint Planning, Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective
- Help with clarifying your questions.
- Decides whether the product increment should be released at the end sprint.
- Create and manage release plans and track releases.
- Responsible for setting task priority in Product Backlog.
Development Team
The Development team is a group of motivated, self-organized professionals who work together to produce a functional product increment at Sprint's end.
Three to nine teams are sufficient to call Team. A team of more than three is too small. A team of more than nine is too large to self-organize.
The self-organizing development teams have been proven to be extremely productive. Self-organizing teams learn how to accomplish their work.
What Backlog are items to be completed in a given Sprint?
Work allocation and capacity planning using tools or techniques
The development teams are cross-functional and include all the skills needed to deliver product increments. The Team may consist of designer, developer, tester, database developer etc.
To have less dependence on third-party help.
The common goal of the Team is to deliver product increments.
3 Artifacts
The product backlog is a list of all tasks/items that are necessary to complete the Product. The Product Owner is responsible for the Product backlog, including content, ordering/prioritizing etc.
The Product Backlog Items (PBI) are items/tasks that are listed in Product Backlog.
- Each PBI would be equipped with the following:
- Description: Details of Items
- Value: What business value would a particular item have?
- Estimate: Efforts/Estimate for building this item.
- Order Priority should be given in a list to an item.
Sprint backlog
Scrum's heart is a Sprint. A Sprint is a time-box that lasts 1-4 weeks. After the conclusion or completion of the previous Sprint, a new Sprint is immediately initiated.
Sprint is made up of:
- Sprint Planning (Time Box: 4 Hours for 2 Weeks Sprint).
- Daily Scrum (Daily 15 minutes)
- Development work
- Sprint Review Time-Box: 2 hours for 2 Weeks Sprint
- Sprint Retrospective (Time Box: 1.5-2 Hours for 2 Weeks Sprint).
Sprint Scrum teams work on select stories based on the PO priority. The Sprint Scrum team adds a new module to the product after every Sprint.
This is based on Sprint Review feedback and Product Owners' feedback. Sprint Retrospective takes place for any further improvements and deliverables.
Product Increment
Another very valuable Scrum Artifact is Product Increment. It's the sum of all Product backlogs that were completed in Sprint and any previous Sprint.
This sum must be in working condition, deliverable condition, and match the definition of DONE.
This is Scrum. Without waiting, the Product Owner/Client receives deliverables and gets customer satisfaction.
We now have an overview of the Agile Way and the popular framework Scrum Process. Let's now look at the differences between Agile and Traditional ways.
Agile vs Scrum
Many individuals wrongly think that Scrum and agile are interchangeable terms. Agile's primary idea of continuous improvement is the reason behind this.
Scrum is a methodology, whereas agile is a concept. The agile concept emphasizes short, frequent releases that result in continuous, incremental progress. It is not viable to "go agile" since doing so needs everyone on the Team to be committed to changing how they think about providing value to clients.
Scrum, on the other hand, may support this style of thinking and help you apply agile ideas to your work and communications.
The distinction between agile and Scrum is outlined in the Scrum step Guide and Agile Manifesto. Four values are highlighted in the Agile Manifesto.
- Interactions between individuals and processes and their interactions with tools and other people
- Working software over comprehensive documentation
- Collaboration with customers in contract negotiations
- After a plan has been implemented, you need to respond to changes.
Empiricism and lean thinking are combined to form Scrum. According to empiricism, knowledge comes through experience, and decisions are based on what has been seen.
Lean thinking reduces waste and emphasizes the necessities. Scrum employs heuristics. It is predicated on ongoing learning and adaptability to changing circumstances. The scrum framework is aware that a team may not have all of the information at the outset of a project.
They'll get knowledge via mistakes. Scrum is intended to enable teams to adjust to shifting circumstances and user requirements. It offers short-release cycles and re-prioritization to make sure that your Team is constantly able to grow and learn.
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Conclusion
Both Agile/Scrum and Traditional/Waterfall approaches are essential for the software development process. However, before choosing a model for software development, it is important to determine the scope and requirements of each project.
An agile approach that is modern and different has the upper hand.
Organizations are suffering from deadline issues for Projects, and human resources are very pressurized with the traditional/waterfall model, so switching toward Agile and various surveys found the Agile way as a more successful iterative approach.
Because of the iterative and incremental delivery, the Agile approach makes people, teams, clients, and organizations happier.
The agile management style is more servant-oriented than watchman.
Agile creates a transparent, positive and motivating work environment. Agile has made life easier for clients and team members by allowing them to document less.
This Agile framework with Scrum Framework significantly improves Project Management Process and helps Stakeholders to keep up with regular updates.
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