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Agile 101 
Sunil Mundra Principal Consultant
Software Development Truths 
–You can’t gather all the requirements upfront 
–The requirements you do gather will change 
–There is always more to do than time and money will allow 
Source: ‘The Agile Samurai’ by Jonathan Rasmusson
Software Project Outcomes
Why Agile? (Why Change?) 
–Too many projects not delivered 
–Software taking too long to get to market 
–Requirements not met 
–High costs to make changes after delivery 
–Having to “get it right” first time/up front 
–Too many defects 
–Unhappy Customers 
–Unhappy Developers
A Bit Of History……
Software Development Methodologies 
•Code-fix” (or no process) 
•Structured, heavy weight methodologies a.k.a. “Plan Driven Methodologies” and “Waterfall” 
–Largely influenced by traditional engineering and quality processes in industries 
–Desire to make software development more predictable, measurable and efficient 
–Strong emphasis on detailed planning and then executing to the plan
Why Software Is Different 
•Is not Tangible 
•Is not based on Mathematics 
•Needs Knowledge Workers
Relevance 
•Heavy weight methodologies are most successful when: 
Requirements are stable 
Technology is well known and mature 
Everything happens as one would expect 
We are not taking on anything new or unknown 
Coding is ‘copy and paste’
Today, projects with these characteristics are few and far between
Heavy weight methodologies work in some instances, but there are high costs, and the risk in using them in dynamic environments is high
Origins Of Agile 
Agile Methods are a reaction to: 
•Rigidity of heavy weight methods 
•Bureaucracy introduced by heavy weight methods 
•Unpleasant Surprises due to lack of visibility 
•The myth that a well defined process is more valuable than the people who use it
2001: 17 Industry leaders met and decided to “name” a family of methodologies Agile
Some Definitions Of Agile 
•A new way of thinking about and preparing for the unanticipated 
•The capability to successfully effect, cope with and exploit changes in circumstances
Various Agile Methodologies 
XP 
Agile Modeling 
FDD 
CRYSTAL 
Scrum 
ASD 
Hybrid 
DSDM
Influences On Agile 
Agile Follows Systems Thinking 
•System Thinking is a way of looking how things influence each other as a whole and not as individual parts 
•Focus on Flow, not Function 
•Look at the end-to-end process and the value we deliver our customers 
–What do our customers value 
–How do we respond to the demands from our customers, as a system
Influences On Agile (contd.) 
Agile Follows Lean Thinking 
•Add nothing but value (eliminate waste) 
•Flow value from demand (delay commitment) 
•Minimize inventory (minimize intermediate artifacts) 
•Optimize across the organization
The Agile Manifesto 
“We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it. Through this work we have come to value: 
•Individuals and interactions over processes and tools 
•Working software over comprehensive documentation 
•Customer collaboration over contract negotiation 
•Responding to change over following a plan. 
That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more.”
12 Principles of Agile 
•Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software. 
•Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. 
•Deliver working software frequently, with a preference to the shorter timescale. 
•Business people and developers must work together throughout the project. 
•Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done. 
•The most efficient and effective method of conveying information is face-to-face conversation.
12 Principles of Agile (contd.) 
•Working software is the primary measure of progress. 
•Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely. 
•Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility. 
•Simplicity--the art of maximizing the amount of work not done--is essential. 
•The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams. 
•At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behaviour accordingly.
The Process
Agile Project Lifecycle 
Inception 
Initiation 
Develop & deploy 
Evolve / handover
Agile Project Lifecycle 
Develop & deploy 
Many time-boxed iterations
The Basics Still Apply 
Analyze 
Design 
Code 
Test 
Deploy
Agile Project Lifecycle 
Develop & deploy 
Working software showcased to the business
Agile Is Iterative…. 
Credits: Jeff Patton
And Incremental 
Credits: Jeff Patton
Benefits of Agile 
•Handles Changing Requirements and Priorities 
•Lowers Cost of Change 
•Better Visibility into Project Progress 
•Reduces Risk 
•Delivers Business Value Early and Often 
•Maximizes Return on Investment (ROI) 
•Encourages Higher Quality and Simpler Code
Lower Cost of Change 
Agile system cost profile 
Non-agile cost profile
Agile Myths 
•No Planning 
•No Documentation 
•Lacks Discipline 
•Limited to Co-Located Teams 
•Open Ended
Making the Right Choice 
Agile 
Waterfall 
Volatile 
Requirements 
Stable 
Requirements 
Time to market 
matters 
Business Value Driven 
Quality Focus From Start 
Task Driven 
Customer Not 
Accessible 
Quality Focus Towards End 
Customer Readily 
Accessible 
Fixed scope 
matters
Don’t Be Afraid Of Agile! 
“Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering” (Yoda: Star Wars Episode 1)
Thank You 
Email: sunilrm@thoughtworks.com 
Blog: suniltalksagile.wordpress.com

More Related Content

Agile 101

  • 1. Agile 101 Sunil Mundra Principal Consultant
  • 2. Software Development Truths –You can’t gather all the requirements upfront –The requirements you do gather will change –There is always more to do than time and money will allow Source: ‘The Agile Samurai’ by Jonathan Rasmusson
  • 4. Why Agile? (Why Change?) –Too many projects not delivered –Software taking too long to get to market –Requirements not met –High costs to make changes after delivery –Having to “get it right” first time/up front –Too many defects –Unhappy Customers –Unhappy Developers
  • 5. A Bit Of History……
  • 6. Software Development Methodologies •Code-fix” (or no process) •Structured, heavy weight methodologies a.k.a. “Plan Driven Methodologies” and “Waterfall” –Largely influenced by traditional engineering and quality processes in industries –Desire to make software development more predictable, measurable and efficient –Strong emphasis on detailed planning and then executing to the plan
  • 7. Why Software Is Different •Is not Tangible •Is not based on Mathematics •Needs Knowledge Workers
  • 8. Relevance •Heavy weight methodologies are most successful when: Requirements are stable Technology is well known and mature Everything happens as one would expect We are not taking on anything new or unknown Coding is ‘copy and paste’
  • 9. Today, projects with these characteristics are few and far between
  • 10. Heavy weight methodologies work in some instances, but there are high costs, and the risk in using them in dynamic environments is high
  • 11. Origins Of Agile Agile Methods are a reaction to: •Rigidity of heavy weight methods •Bureaucracy introduced by heavy weight methods •Unpleasant Surprises due to lack of visibility •The myth that a well defined process is more valuable than the people who use it
  • 12. 2001: 17 Industry leaders met and decided to “name” a family of methodologies Agile
  • 13. Some Definitions Of Agile •A new way of thinking about and preparing for the unanticipated •The capability to successfully effect, cope with and exploit changes in circumstances
  • 14. Various Agile Methodologies XP Agile Modeling FDD CRYSTAL Scrum ASD Hybrid DSDM
  • 15. Influences On Agile Agile Follows Systems Thinking •System Thinking is a way of looking how things influence each other as a whole and not as individual parts •Focus on Flow, not Function •Look at the end-to-end process and the value we deliver our customers –What do our customers value –How do we respond to the demands from our customers, as a system
  • 16. Influences On Agile (contd.) Agile Follows Lean Thinking •Add nothing but value (eliminate waste) •Flow value from demand (delay commitment) •Minimize inventory (minimize intermediate artifacts) •Optimize across the organization
  • 17. The Agile Manifesto “We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it. Through this work we have come to value: •Individuals and interactions over processes and tools •Working software over comprehensive documentation •Customer collaboration over contract negotiation •Responding to change over following a plan. That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more.”
  • 18. 12 Principles of Agile •Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software. •Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. •Deliver working software frequently, with a preference to the shorter timescale. •Business people and developers must work together throughout the project. •Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done. •The most efficient and effective method of conveying information is face-to-face conversation.
  • 19. 12 Principles of Agile (contd.) •Working software is the primary measure of progress. •Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely. •Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility. •Simplicity--the art of maximizing the amount of work not done--is essential. •The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams. •At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behaviour accordingly.
  • 21. Agile Project Lifecycle Inception Initiation Develop & deploy Evolve / handover
  • 22. Agile Project Lifecycle Develop & deploy Many time-boxed iterations
  • 23. The Basics Still Apply Analyze Design Code Test Deploy
  • 24. Agile Project Lifecycle Develop & deploy Working software showcased to the business
  • 25. Agile Is Iterative…. Credits: Jeff Patton
  • 27. Benefits of Agile •Handles Changing Requirements and Priorities •Lowers Cost of Change •Better Visibility into Project Progress •Reduces Risk •Delivers Business Value Early and Often •Maximizes Return on Investment (ROI) •Encourages Higher Quality and Simpler Code
  • 28. Lower Cost of Change Agile system cost profile Non-agile cost profile
  • 29. Agile Myths •No Planning •No Documentation •Lacks Discipline •Limited to Co-Located Teams •Open Ended
  • 30. Making the Right Choice Agile Waterfall Volatile Requirements Stable Requirements Time to market matters Business Value Driven Quality Focus From Start Task Driven Customer Not Accessible Quality Focus Towards End Customer Readily Accessible Fixed scope matters
  • 31. Don’t Be Afraid Of Agile! “Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering” (Yoda: Star Wars Episode 1)
  • 32. Thank You Email: sunilrm@thoughtworks.com Blog: suniltalksagile.wordpress.com