What is the agile working method

Agile is a project management approach that values flexibility and collaboration. It emphasizes rapid iteration and continuous delivery of products, and it is designed to allow teams to respond quickly to change. Agile methodologies are characterized by a focus on delivering working software frequently, usually in a couple of weeks or less. They also involve regular collaboration between cross-functional teams, including developers, business analysts, and quality assurance professionals.

In an agile environment, teams typically work in sprints, which are short, focused periods of time during which specific goals are set and tasks are completed. At the end of each sprint, the team reviews the work that has been done and adjusts its plans for the next sprint based on what has been learned.

There are several different agile methodologies, including Scrum, Lean, and Kanban. Each of these approaches has its own set of principles and practices, but they all share the same basic values of flexibility, collaboration, and continuous delivery.

Scrum

Scrum is a framework for implementing agile processes. It was developed in the mid-1990s as a way to manage complex software development projects, but it has since been applied to a wide range of industries.

In Scrum, teams work in short increments called “sprints,” which typically last two to four weeks. At the beginning of each sprint, the team creates a plan for what they will work on and how they will do it. The team then self-organizes to complete the tasks in the plan, with the goal of producing a usable product increment at the end of the sprint.

One of the key features of Scrum is the daily stand-up meeting, also known as the “daily scrum.” This is a brief meeting in which team members discuss what they have done since the last meeting, what they plan to do before the next meeting, and any obstacles that are blocking their progress. The daily stand-up helps teams stay on track and identify any problems that need to be addressed.

Other key elements of Scrum include the sprint review, in which the team demonstrates the work they have completed during the sprint, and the sprint retrospective, in which the team reflects on what went well and what could be improved in the next sprint.

Lean

Lean is a project management approach that is based on the principles of the Toyota Production System, a manufacturing method developed in Japan in the mid-20th century. The goal of Lean is to create value for customers by eliminating waste, or anything that does not add value to the end product.

In a Lean environment, teams focus on continuous improvement, identifying and eliminating waste in their processes, and delivering value to customers as quickly as possible. Lean principles can be applied to a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, software development, and healthcare.

There are several key principles of Lean, including the following:

• Eliminate waste: Lean teams strive to eliminate anything that does not add value to the end product, such as unnecessary steps in a process, defects, or overproduction.
• Build quality in: Lean teams aim to prevent defects by building quality into the product or process from the start, rather than trying to fix defects at the end.
• Create value for the customer: Lean teams focus on creating value for the customer by understanding their needs and delivering products or services that meet those needs as efficiently as possible.
• Deliver fast: Lean teams aim to deliver value to customers as quickly as possible, using techniques such as just-in-time production and continuous delivery.
• Empower the team: Lean teams are self-organizing and empowered to make decisions and solve problems, with the goal of creating a culture of continuous improvement.

Kanban

Kanban is a project management method that originated in Japan in the 1950s. It is based on the idea of using visual signals to control the flow of work, and it is particularly well-suited to environments where there is a high degree of uncertainty or where requirements are constantly changing.

In a Kanban system, work is represented by cards on a board, and the board is divided into columns that represent the different stages of work. As work is completed, cards are moved from left to right across the board, giving team members a visual representation of the progress that has been made.

One of the key principles of Kanban is “just-in-time” delivery, which means that work is pulled into the process only when it is needed, rather than being pushed through the process regardless of demand. This helps teams avoid overloading their capacity and helps them respond more quickly to changing requirements.

Other key principles of Kanban include continuous improvement, transparency, and respect for people. Teams using Kanban are encouraged to regularly review and optimize their processes, to make their work visible to others, and to respect the skills and knowledge of their team members.