Technology appeared to ease people’s lives in different ways, to save us time, to get things done as fast as possible and to minimize manual work. However, the market is getting more competitive and demanding each day, which still makes it difficult to satisfy people’s needs. On the other hand, they are not only more demanding, but they are continuously changing and evolving, making it hard to be updated
This is where the “agile” methodology comes in, to change how the things have been doing the last years and to demonstrate that even when people’s desires continuously evolve, it is possible to meet them with a good strategy.
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What is Agile Methodology?
It is a work system created 20 years ago, in software industries which consists in breaking up a project into specific phases in order to complete and deliver software projects effectively, covering all the clients needs. Consequently, this system replaces the traditional strategies, which usually has problems in delivering products on time, with undesirable features and also a lack of important details.
Thus, this model fosters quickness and consistency on reaching goals in short periods of time, allowing to be constantly updated and in control of software programs changes, mistakes, and even needs of clients itself, that can change unavoidably.
This strategy has been implemented in different leader companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, and even Google, demonstrating to us that indeed, this strategy is effective.
Advantages of Agile Methodology in software products
Improves quality
Being constantly updated about what the clients expect and require about the product, reduces the margin of error of software programs, improving their functionality for the final consumers. Besides, this strategy allows employees to detect issues and make changes right away, a huge advantage because it saves lots of time.
Deliver functional software products in less time
Antique methods used to invest a lot of time in creating planning documents, which are effective, but can be a waste of time. With this system, professionals prefer investing time in the software development, rather than planning it.
Active bilateral communication with the client
Agile method fosters a consistent communication with clients through the delivering of small works along the process. This reduces distance with clients, giving them the opportunity to get to know them better in order to fulfil all their desires.
Increases productivity
Creating software programs can be stressful and exhausting, however short tasks help to reduce fatigue in employees, encouraging them to work better and for a sustained period of time. In the long run, this will deliver better results to the clients.
Reduce obstructions
Being able to detect small problems along the way, makes it easier to solve each of them quickly, avoiding obstruction in the plan.
Disadvantages of Agile Methodology
Difficulty to keep track
Not having an established plan in hand, where to attend to keep track of the progress made or to visualize a final result, can easily cause deviation of the final product. All of this can lead to frustration, skip important steps or affect the periods of time.
Loss of control
Another issue of Agile methodology is that this strategy lacks control that supports employees ideas, changes, and work done along the way. In the long term, it might create confusion, conflict and even obtain a totally different result from what they were expecting.
Requires much more commitment from employees
Working in teams, as we all know, is a skill that we develop along the way and that is not always easy. Consequently, all people working based on this methodology should put more cooperation, time, and commitment in order to make it until the end successfully.
How to start applying this method on your company
- Identify your commercial goals
- Recognize the available resources in your company
- Think about the real impacts in your clients
- Select leaders in your company capable of implementing this strategy
- Obtain all the supplies you need, like technology.
