The 6 rules of successful agile software development

An agile software development process is a great way to overcome challenges and deliver great projects. However, the key to success is to have programmers who know how to work in an agile way and a leader who guides them accordingly.

So, how is it possible to achieve this? Firstly, it requires that your team embrace the agile philosophy with all its heart and soul. They have to be willing to work within the framework of values and principles. If you notice that this is not the case, then it makes sense as a leader to re-evaluate whether the right people are chosen for this role, or whether you need to join someone else to the team. It is equally important to have a product owner (PO) who acts as the client’s advocate and knows how to convey relevant information to the team.

Make sure the team has clear goals

Thirdly, it’s up to you as a manager to support them in their efforts by setting clear goals and expectations, providing guidance when needed, and being available whenever they need you. Lastly, it’s also important to create an environment where everyone feels comfortable communicating openly and candidly. This way, everyone will feel like they are a valuable part of the team and that their opinions and ideas are valued.

When all of these factors come together, you have a recipe for success when it comes to agile software development. So, if you’re looking to improve your chances of delivering great software projects, be sure to keep in mind six crucial rules explained below.

6 key rules you should keep in mind

1. The first rule of successful agile software development is to accept what we know about programming. And that is, that most code does not work the first time it’s written. Much less when you’re dealing with complicated software involving user interaction and databases.

2. The second rule for successful agile development is to embrace change throughout the project’s lifecycle , even in the final stages of production. To do this you need to plan for change in your design, but also in your testing and QA.

3. The third rule of successful agile software development is to automate tests . You may think this isn’t necessary since you’ll be doing manual acceptance tests along the way. But when it’s time to deliver, automated testing will save hours if not days over manual testing.

4. The fourth rule is to develop with feedback . You need to have real-time visibility of the software’s development, so you can ensure it meets the users’ expectations. This “just-in-time” view is known as continuous integration and serves as a type of quality insurance.

5. The fifth rule for successful agile software development is to automate your build process . Not only will this help you save time with debugging, but it’ll give everyone involved in the project visibility into the work they need to do. Plus, automated builds make it easy to update multiple versions of your code for different users.

6. The sixth and final rule for successful agile development is to do incrementally. You don’t want to automate everything at once or even design the whole project upfront. Instead, you need to develop in iterations where you’re always delivering something of value for the customer as well as the final result.

Want to experience what it’s like to work with an experienced team that has been using an agile approach for over two decades? Make an appointment with us and see for yourself what we can offer you.