Before understanding what Agile Methodology for Mobile App Development is one needs to understand the process of Mobile App development. Any application installed on a smartphone, a game or a social networking application requires many factors to be in place for its proper functioning. The factors which need to be in place are
- Idea of the application
- Design
- Development
- Execution
- And Testing
Anyone of these factors are disrupted, you are surely in trouble.
Mobile application development is the product of a large amount of the work done by specialists from different fields, and most importantly the constant negotiation between the client and the Mobile app development company. Any software, including mobile applications, can be considered as an outcome of good communication.
Agile mobile app development methodology is one of the most effective approaches to all the software development businesses, it ensures a proper channel of communication, which helps both the clients and App Developers execute the desired mobile application or infact any software.
What exactly is Agile Methodology?
The exact meaning of agile is to be fast and able to make quick changes, same goes with the Agile methodology. Relating to a method of project management that I characterized by the division of tasks into short phases of work and frequent reassessment and adaptation of plans.
The characteristics of Agile Methodology makes an easy job for mobile app development so that the mobile application outcome is adaptable after its release.
Let’s know more about Agile, let’s see what their software development principles are
According to their manifesto there are 12 principles listed
- Customer satisfaction by early and continuous delivery of valuable software
- Welcome changing requirements, even in late development
- Working software is delivered frequently
- Close, daily cooperation between business people and developers
- Projects are built around motivated individuals, who should be trusted
- Face to Face conversation is the best form of communication
- Working software is the primary measurement of progress
- Sustainable development, able to maintain a constant pace
- Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design
- Simplicity — the art of maximizing the amount of work not done is essential
- Best architectures, requirements, designs emerge from self-organizing teams
- Regularly, the team reflects on how to become more effective and adjust accordingly.
Alright! I’m we’ve had some decent overview of the Agile methodology and we already know it sounds perfect for your Mobile App Development, but how much better is it compared to Waterfall Methodology.
Which one do you think is better for your Mobile App Development?
Agile Methodology or Waterfall Methodology?
Let’s just have a brief understanding and then compare them side by side.
What is Waterfall Methodology?
Waterfall Methodology is pretty much like construction and manufacturing workflows; waterfall methodology is a sequential design process. This means that as each of the eight stages (Conception, initiation, analysis, design, construction, testing, implementation and maintenance) are completed, the developers move on to the next step.
This process is completely sequential, only after a step is completed next step will be implemented, a developer cannot go back to a previous step.
If a developer wants to go back to a previous stage, it should all start from the beginning.
There is absolutely no room for errors or changes, so a project outcome and an extensive plan must be set in the beginning and then it should be followed carefully.
Okay! Let’s discuss about the major differences between these two methods
- Waterfall has a structure and you need to follow it, and trust me it can be quite rigid, and Agile methodology is known for its flexibility which is the reason most Mobile app development companies go for it.
- A Mobile app development must be completed as a single project, in a waterfall methodology, which is then divided into different phases, with each phase appearing only once during SDLC.
However, the Agile methodology can be considered as a collection of many different projects, which are nothing but the iterations of the different phases focusing on improving the overall software quality with feedbacks form users or the QA team.
- If you choose to use the waterfall methodology for your Mobile Application Development, you need to be clear with all the requirement s forehand as you cannot change once you start the project.
The Agile methodology, on the other hand is really flexible, and allows for changes to be made in the project development requirements even after the initial planning has been completed
- All the project development phases such as designing, development, testing, etc. are completed once in the waterfall model while as part of the Agile methodology, they follow an iterative development approach. As a result, planning, development, prototyping and other software development phases can appear more than once during SDLC
- Okay! One of the major differences between these both is their individual approach towards quality and testing. In the waterfall model, the “Testing” phase come after the “Built” phase, but, in the Agile methodology, testing is typically performed concurrently with programming or at least in the same iteration as programming
- While waterfall methodology is an internal process and does not require the participation of the customers, the Agile software development approach focuses on customer satisfaction and thus, involves the participation of customers throughout the development phase.
- Waterfall methodology can be defined as a stringently sequential process, however, the Agile methodology is a highly collaborative software development process, thereby leading to better team input and faster problem solving
- The waterfall methodology is best suited for projects which have clearly defined requirements and in which change is not expected at all, while Agile Development supports a process in which the requirements are expected to change and evolve.
Therefore, if you are planning to develop a software that would require frequent overhauls and has to keep up with the technology landscape and customer requirements, Agile methodology is the best thing to follow, if you ask me.
- And finally the waterfall methodology exhibits a project mindset and lays its focus strictly on the completion of the project development, while Agile introduces a product mindset that focuses on ensuring that the developed product satisfies its end customers, and changes itself as the requisites of your clients or customers.
So what’s the exact need of Agile Methodology in Mobile App Development?
I could keep on writing more about the Agile Methodology, but let’s just understand where it is actually needed in a few points
- Agile will be very much useful when you need rapid production rather that the quality of the product.
- Your clients will be able to change the scope of the project, anytime they need to.
- If you do not know how the final product should look like you should definitely go for agile.
- If you’re developers are talented much, and you think they are adaptable and they think independently, definitely agile is the thing for you.
- It’s really helpful for Mobile App Development, because the expectations and standards are rapidly changing, and Agile is easily adaptable.
Agile Methodology is any day recommended compare to any other methodology and one should definitely go for it, if you are into Mobile App Development.
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Author Bio : Hamad Almuraikhi is the Founder and CEO of eDesk HUB, a research and review platform that offers vetted and verified references and reviews on high quality web and mobile app development companies with varied experience. eDesk HUB helps the firms to select the top performing IT service providers for Middle East.
