Popular Agile Methodologies: Scrum, Kanban, and XP | PART 1
We know that we have multiple options to plan software projects. We can choose the approach we will apply in our projects by examining the advantages and disadvantages of the most commonly used approaches within Agile methodologies. 😊
Introduction
Software development projects are typically process-oriented and rely on long-term planning. A software development methodology can be defined as a specific approach, process or framework for managing and implementing software projects. These methodologies encompass steps such as software planning, design, development and testing. The goal of software development methodologies is to facilitate collaboration among team members, foster continuous communication and ensure the project achieves its objectives.
Agile is an approach that prioritizes collaboration, adaptability, and rapid delivery in the software development process. Agile divides the project into smaller, manageable chunks. This approach enables quick feedback from customers and allows for plan revisions when necessary.
The fundamental principles of the Agile:
1.Customer Satisfaction: Focusing on customer needs and ensuring customer satisfaction is essential. It is important to respond to changing requirements quickly and effectively.
2.Sustained Communication and Collaboration: The project team should maintain continuous communication with customers and stakeholders. Collaboration and knowledge sharing are prioritized.
3.Adapting to Change: It is crucial to adapt quickly and flexibly to changing requirements. Being able to make changes to plans and being open to innovations during the development process is important.
4.Sustained Improvement: The team constantly evaluates their work processes, receives feedback, and makes improvements. Errors are examined, and lessons are learned to obtain better solutions for potential issues.
The Agile approach aims to enable rapid adaptation to changing requirements and maximize customer satisfaction, particularly in complex and uncertain projects.
Agile software development is an approach that focuses on rapidly changing requirements, flexibility, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Agile enables software development projects to be managed in a more flexible and efficient manner.
Agile can be implemented using various methodologies and frameworks such as Scrum, Kanban, and XP (eXtreme Programming). These methodologies provide methods and tools that support Agile principles such as collaboration, continuous delivery, self-managing teams, and fast feedback loops.
SCRUM
Scrum is one of the Agile software development methodologies. Particularly effective in team-based projects, Scrum offers a flexible, collaborative, and continuous delivery-focused approach.
The fundamental principles of Scrum:
1. Product Owner: The person responsible for defining the project or product vision and requirements. They can be seen as the customer representative. The Product Owner identifies customer requirements, makes decisions about the product’s future, and takes responsibility for the product’s goals.
2. Development Team: Comprised of individuals who develop, test, and deliver the software. They are typically a small, self-managing team. The development team works throughout the sprint to achieve predetermined objectives.
3. Scrum Master: The person who ensures the proper implementation of the Scrum process, removes obstacles for the team, and facilitates continuous improvement. The Scrum Master ensures adherence to Scrum principles and guidelines and provides support to ensure teams work at maximum efficiency.
Scrum is based on time-boxed iterations called sprints. A sprint typically lasts between 2 to 4 weeks and aims to complete a set of functional product increments. At the start of each sprint, the product owner and the development team work together to define the tasks and set the sprint goals. The development team then works towards achieving these goals.
Scrum facilitates communication and collaboration through regular meetings. These meetings include Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective. These meetings provide opportunities to assess progress, review goals, address issues, and continuously make improvements.
Sprint Planning:
Sprint Planning is a meeting held to determine the work to be done during a sprint. In this meeting, the Scrum Team and the Product Owner come together. The tasks to be completed during the sprint are identified, and the Product Owner explains the requirements of the product. Based on these requirements, the Scrum Team estimates the work and adds it to the sprint execution plan.
Daily Scrum Meeting:
The Daily Scrum Meeting is a daily meeting held to share what team members have done, what they will do, and any obstacles they have encountered during the sprint. This meeting, held at the same time every day, allows team members to update each other on their progress and strengthens communication within the team. The meeting typically lasts no more than 15 minutes.
Sprint Review:
The Sprint Review is a meeting held at the end of a sprint. During this meeting, the Scrum Team, Product Owner, and relevant stakeholders come together. The completed work is reviewed, and feedback is received. The Product Owner decides whether the completed work is accepted or if any changes to the requirements are needed. Additionally, new work for the upcoming sprint is identified during this meeting.
Sprint Retrospective:
The Sprint Retrospective is a meeting held at the end of a sprint, allowing the Scrum Team to self-evaluate. In this meeting, the team reviews the sprint process and discusses what went well, what went wrong, and how to improve. Important learnings are shared during this meeting to enable the team to continuously improve, and adjustments are made for future sprints.
Advantages of Scrum
a) Flexibility: Scrum enables the ability to quickly adapt to changing requirements. Customer feedback is obtained in each sprint, and the requirements are updated accordingly.
b) Customer Satisfaction: Scrum aims to maximize customer satisfaction. By continuously receiving feedback and delivering early increments to the customer, it helps meet customer expectations and improve the product.
c) Transparency: Scrum visualizes project progress and work in a transparent manner. Through daily meetings, sprint boards, and progress reports, all team members can track the status of the project.
d) Team Collaboration: Scrum promotes strong collaboration and communication among team members. The team shares progress, discusses issues, and works together during daily meetings.
Disadvantages of Scrum
a) Complexity: Scrum is a methodology that needs to be implemented correctly. It involves various components and processes, which can make it complex for beginners. It is important for team members to understand and practice Scrum principles.
b) Prioritization: Scrum requires careful planning in terms of prioritizing work and time management. If priorities are not accurately determined or if the timeframes are not realistic, the success of the project may be affected.
c) Team Member Responsibilities: Scrum’s emphasis on quick deliveries within sprints can create a heavy workload for team members. It is important for team members to keep up with this fast pace and deliver on time.
d) Collaboration Challenges: When working with large and distributed teams, the collaboration and communication requirements of Scrum can become challenging. Coordination and communication difficulties may arise among team members working in different time zones.
Conclusion
Scrum has many advantages when implemented correctly, but it is an approach that requires careful planning and collaboration. The advantages and disadvantages could provide that depending on the characteristics of each project and the dynamics of the team.
In the first article of the series, we talked on the basic principles of the Agile approach, the basic components of Scrum, the advantages and disadvantages of Scrum. In the second article of the series, we will talk about the basic principles of Kanban, the advantages and disadvantages of Kanban.
