Staying Adaptive With Agile
We’ve all heard the adage ‘Old is gold’. The question is, is it true?
Businesses have had a choice in the past. To adapt to the technological change of their times or stay conveniently traditional. And there was a flair for staying traditional too.
Fast forward to 20 years today, and the paradigm has changed dramatically. Technology dictates every decision that businesses make. In fact, technology makes or breaks businesses.
An indecision regarding adopting technology can be costly. As can a wrong decision. And competitive advantages from even the most robust adoptions are short-lived.
So, we see companies tread a thin line. Grabbing every opportunity for an upgrade with positivity, enthusiasm and zest. Working with a horde of simple as well as hybrid development and planning methodologies and shiny new tech. Trying to stay abreast of the constant change.
For obvious reasons, the traditional Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) remains largely unmatched. Unsuited for implementing technology that is itself fast-paced. But Agile Development is DIFFERENT.
Traditional Software Development Methods
We can pick any number of traditional development methods: Waterfall, V-Shaped Model, or even Spiral Method (SDM). All these methods have a few things in common.
Traditional methods concentrate on conducting extensive analysis upfront. This means a large amount of time, money and energy is focused on charting detailed requirement specifications, conducting requirement analysis, and constructing baseline documentation for all work. These baseline documents further provide the foundation for estimating and planning resources, detailing work schedules and identifying risks for the project.
A number of assumptions are worked into the plans. Given the dynamic market scenario, it is highly improbable to make accurate assumptions for certain situations. And predictions vary in accuracy depending on how recently they were made and how far into the future they extend.
This is akin to making forecasts on the stock market. On some days activity is highly predictable, while on others it is not. And so is the case with some projects, that lend themselves to accurate predictability with clear goals, and others that have low predictability with uncertain objectives.
Predictive Versus Adaptive Development, And How Do You Choose?
Frontier tech and evolving projects that face dynamic conditions are best suited for Adaptive Development. And while there are several factors to consider and evaluate, the high degree of uncertainty within these projects, regarding the goals and deliverables, makes them perfect candidates for Agile.
Agile involves breaking the project into smaller more manageable iterations. These iterations stretch over the foreseeable timeframe until a satisfactory result is achieved. The results yielded may be considerably different from those originally intended.
Adaptive development is incremental in nature and does not follow a linear pathway. This allows for ultimate flexibility in directing the course of the project. In contrast, Predictive Development involves following a specific timebound plan structured to produce a pre-determined result.
Key Challenges For Predictive Development
A host of challenges hurt the case for Predictive Development. Apart from the issue of dedicating large amounts of funds and resources upfront, Predictive Development lacks strong measures for control. This is why projects fail to be executed within budget or on schedule. Projects also face failure in achieving the results, not delivering promised features or benefits.
There is a tendency for projects to get stuck in the requirements gathering and analysis stage and encounter ‘planning paralysis’. Even the data preparation and analysis phase is tricky to navigate through, with requirements constantly pouring in and without controls in place to freeze scope.
Adaptive Development addresses the challenges of Predictive Development. It advocates strong measures and there is a consensus on progress. There is minimum disruption and maximum component reuse. This means projects are brought to a close rapidly, successfully and efficiently. The only fault that Adaptive Development methodologies display is the pressure created for quick action, which, almost always, works in their favour.
Case-in-point: WorkFusion
WorkFusion is staying adaptive backed with the power of Agile!
WorkFusion is a leader in the high-tech space. They have the AI tech that is purpose-built for achieving significant results for demanding enterprises across the world. By incorporating Agile practices, they are unleashing their ability to scale rapidly and strengthen their position irrevocably.
Agile practices deliver autonomy and accountability to small teams that work collaboratively and creatively to achieve results. There is strength in adaptive development. Making even large organizations supple, flexible and capable of change. They can transform in-tune with the change that is already happening — TODAY — NOW. And that makes behemoth organizations turn into incredibly agile creatures.
For WorkFusion this is etched in their products, that are future-safe, highly cognitive and ADAPTIVE. And as products that carry those values, they are sure to transform operations for clients, wherever they fit in the complex job matrix. Delivering value at speed.
And finally, the benefits are sure to overflow and impact the wider community. For that combination of technology, methodology and reach is setting a new precedent for everyone!
