An Agile methodology is an iterative approach that emphasizes the quick delivery of an application in complete functional components.
By showing themselves as an efficient option to deliver results with quality and in the expected time, agile methodologies are increasingly present in the software development market's current scenario.
Like every other software, Agile methodology also has its own fair share of pros and cons. In this article, we’ll describe what Agile is and its advantages and disadvantages.
Agile Methodology in a Nutshell
Agile methodology indicates a set of principles and values used by several project management and software development frameworks.
More than gathering and indicating a set of good practices, tools or documentation models to be followed, this philosophy aims to deliver more value to customers in the shortest possible time and with collaborative, multidisciplinary, and self-managed teams.
In addition to better value generation, agile methodologies bring other advantages, such as flexibility, agility, and a focus on software development itself.
Pros of Agile Methodology
Flexibility
As we have seen, the agile methodology provides and enhances the moments of change and adaptation of projects, without getting stuck in the initial plan.
As a result, the time needed to review the entire scope and make changes is reduced.
This is mainly because, by dividing the project into stages, adaptations can be made at each stage.
Increased collaboration
Another important point is that agile methodologies bring a much stronger collaborative context than traditional ones.
This is possible in an environment where there are constant meetings to align with the customer's presence.
Thus, everyone participates from the conception of the project, through the development and carrying out of operations to put it into operation.
Improved communication
Another important benefit that agile methodologies bring to a business is the improvement of communication.
This occurs not only by encouraging a more collaborative environment but also because the processes between sectors are quite evident.
Risk management
With constant communication between the development team and the customer, in addition to receiving the software versions, the customer is able to identify possible problems and report them directly to the developers so that they can be solved as quickly as possible.
In addition, the possibility of having this view of the final software helps in the decision-making process that can impact its performance.
Higher customer satisfaction
Another benefit is that agile methodologies focus on ensuring customer satisfaction, bringing them to the center of the development process.
Often, they participate in the alignment meetings and can give an opinion on whether the results of that phase are in line with their expectations or not.
Cons of Agile Methodology
Reduction in overall quality
Frequent deliveries demand better development governance. Poorly tested code put into production can cause several problems.
Variable Cost
As the requirements are defined throughout the project, when the project is started, it is not possible to predict with certainty the final value of the project, which usually brings insecurity to the contractors.
That is why it is very important to monitor the evolution of the project, having a lot of criteria to prioritize items, in order to avoid that the budget is consumed before the objectives are reached.
A requirement for a Dedicated Team
To work with agile methodologies, it is not essential that your team is an expert on the methods, but it is necessary that all members are dedicated, interested in learning and optimizing their performance - both individually and collectively.
In addition, it is essential that the members of your team are willing to adapt according to the needs of each demand. It is important to have an experienced team and frequent communication
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