Agile Methodology Template

Read on for an in-depth overview of agile methodology and its benefits.
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Scrum Template

About the Agile Methodology Template

If you're a project manager, software engineer, or simply interested in learning about the latest software development trends, you've probably heard of 'agile methodology.' But what is agile methodology exactly? And more importantly, how can it help your team deliver better quality software products on time and under budget? Read on for an in-depth overview of agile methodology and its benefits.

What Is Agile Methodology?

The Agile methodology is a project management approach based on incremental and iterative development. With Agile, projects are broken down into small increments that allow early feedback and collaboration with stakeholders. It can help to ensure that the project stays on track.
The agile methodologies are mainly used to manage software development tasks and projects with complex or uncertain requirements.

What Is The Agile Manifesto?

The Agile Manifesto is a declaration created in 2001 by a group of software developers. The manifesto lays out the values and principles of the agile methodology.
The key values outlined in the manifesto include:
  • Individuals And Interactions Over Processes And Tools
  • Working Software Over Comprehensive Documentation
  • Customer Collaboration Over Contract Negotiation
  • Responding To Change By Following A Plan
The core principles include:
  1. Satisfaction of customers through continuous software delivery.
  2. Accommodate changing requirements throughout the development process.
  3. Frequent delivery of working software.
  4. Collaboration between the business stakeholders and developers throughout the project.
  5. Support, trust, and motivate the people involved.
  6. Enable face-to-face interactions.
  7. Agile processes to support a consistent development pace.
  8. Working software is the primary measure of progress.
  9. Attention to technical detail and design enhances agility.
  10. Self-organizing teams encourage great architectures, requirements, and designs.
  11. Simplicity.
  12. Regular reflections on how to become more effective.

Difference Between The Waterfall And Agile Project Management

Agile methodology is different from waterfall in several vital ways.
  • First, agile teams work in sprints rather than complete all project phases at once.
  • Second, agile teams work closely together and rely on collaboration to complete sprints effectively.
  • Third, agile teams focus on delivering working solutions rather than comprehensive documentation.

Benefits of Agile Methodology

Some of the key perks of the agile project management practices include:
  1. Faster Development Process
    With agile practices, development is broken down into smaller pieces called sprints. This approach helps speed up the development process and get products and services to market faster than traditional project management methodologies.
  2. Increased Customer Satisfaction
    Because agile methodology emphasizes collaboration between developers and customers, there is a more incredible opportunity for customer feedback and input during the development process. As a result, customers are often more satisfied with the final product or service.
  3. Values Employees
    Agile methodology values the expertise and knowledge of employees. This approach relies on employees working together to complete development sprints. As a result, employees often feel more valued and engaged in the development process.
  4. Improved Communications
    The iterative approach of agile project management methodologies encourages close communication and collaboration between development team members and stakeholders. This helps ensure that everyone is on the same page and that any potential problems can be quickly identified and resolved.
Overall, the agile methodology provides several benefits for both developers and stakeholders. It is an effective way to manage complex projects, fostering communication and collaboration while delivering value early and often.

5 Main Agile Methodologies Templates

There are many different frameworks within the agile methodology, including Scrum, Kanban, and XP (Extreme Programming). Each agile project has its practices and values, but all share the same basic principles.
1. Scrum Template
Scrum is an iterative, incremental framework for software product development, characterized by cycles or stages of work, known as sprints, and by the maximization of development time for a software product.
The owner creates a backlog of user stories, which the scrum team then prioritizes and commits to completing in each sprint. Scrum teams use a stand-up meeting, or daily scrum, to communicate what they did yesterday, what they plan to do today and any impediments that prevent them from achieving their goal.
The main goal of Scrum is to deliver a working software product incrementally, through short iterations, so that stakeholders can provide feedback as early as possible and the product can be adjusted accordingly.
2. Kanban Template
Kanban is a Japanese word meaning "sign" or "card"; it is also a lean methodology for managing workflows, initially developed for manufacturing but also applied to other contexts, including software development.
In a Kanban system, work is represented by tables moved from one workflow stage to another as they progress. Kanban boards typically have three columns: To Do, In Progress, and Done.
Once a task is started, it moves from the To-Do column to the In Progress column, and once it is completed, it moves to the Done column. This simple visualization helps teams see what work is being done at any given time and prevents them from starting too many tasks simultaneously (which can lead to bottlenecks and delays).
3. Extreme Programming (XP) Template
Extreme Programming (XP) is a software development methodology intended to improve the quality depending on customers' requirements.
It involves different "releases" in multiple cycles, which are then integrated with testing to produce working software that can be delivered to the customer.
The four key practices of XP are:
  • Pair programming is a method of software development where two developers work together at one computer.
  • Test-driven development is a methodology in which tests are written before code. This is to ensure that the code meets the requirements specified in the tests.
  • Continuous integration is merging all developer working copies with shared mainline several times a day.
  • Refactoring is improving the design of existing code without changing its functionality.
XP also emphasizes communication and collaboration between developers, customers, and users throughout the software development process.
4. Lean Development Template
Lean Development is a set of principles for software product development derived from the Toyota Production System. Lean Development focuses on maximizing value and minimizing waste, and it is based on the idea that every step in the development process should add value for the customer.
5. Crystal Template
Crystal is a family of agile methods characterized by lightweight processes emphasizing communication and collaboration.
Crystal agile processes are designed to adapt to a wide range of projects, from small ones involving a few people to large ones involving hundreds or even thousands of people. The main goals of Crystal are to improve software quality and customer satisfaction while reducing costs.

Conclusion

We hope that you now understand what is agile methodology and how it can help you? You can use this popular project management approach in various industries. It allows project teams to be more flexible and responsive to change, so it's often favored in fast-paced environments. If you're looking for a way to manage your projects with greater flexibility, it may be the right solution.
EdrawMind offers a variety of agile templates and tools that can help you get started quickly and easily. So what are you waiting for? Try it today and see how agile can help your business thrive.