The term “Agile” has been a project management buzzword for quite some time now. It’s gained a lot of traction in startup companies, and it’s been gaining popularity among corporate offices.
So what exactly is Agile, and what makes it so popular?
Unlike the sequential Waterfall method, the Agile methodology is known for being iterative and, as the name suggests, “quick”.
Agile’s approach, when applied, is quite simple. Instead of waiting for the end product to be completed before showing or presenting it to the client, there are regularly scheduled demos and interactions between the client and the project team.
Of course, there are more principles that govern the Agile way of thinking, with tools like Scrum Meetings and Kanban Boards that help implement it. At the very root of Agile project management, however, lies the goal of being flexible and continuously improving, all while taking each team member’s input into account, to produce an end product of the highest quality.
This deceptively simple change in approach actually entails big and positive changes in the long run, which makes more and more companies attracted to implementing the Agile way of thinking. To give you a better idea of these changes, we’ve listed down a few powerful benefits of using the Agile framework.
Table of Contents
1) Transparency for all stakeholders
Frequent demos and communication means that the clients can have a closer look at the project through each phase. This makes the whole project significantly more observable from start to finish.
With Agile’s shorter cycles and regular reporting times, it’s easier to keep track of project updates and even issues. Everyone involved is constantly kept in the loop, which makes it easier for issues to be spotted early on.
And since clients, project managers, and CEOs are aware of the project’s progress, they can easily provide valuable feedback. Stakeholders can give insight on what features should be prioritized so that development time can be geared towards catering to these features.
Apart from feedback and easily spotting issues, transparency also helps the development team negotiate certain needs better (such as services or deadline extensions), since the stakeholders can see a clearer picture of both the fortes and struggles of the team.
2) Easier course corrections
Anyone who’s worked on a project knows that sometimes, change is inevitable. Clients can change their minds mid-way. Solutions can be found to be less promising in action.
Since all the stakeholders are able to communicate their feedback during the regular project catch ups, any needed changes can be scheduled as soon as possible.
Flexibility is a key trait of the Agile methodology. Projects can change direction in the middle of development without difficulty.
Risks can also be more easily predicted due to the short cycles. This makes shifting from one idea to another less costly, as projected results can be seen almost immediately. “Failing fast” is better than failing after spending so much time with a project, after all.
With a Waterfall approach, changes mid-production, no matter how small, can be very costly. Since the Waterfall method is very rigid, later stages of development are more focused on finalization than with handling changes.
3) A better overall product
Since Agile was made to be iterative, it thrives on testing and feedback. Each stage of development comes with valuable input that helps build the overall product’s quality. Consistent client involvement makes the end product very likely to be exactly what the client asked for.
The client can be sure that there will be no “missing pieces” by the end of development, since they see the product’s evolution.
Automations in development, testing, and documentation are also welcome since basic tasks can easily be rehashed and reused. Not only does constant testing help
4) Better team morale
The Agile method notably brings out more productivity in teams. A 2017 study shows that companies using the Agile framework versus other styles of project management had teams that were more or less 10% times more productive.
This is the result of constant communication, not only between the stakeholders and the development team, but also among members of the development team themselves.
Scrum meetings are an important aspect of the Agile methodology, as this covers open communication, which is a core part of Agile.
There are four kinds of meetings under Scrum: Sprint Planning, Daily Standup, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective. Each type is geared towards making sure that everyone is on the same page, whether at the start, middle, or end of the project.
These meetings allow team members to talk about their approach on their tasks, and to continuously improve on them as a group. This constant striving for improvement makes for better teams, which result in creating better products in the long run.
Since turnover time is very quick, there is less disappointment after projects. Team members go over how they could have handled the project better, and then actively apply concrete actions to the next sprints.
4) Faster delivery times
Since Agile is all about flexibility and producing quick solutions, there are less delays overall, compared to using other methods.
With Agile, teams can release their products in record time, see how their consumers react to them, and change them accordingly.
Faster delivery times, of course, means a faster ROI, which is great for any business.
Conclusion
The Agile way of thinking might require some trial and error to perfect, especially when starting with a team unfamiliar with it.
But once it’s up and running, you will be able to see how constant and structured communication, flexibility, and learning can help your development process produce a quality team that creates quality products.
If you want to learn more about Agile and other methodologies that can be applied to your projects, there are hundreds of online project management courses available, from short courses to MBA specializations.
