Agile has evolved over the years as the most popular method of project management because of its flexibility and evolutionary nature.
It started in 2001 with the Agile manifesto which was initially created for software development. With time, agile project management advanced and became a popular choice for many project managers, irrespective of the industry.
Let’s dive in!
What is Agile Software Development?
Agile software development consists of breaking down large software projects into small-sized development cycles called sprints. Every sprint lasts for two to four weeks, during which teams create specific features and release a model (increment) to the customers.
The customers study the increment and give feedback, which the team implements before launching the next product features.
The digital.ai’s 14th annual State of Agile report, says that 95% of their 40,000 respondents said that their organizations practice Agile development methods, with 61% using Agile for over three years.
There must be some motive for why 95% of teams use the Agile practice, right? 🤔
Read also: Agile Software Development Lifecycle Phases Explained
So look at the top ten Agile development benefits
1. Increased Quality:
Agile methods focus on the continual delivery of high-quality software via short development cycles, making it easier to identify and tackle defects earlier in the development process. This helps ensure that the software is free of issues and meets customer requirements before launch.
2. Faster Delivery:
Agile development reduces time to market by allowing teams to complete small incremental changes and deploy them quickly. This makes it easier for teams to iteratively refine their products until they meet customer needs while also providing faster feedback on the progress of the project.
Read also: Tips on best agile product management resources
3. Improved Customer Satisfaction:
The focus on shorter cycles and close feedback loops allows agile teams to quickly address customer needs and provide a better solution than traditional methods would have allowed for. This can translate into improved customer satisfaction as customers can see their visions come true more quickly with agile projects compared to other approaches such as waterfall projects that take longer from the start point until final delivery–resulting in a lower rate of change requests after release because customers are getting what they want on time during each cycle iteration.
4. Enhanced Team Collaboration:
Agile methodologies use cross-functional, self-organizing teams with members from multiple departments who collaborate closely together throughout all phases of product development including requirements gathering, design decisions, coding, testing, etc…
This tight collaboration enhances teamwork which leads to better communication between team members resulting in higher-quality products being delivered faster than traditional processes allow for.
Read also: Six strategies to encourage innovation in software development
5. Increased Productivity:
Agile software development increases productivity by allowing developers to be more efficient and effective in their work. This is because the agile approach allows for rapid prototyping, iterative experimentation and collaboration between different team members.
6. Cost Savings:
Agile software development can result in cost savings through a combination of improved efficiency and reduced rework due to better communication between all stakeholders involved in the project. By building features incrementally, teams can also avoid costly mistakes that may occur as a result of trying to build too many features at once or waiting until the end of the project before addressing any issues related to them.
7. Improved Communication:
Agile software development emphasizes open communication among team members as well as with other stakeholders such as customers or users involved with a given project or product being built by the team’s efforts. The continuous feedback loop ensures that everyone is on board with what’s being built while also providing an opportunity for course corrections along each step of the way if necessary.
8. Increased flexibility
When Agile is enforced in a project team, it empowers them with distinctive flexibility. Teams work in smaller units and are enhanced by the constant feedback and involvement of the product owner.
However, Agile divides the project into short sprints that are both easy and flexible enough to enable the team to implement changes on short notice. This unmatched flexibility is one of the best reasons why various organizations prefer to use Agile in their project.
9. Risk reduction
Risk management is one of the practices done throughout the product development cycle. Action plans are formulated once the risks are known by the Scrum team. But these action plans are planned and monitored continuously due to the default mode.
Risks are identified at broader levels at the start of the project while top high-level risks are examined with checklists and mapped before the execution.
10. Improved Team Collaboration
Through Agile tools and practices, Agile teams are self-organized and self-managing, making the teams work together without unnecessary obstructions. These tools are used by the Agile team to develop cross-functional skills and open channels for ideas.
The cross-functional nature of the teams assists the members to discover new project management skills and grow in their current roles. The team comes together often to discuss challenges and ideas allowing them to collaborate better.
Read also: Seven Steps of Software Product Development Life Cycle
Summary
Agile has come to stay and has helped many organizations over the years. It has strengthened the relationship between managers, team members, and clients. From increasing the quality of the product to supporting the professional development of the team members, the benefits of Agile are numerous.
To enjoy the full benefits of Agile, a great team of software developers is needed, which are skilful and resourceful. At Soar digital, we offer the best who will deliver high-quality software products using Agile tools.
