So what is this agile stuff then? Check out the Agile Alliance to really know what's going on but in short it is a great way to develop software.
As you know from my recent debacle with Amazon I bought some books on Agile Modelling and Agile Documentation. If you develop software I recommend them both:
Agile Modelling - Scott W Ambler
Agile Documentation - Andreas Ruping
As a software developer there are many times I have settled down to a project and weeks later written no code at all but produced a wonderful set of documents and models that no-one outside the techie world understand and no-one inside the techie world really needs. Agile methodologies challenge this position.
I have also come into projects where there is no documentation at all and Agile challenges this. The basic Idea as far as I can tell is to model what you need to model then code, giving deliverables quickly that engage the stakeholders and get them on boars - they pay the rent after all.
Being fairly new to this I've got limited experience of it but my latest project is using this and we are only a week in and I have a deliverable almost ready for review. This is great news for my boss and even more satisfying for me.
Another key to Agile development is simplicity, look for the simple solution. Or, to use a phrase that has become a mantra for me 'just because we can doesn't mean we should'.
The virtues of keeping it simple are obvious - easier to develop and maintain and cheaper to discard when it doesn't work, and lets be honest there are plenty of ties when it doesn't work.
What to do when it doesn't work? Have the courage and humility to admit and move on. People respect that and they generally give grace to see the result they need.
So, how is it working out for me? Well on this project - a digital learning environment - it's a case of so far so good. I'll keep you posted here on how it goes.
That's all for now - got a deliverable to, well deliver!
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