Which of the Agile Development Frameworks is best for your project? Are you contemplating the move to Agile Development? Do you already have an Agile Framework? Is it delivering the results you expected? Here are some of the options available and some key considerations you must take into account when selecting a Framework. The Agile values and principles were a development from Rapid Application Development and Extreme Programming. While the values and principles can deliver extraordinary results they can also deliver magnificent failures. However, the failures happen fast. You do not have to sit with a five-year IT Project that seems to be going nowhere. Let’s start by looking at some of the Frameworks out there.

Agile Development Frameworks and Disciplines

There are many Frameworks that fall under the basic description of “Agile”. Here are a few of the more popular frameworks.

• Crystal Clear is an Agile Framework for small Teams who are developing non-critical Software. The focus is on the people, not the processes or products.
• Kanban is an aspect of Toyota’s Lean Manufacturing philosophy. A Kanban is a card with a single Work item on it. The kanbans are shown on a Kanban board, providing an overall view of the Agile Project.
• Lean Agile Development also stemmed from Toyota’s Lean Manufacturing. The Poppendiecks took the Lean viewpoint and applied it to Software Development, in their book composed in 2003. Lean principles, such as waste removal and just-in-time, are used to the Software Development process.
• Scrum originated as a product delivery Framework in the 1980s, based upon the game of Rugby. During the 1990s, through to 2001, there were different efforts to use Scrum in Software Development, culminating in a book by Schwaber and Beedle in 2002. Scrum is based on Teamwork and the expectation that requirements will change during Development.

Frameworks and Processes

In addition to these Frameworks there are processes that can be applied, such as TDD (Test-Driven Development ). These processes can be utilized within the Framework to improve quality. There are numerous flavours of “Driven Development” which we will attend to in a separate post. One of these is Feature-Driven Development which is in some cases referred to as a Framework by itself.

Selecting a Framework: Before you Decide

Before you explore which Agile Framework will Work for your project, you first require to consider your organization as a whole. The saying “Culture eats strategy for breakfast” is extremely true, and it is not restricted to your project team members.

Agile is not simply for IT

There is a growing understanding that the world of Work is changing. Businesses must to Work in Teams. This was explained in the most current Gallup Report on the workplace. The Chairman and CEO, Jim Clifton, states in his foreword that in the United States 67% of workers are unengaged. This is why businesses will have to throw away their organograms and Work as Teams. So whatever path you choose, do not be surprised if the remainder of the business follows when they see good results.

Your Culture can Stymie your Best Efforts

Organisational culture will run interference on the best strategy. If your current business is all about “Command and Control”, you can imagine that introducing a collaborative Team approach can create a backlash. This can occur even in your own business unit. Regrettably, culture is very challenging to change and depends upon management from your executives to make the change. Consider adopting Lean or Kanban in such an environment. You will still require to ring-fence the method you Work and get understanding from the rest of the business on why you are making the change. Agile is a culture, not a process or set of guidelines, so always be aware that you are adopting a new culture.

We found these books great for finding out more information on Agile Scrum:

Think about the size of your Projects

Smaller sized, non-critical Projects and large, complex, critical Projects all call for different approaches. The size of your business and the type of Projects that you undertake must be considered when you make your decision.

Choose Vanilla

If you are adopting a Framework for the very first time, resist the temptation to customise it. You will know the risks of this from package implementations you have encountered in the past. Get to understand the Framework first via a Project. Once you have done this, you will have a clear idea where change would help. Scrum especially is not prescriptive and lends itself to changing and even merging (Scrumban is used by some companies)

Market Penetration.

You are going to have to hire staff members from time to time. If you have a very unusual version of one of the more popular methods, or one that is not widely recognised, you could have a problem finding the right recruits and/or getting them productive because the environment is alien to what they have experienced before.

Agile Development Frameworks: Contrast of the Frameworks.

Here are some of the characteristics of the Frameworks we mentioned above. There are more options out there, however one of these should undoubtedly fit your set-up.

Agile Development Frameworks: Crystal Clear.

This is an excellent Framework for a small Team that does not need to deliver critical Projects. It is not one of the most widely used choices. It is however a well recorded and a good choice for smaller businesses who wish to concentrate on their Development Team and keep them happy, while delivering adequate releases that the company can utilize.

We found these books great for finding out more information on Agile Scrum:

Agile Development Frameworks: Lean.

Lean is a good option if lean manufacturing has been embraced in your organisation or in your business unit. Ideas such as the “5 whys” (root cause analysis) and the “7 wastes” are familiar in your environment. While Lean for Agile is not quite the same as Lean Manufacturing, it will be simple to integrate into the business. In companies where control is still essential, Lean focuses more on controls and procedure than Scrum, which is looser and less disciplined. For large Projects and larger companies, Lean is most likely the better Framework. The focus is on added value to the client, if there is no value-added, do not do it, a fundamental of business process in general.

Agile Development Frameworks: Scrum.

Scrum is a very flexible and fluid Framework. The focus is on breaking down the whole into its smallest parts and developing in small efforts, the Sprints. The agility of Scrum is shown in two accepted beliefs:-.

• requirements will alter mid-stream, and should be factored in during the Project (but only between Sprints).
• the Project is not completely understood at the start and deeper learning will take place as the Project progresses.

This permits Scrum Projects to keep in alignment with the business needs and begin delivering features as quickly as possible. It is advised that “Test-Driven Development” is adopted within the Scrum Framework to keep quality levels high.

Scrum Work is also delivered according to a predetermined priority. Work artefacts are stored and prioritised in the Product Backlog. Scrum can Work for very big Projects, however they need an experienced Scrum Product Owner and Agile Scrum Master to see the Project through. Scrum promotes a small Scrum Development team of between 3 and 9 individuals. The project is structured around iterative ceremonies (Sprint Planning, Daily Stand-up, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective)

Agile Development Frameworks: Kanban.

Kanban is very similar to Scrum in many aspects, but there are some clear differences in Work organisation. Kanban is less prescribed, there are no specific roles and Work is not prioritised. The Kanban board shows the entire Project, unlike the Scrum board, which shows just the latest Sprint. Kanban is best adopted by Teams that have some Agile experience, or are used to Working in a Lean environment.

Advised Implementation.

Agile is democratic. Depending on the volume of Projects you complete in a year, you could benchmark a Scrum Project versus a Kanban Project for instance, and see which is the better fit. This is not your decision, it will be a vote by your Development Team members.

It is also suggested that the viability of some of the outputs be considered, specifically the quality of documentation. While the emphasis is on producing code rather than descriptions of code, inadequate documentation can be a significant issue when problems require fixing or an upgrade or improvement is needed. Scrum has some really useful prescriptions, like Burndown charts and Retrospective meetings. Evaluate whether you are getting the same value from your Agile Framework. You can always adopt from other practices, as soon as you have understood your preferred option.