Agile methodology is a project management approach that prioritizes cross-functional collaboration and continuous improvement. It divides projects into smaller phases and guides teams through cycles of planning, execution, and evaluation.
Agile’s four main values are:
• Individuals and interactions over processes and tools.
• Working software over comprehensive documentation.
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation.
• Responding to change over following a plan.
Many teams embrace the Agile approach for the following reasons:
Rapid progress : By effectively reducing the time it takes to complete various stages of a project, teams can elicit feedback in real time and produce working prototypes or demos throughout the process.
Customer and stakeholder alignment : Through focusing on customer concerns and stakeholder feedback, the Agile team is well positioned to produce results that satisfy the right people
Continuous improvement : As an iterative approach, Agile project management allows teams to chip away at tasks until they reach the best result.
Types of Agile methodologies
Agile project management is not a singular framework but an umbrella term that includes a wide range of methodologies, including Scrum, Kanban, Extreme Programming (XP), and the Adaptive Project Framework (APF).
• Scrum : It is ideal for projects with rapidly changing requirements, using short sprints.
• Kanban : It visualizes project progress and is great for tasks requiring steady output.
• Lean : It streamlines processes, eliminating waste for customer value.
• Extreme Programming (XP) : It enhances software quality and responsiveness to customer satisfaction.
• Adaptive Project Framework (APF) : Works well for projects with unclear details, as it adapts to constantly evolving client needs.