Agile development, also called adaptive development, is characterized by a style of incremental, iterative project management, focused on the autonomy of the human resources involved in specification, production and validation of an integrated application and tested continuously.
Rather than this:
It is this:
The Agile Manifesto is considered the canonical definition of Agile Development. It includes 4 values and 12 principles.
... Individuals and interactions over processes and tools.
- Collaborative application composition, taking into account roles and user profiles. At any given moment, the basket of tasks ensures that each user intervenes in due course and carries out his or her share of work duties in a responsible manner.
- Less Programming thanks to inherited business rules: with Composers (graphical interfaces) most everything is done by configuring parameters.
- The same graphical model serves as a communication tool between IT and business, between project architects and developers.
- Direct interaction between business executives and system engineers is made possible thanks to visualizing the modeled design directly linked to its corresponding operational application.
... Working software over comprehensive documentation.
- Every model has a corresponding operational application.
- Runtime approach: the model is readily interpreted into an operational application, no code generation is necessary.
- Industrialized user interfaces guarantee ergonomics that result in high-quality user experience.
- Online help is the preferred choice, however documentation can also be generated automatically from the model.
... Customer collaboration over contract negotiation.
- No more comprehensive detailed specifications: needs are often defined during collaborative work sessions where all intended stakeholders construct the application model together.
- Short agile iterative cycles allow frequent production checkpointing and regular feedback from end users.
- Development and maintenance is much easier thanks to the MDE approach.
... Responding to change over following a plan.
- Execution is on the fly; when the model changes, the corresponding application automatically changes.
- Business / technology dissociation: an architecture that ensures application scalability that is both technical and functional.
1. Customer satisfaction by rapid delivery of useful software.
- Implementation costs reduced up to 50%.
- MDE / BPM platform with ready-to-go high-level components.
2. Welcome changing requirements, even late in development.
- The decoupling of business / technology is provided by the MDE approach.
- No code generation, allowing for even more flexibility.
- When the model evolves, the application automatically changes.
3. Working software is delivered frequently (in a matter of weeks rather than months).
- WYMIWYG (What You Model Is What You Get) shortens cycles and increases production checkpoint frequency.
- The engine produces instantly operational software.
4. Close, daily cooperation between businesspeople and developers.
Now it's your turn! And we can help!
5. Projects are built around motivated individuals, who should be trusted.
Now it's your turn! And we can help!
6. Face-to-face conversation is the best form of communication (co-location).
- As soon as a model exists, an operational application is available.
- Application Engine executes the models on the fly.
- BUSINESS FIRST provides an environment for implementing automated testing.
7. Working software is the principal measure of progress.
- Graphic composition of business processes serves as the project specifications.
- The business model is the tool of communication between directors and IT.
8. Sustainable development, able to maintain a constant pace.
Now it's your turn! And we can help!
9. Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design.
- Composers provide a set of tools for modeling data, GUI and processes.
- Technology is supported by a quality platform, tested and robust.
10. Simplicity.
- Applications are composed by assembling generic components.
- No more need to generate code; the model itself is executable.
- Targeted programming is limited to the specialization of business behaviors.
11. Self-organizing teams.
Now it's your turn! And we can help!
12. Regular adaptation to changing circumstances.
Now it's your turn! And we can help!
Agility can be considered from two different angles.
For the methodological meaning of the term, it is a development approach that conveys the values and principles of Agile Manifesto to provide operational software that meets functional needs. Customer satisfaction is the primary objective.
Agility can also be seen as a characteristic of the resulting application development. In this sense, it implies flexibility, adaptability to environment, ability to evolve and absorb change, whether technological or for business-related fields.
In both scenarios, W4 is convinced that the MDE approach, guaranteeing separation between technology and business, is an ideal vehicle for agility. This is the rationale behind our BUSINESS FIRST: both over the course of the project and in the results, our platform facilitates implementing the agility principles to meet the customer requirements by providing flexible and scalable applications that respond quickly to market changes and technology growth.
Next web seminar:
- BUSINESS FIRST: June 30, 2011
QuickStart
No risk!
