Why We Choose Agile Over Waterfall as an Outsource Software Development Company
Our number one priority when it comes to every software development project is creating an ecosystem so 100% of our projects are deemed a success.
A successful software development project is defined as one that meets schedule, cost, and scope.
According to a 2020 report, 42% of surveyed software projects using Agile methodology were considered successful, while that number for Waterfall was only at 13%.
Why does this matter?
Software development projects are huge undertakings with lots of moving parts and complexities. Using Agile, almost half the time projects meet schedule, cost, and scope. With Waterfall, that number dwindles to 13%. Imagine knowing there’s a high probability that you will need to allocate additional time and resources to a project shortly after it’s kicked off.
That’s part of why we love working in the signature iterative style of Agile. It lends itself to more creativity and problem-solving, and an inclusive, collaborative environment that leads to a better product overall.
But don’t get us wrong, we’re completely comfortable with Waterfall as well. After 30 years in the software development industry, if there’s one thing we get, it's how to make different project management styles for the SDLC to work to our advantage.
Still, there can be variances in how Agile is implemented project to project. How do we make this work for us?
First, we’ve made sure to have Integrant roles specific to the success of Agile.
The addition of scrum masters and product owners have been instrumental in furthering our success with Agile. We’ve found that these roles can be just as effective when outsourced as when they are in-house with our customers and alleviates the stress of hiring this specific role.
Second, we take care to truly understand each customer’s processes and domain before beginning any project. This, along with Integrant tools such as our 4Plus1 Shadow Engineering Program, Extended Notice, and CodeVoyance all lend itself to the success of our Agile ecosystem.
Ready to start working on your next software project with an experienced Agile team? Let’s get in touch!
Agile vs. Waterfall
Agile
Agile is a self-organized team-centered approach to software development. When working in Agile, teams move through projects via sprints in place of schedules. A typical sprint will last 1-4 weeks. At the end of each sprint, there are inspect and adapt checkpoints in the form of sprint reviews and retrospectives.
In sprint reviews, we demonstrate to our customer what was created in the previous sprint and collect feedback. In retrospectives, the team reviews the processes used in doing the work and collect feedback on how to improve them.
But Agile isn’t without its faults. Agile can make it more difficult to estimate cost because of its iterative nature. There is also potential for lack documentation, which leads to challenges in onboarding developers.
At Integrant, to combat potential issues that may arise due to Agile challenges, we have instilled programs to assist with project stability and knowledge transfer and effective estimates and deadlines such as our unique tool, CodeVoyance, to demonstrate real-time updates for every phase of the project and help predict results.
The Agile process makes reviewing work easy for clients, stakeholders, and team members in addition to building team morale, having functional code in each stage of development, and preventing resource- and time-draining bugs from having to rework significant parts of your application.
Agile vs. Waterfall
Waterfall
Waterfall takes a linear approach. Much like a real Waterfall, a project will progress in a fixed flow towards the finish line. In Waterfall, each stage must be completed before moving on to the next part of the process.
Utilizing Waterfall, the project scope can be clearly defined with requirements outlined at the start of a project. This can lend itself to a clearer roadmap and goal setting. This detailed documentation can also mean that onboarding new team members is easier as there are ready-to-go references.
On the other hand, Waterfall makes it difficult to change scope or implement unexpected but necessary changes mid-project. Let’s say a project evolves and there is a must-have feature that a customer needs to be implemented. Once into the development stage, it would be hard to change the architecture to accommodate a new feature or incorporate it into the project timeline and budget.
Having your next software project being created in a successful Agile environment is just a simple form away. Submit your request for a free consultation today!
Scrum Masters and an Agile Environment
One important role to the success of an Agile environment is the scrum master.
Scrum masters play a leadership role in Agile project management. While they wear many hats to ensure team and project success, scrum masters facilitate the Agile framework and serve as extra peace of mind to clients that their project is running as it should.
Scrum masters work towards establishing transparency regarding the team's capability of delivering valuable results to stakeholders and work to communicate and remove any roadblocks that may appear.
Our Integrant scrum masters work tirelessly at the upkeep of our Agile environment. With culture being a critical component to success in Agile, we make sure that every team member is committed to the Agile way and is ready and able to review and pivot at every level of our company.
Want to keep learning about Integrant’s Agile environment? Check out some of our other blogs!
Agile in Action
One of our global food and beverage manufacturing clients worked in Waterfall before starting their Agile transformation in 2020.
When we signed on for a Xamarin app development project in 2016, we began running into roadblocks that stemmed from a Waterfall environment. As the project scope continued to grow and team roles and requirements changed, it only became clearer that Waterfall was going to require a much larger budget and effort than anticipated.
What did we do? We opened the discussion with our client on why making the transition to Agile would be beneficial to the teams and project outcomes. Coincidentally, this enterprise customer was beginning the Agile transformation process company wide.
Thanks to our ability to establish strong business relationships at the forefront of taking on the project, we were able to provide the support and assurance needed for our client to feel confident making the switch to Agile. While Agile transformation takes time, we’ve made great strides in project speed and efficiency and implementing Agile roles including an Integrant scrum master.
Get in touch with our Agile experts today for your next software project! Set up a free consultation to get started.
Work in an Agile Environment
Integrant lives and breathes the Agile methodology. Thanks to Agile, we have a plethora of lasting business relationships and successful project outcomes to show for as a company. Along with Agile, we have incredible team members and roles that assist in making the environment at Integrant a collaborative and successful place.
For your next project, work with a team that excels in Agile and has the necessary tools to ensure the security, longevity, and prosperity of your software. Get in contact with one of our experts today for a free consultation.
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