Introduction to Agile Methods

A Thorough Introduction to the Agile Framework and Methodologies That Are Used Worldwide   Organizations of all shapes and sizes are embracing Agile methodologies as a way to transform their products, customer satisfaction, and employee engagement. Many people with varying levels of work experience are interested in understanding the architecture and nuances of Agile, but it is difficult to know where to start. Numerous practitioner books are available, but there has never been a single source for unbiased information about Agile methodologies–until now. Introduction to Agile Methods is the place to start for students and professionals who want to understand Agile and become conversant with Agile values, principles, framework, and processes.   Authors Sondra Ashmore and Kristin Runyan use academic research and their own experiences with numerous Agile implementations to present a clear description of the essential concepts. They address all key roles and the entire development life cycle, including common roadblocks that must be overcome to be successful. Through the authors’ realistic use cases, practical examples, and thought-provoking interviews with pioneering practitioners, complex concepts are made relatable. No matter what your role or level of experience, this book provides a foundational understanding that can be used to start or enhance any Agile effort.   Coverage includes How Agile compares with the Waterfall method and when to use each Why Agile demands a cultural transformation–and how that looks to each participant Comparing various Agile methodologies, including Scrum, Kanban, Extreme Programming (XP), Crystal, Feature Driven Development (FDD), Lean, and DSDM Understanding the roles within Agile and how they work together to create superior results Agile approaches to requirements gathering, planning, estimating, tracking, reporting, testing, quality, and integration Extending Agile beyond IT

Table of Contents:
Preface xiii Acknowledgments xvii About the Authors xix   Chapter 1: The History and Value of Agile Software Development 1 The Beginnings of Software Development as Methodology 2 Cayman Design 8 Conclusion 8 Summary 9 Interview with Robert Martin (Uncle Bob) 9 References and Further Reading 12 Review Questions 13   Chapter 2: Organizational Culture Considerations with Agile 15 What Is Organizational Culture, and Why Does It Matter? 16 The Team Members’ Viewpoint 16 A Manager’s Viewpoint 27 An Executive’s Viewpoint 34 Conclusion 42 Summary 42 Interview with Scott Ambler 44 References and Further Reading 45 Review Questions 47   Chapter 3: Understanding the Different Types of Agile 49 Extreme Programming (XP) 50 Scrum 54 Feature-Driven Development 56 Dynamic Systems Development Method 57 Lean Software Development 59 Kanban Method 60 Crystal Family 62 Certification 64 Implementing Tools and Techniques at Cayman Design 66 Conclusion 66 Summary 66 Interview with Alistair Cockburn 67 References and Further Reading 70 Review Questions 70   Chapter 4: Describing the Different Roles 73 Deep Dive into Scrum Roles 74 Roles in Other Methodologies 95 Kanban 99 Practical Examples of Roles 99 Conclusion 103 Summary 103 Interview with Roman Pichler 105 Interview with Lyssa Adkins 107 References and Further Reading 109 Review Questions 111   Chapter 5: The New Way to Collect and Document Requirements 113 Old Form of Requirements Gathering 114 Agile Requirements in Scrum 114 Additions and Considerations from the Other Methodologies 124 Enhancing Requirements 126 From User Stories to Deliverables 129 Communication 132 Lean Product Development and the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) 137 Conclusion 139 Summary 139 Interview with Ellen Gottesdiener and Mary Gorman 141 References and Further Reading 144 Review Questions 146   Chapter 6: Grooming and Planning 149 Product Backlog (Scrum and XP) 150 Prioritization of Stories 152 Estimating 155 Scrum: Product Backlog Grooming 160 Scrum: Sprint Planning 165 Extreme Programming: XP Planning Game 167 Maintenance of Legacy Code 168 Triple Constraints 169 Kanban 171 Conclusion 171 Summary 171 Interview with Mike Cohn 173 References and Further Reading 176 Review Questions 177   Chapter 7: Testing, Quality, and Integration 179 Quality 180 Refactored Code 182 Conclusion 203 Summary 203 Interview with Tim Ottinger 204 References and Further Reading 208 Review Questions 208   Chapter 8: Tracking and Reporting 211 Kanban 212 Tracking 216 Meetings or Ceremonies 226 Measuring Success in Agile 230 Conclusion 231 Summary 231 Interview with Kent McDonald 233 References and Further Reading 235 Review Questions 236   Chapter 9: Agile beyond IT 239 Products beyond Software Development 240 Speaking to the Market with Agility 248 Agile in Other Organizations 251 Conclusion 255 Summary 256 Interview with Travis Arnold 258 References and Further Reading 260 Review Questions 261   Appendix: John Deere Case Study 263   Glossary 273 Index 289