Here at Emprise we have recently undertaken steps to properly organize and execute the Agile Development process known as Scrum.
The following are some basic Agile/Scrum tenets that we continually keep in mind during our development process:
- Individuals and interactions – Open communication between team members and customers is vitally important.
- Working software – We want our software to not just function, but to perform the job above expectations.
- Customer collaboration – Frequent input and communication helps us to create a high quality solution.
- Responding to change – Being flexible and open to the needs of our customers, rather than following a rigid and unchangeable development process.
With these tenets in mind we are constantly looking to have strong collaboration and input from both our customers and team. We believe in producing quality software while never allowing that to be an area that suffers as a result of the development process. Our beliefs diverge from the traditional iron triangle in development.
Traditional Iron Triangle:
Emprise Agile Iron Triangle:
Frequent software releases and the provision of high visibility into our work allow customers to give us frequent feedback on our projects and help us deliver a better product. Because we strongly believe in creating the highest quality products for our customers, this process was an ideal choice going forward at Emprise.
As we progress with our use of Scrum we will be using two different methods of tracking information. One is the digital use of the software VersionOne, which will help us provide clients with a window into the features that are being developed and the progress of our software. Locally, we will be using a large whiteboard system to help both the company and the development team visibly track our progress throughout the development process.
Emprise White Board:
The most important thing to keep in mind is that we do all this to give ourselves the ability and accountability for constant improvement. To incorporate strong communication, flexible development, and continual improvement, the Scrum methodology is a perfect fit for Emprise.