By: Serge Janssen Daalen, 27 June 2023
Agile Management Methods or Frameworks always include elements of continuous planning, testing, integrations and other forms of ongoing development. There are several different ways of Agile Management practices. Most importantly, businesses and teams alike are becoming more flexible, adaptive and productive with any Agile Management Method.
Frequently used Agile Management Methods
- Scrum – Scrum is perhaps the most frequently used Agile Management Method. In Scrum, a project is divided into sprints, typically lasting up to one to four weeks. Each sprint ends with the completion of a workable draft of the project’s final end product. Thanks to this step-by-step and iterative approach, your team continuously delivers an improved version of the final product to be delivered.
- Kanban – This is a simple, visual way of managing projects. Originally designed as a planning method, Kanban helps teams to give insight into how far a project has progressed and what the next step should be. Kanban focuses on a visual workflow with tasks broken down into small chunks. The Kanban framework resembles Scrum in many ways. Kanban uses a Planning Board on which progress is visible and tasks are divided into, for example, “To Do”, “In Progress” and “Done”. But unlike Scrum, work is not (obviously) split into Sprints.
- Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM) – DSDM is an Agile Management method in which the different phases of the life cycle of a project are clearly defined, and provide concrete benefits for all the parties involved in a project. This method focuses on the full lifecycle of a project and provides guidance on best practices in delivering products on time and within budget. One of the main differences between Scrum and DSDM is that DSDM is project-based, while Scrum is product-based.
- Extreme Programming (XP) – XP is a software development methodology that focuses on rapid and incremental software development, using continuous feedback and quality assurance. XP is very strict in applying engineering methods, such as Pair Programming, Test Driven Development, simple design, restructuring and short sprints (often 2 weeks). In both Scrum and XP, the customer (the owner of the product) determines the tasks. In Scrum, the priorities can be changed by the Development Team, if necessary. In XP, this is not allowed.
- Feature-Driven Development (FDD) – FDD focuses on delivering software based on functionalities (features). It is based on organising development teams around specific functional areas, in which each team is responsible for developing, testing and delivering specific functionalities. It works with short sprints and involves four phases: developing an overall model, building modules, planning modules and developing modules in incremental steps of change. Scrum is more about fast movement and avoiding risks and blockages. FDD mainly focuses on modelling, designing and development.
Which methods fits best with your business?
Choosing an Agile Management Method depends on several factors, including the nature and scope of the project, team size, available resources and the overall requirements of your business.
We at Spire would like to help you find the best Agile Management Method. Feel free to contact us and schedule a free consultation with Serge, founder of Spiresolutions. Let’s discuss and figure out together how we can manage your business in an Agile way.
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