Introduction
The use of agile approaches has fundamentally transformed the information technology sector. Since the original manifesto was published in 2001, interest in agile software development has only continued to grow.
Traditional software development follows the classic waterfall methodology, where teams develop a detailed project plan, and then launch into a linear, stepwise process. If requirements change, there’s no turning back, no do-overs.
Current times demand organizations to quickly adapt to changes in the customer demands, technology, design patterns, competitive landscape and numerous other things that are in constant flux. This has given rise to the Agile concept.
Instead of planning the entire project up front, Agile teams plan continuously throughout the project, making constant adjustments as changes arise. The workflow is in the form of small tasks called sprints.
A sprint is a set period during which the team is expected to finish a specific task. Customers are included in the product development life cycle – continuous delivery means that user feedback and ideas are more quickly integrated. A suggested improvement might make it into the next sprint and be shipped within the next few days or weeks.
Clearly, the Agile principle requires a lot of effort on the part of the development team. Organizations operating in dynamic market environments need Agile teams who can work within short development cycles to achieve a faster time to the market.
So let us look at some of the best practices that can help effective team collaboration.
Key Practices
Build Projects around Motivated Individuals: One of the greatest contributors to an organization’s success is to keep its individuals motivated. This is undoubtedly one of the most underrated practices of agile methodology. By keeping the team members motivated to adapt, collaborate and communicate, they can climb greater heights.
Convey Information Face-to-Face: Communication is more intuitive in face-to-face conversations instead of messaging. It fosters trust and unravels deeper insights for both parties leading to greater collaboration.
Form Self-Organizing Teams: The philosophy of Agile propagates the formation of self-organizing teams with minimal or no supervision. Once they have been made aware of the organization’s goals and workflows, they should be allowed to function independently acclimatizing to critical needs and feedback. This relieves the pressure off its leaders and managers.
Tasks Prioritization: The business leadership should set down a framework by which teams can relegate tasks to a priority list. The teams should realize which tasks are the top priority and critical to the success of the project.
Maintain Charts to Monitor Progress: Charts are an important way to keep projects on track. They plot the progress and help in planning. Burndown charts show the amount of work left against the time to deadline. Team members can work synchronistically with commonly accessible charts.
Team Meetings: Group interactions are essential for discussing the progress of the project and to enhance collaboration. Learning from past sprints and suggestions for future activities can be tabled. Common problems and their solutions can be discussed.
Cross Training: Cross training involves having employees with shared skills or employees training other employees with their skills. This is useful when an employee chooses to quit or has a lot on his plate currently. In this way the continuity of the project is not disturbed.
Agile Workspace: The office workspace should reflect Agile practices. Progress charts should be large and readable. Team members should be visible to each other. Discussion boards should be large to accommodate ideas. Calm and pleasant ambience should be set-up.
Project Speed: A careful estimate of the speed of the project should be ascertained. Deadlines should be considered and feasible speeds should be projected. Careful balance between overpressure and laxity should be managed.
Conclusion
Many sectors that focus on developing products or services through a continuous cycle of incremental adjustments are widely utilizing the agile methodology. Adoption of these practices enables teams to deliver value more efficiently, adapt to change more effectively, and continuously improve their processes and outcomes.
Every team has its idea for becoming productive and efficient, they need to discover what works out for the team. It could be configuring sprints, meetings, product backlog items, etc, and using technologies and software to effectively manage time.
Promoting open communication, prioritizing customer feedback, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement are key elements of business success. The top Agile practices discussed above undoubtedly lay the foundation of creating effective, collaborative, and high-performing agile teams !