Agile Methodology – Crib Notes

Essential Vocabulary

• Agile: Mindset/principles emphasizing iterative development, customer collaboration, flexibility.
• Iteration: Short cycles (1-2 weeks) to deliver incremental value.
• User Story: Brief feature description from user perspective.
• Definition of Done: Criteria for a feature to be considered complete.
• Retrospective: Meeting to reflect and improve future cycles.
• Incremental Delivery: Regular small releases delivering continuous value.

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Agile Workflow

flowchart LR
    Plan --> Develop --> Test --> Review
    Review --> Deploy[Deploy/Release]
    Review -->|Feedback| Plan
    Develop --Blocked/Change--> Adjust
    Adjust --> Plan

Agile Mindset & Principles

• Iterative development: Deliver small increments of working software.
• Customer collaboration: Constant feedback loops to meet real needs.
• Flexibility: Embrace changing requirements, even late in development.

Handling Common Agile Scenarios

Feature Blocked (Feature 1 Scenario)

• Pause & communicate blockage clearly and quickly.
• Perform a spike (research) if needed.
• Update backlog & refine scope collaboratively.
• Adjust plans to maintain momentum.

Agile Response Flow:

• Identify blockage → Pause → Communicate → Spike (if needed) → Refine & reprioritize → Continue development once resolved.

Mid-Development Requirement Changes (Feature 2)

• Welcome changes, quickly assess impact.
• Integrate small changes immediately or pause development if the change is large.
• Regular communication with stakeholders.
• Frequent prototyping/demos to align expectations.

Change Response:

• Assess → Small change: Incorporate immediately
• Large change: Pause, communicate, replan → update backlog → develop & test → release

External Dependency Delays (Feature 3)

• Immediately identify and treat delays as impediments.
• Coordinate with external teams proactively.
• Adjust team focus to alternative tasks or simulate missing components (stubs/mocks).
• Reprioritize backlog accordingly.

Action Plan:

• Blocked → Communicate externally → Mock/stub dependencies if possible → Reprioritize tasks → Integrate real dependency when available → Reflect in retrospective

Smooth Delivery (Feature 4)

• Feature developed within one iteration.
• Clear planning, regular demos, continuous integration/testing.
• Transparent communication ensures smooth acceptance.

Smooth Process:

• Plan → Develop (pair/mob programming) → Automated Testing → Demo → Stakeholder acceptance → Immediate/iterative release.

Key Agile Best Practices

• Transparency: Task boards, clear communication.
• Adaptability: Revisit plans regularly, minimize waste.
• Continuous improvement: Regular retrospectives.
• Testing & Integration: Continuous integration, automated tests (JUnit/Kotlin testing frameworks).
• Incremental value: Frequent releases to users, providing continuous value.

Agile Lifecycle (Summary)

• Agile lifecycle: Iterative loops (Planning → Development → Testing → Review → Deployment).
• Quickly handle blocked work or external delays through clear communication and rapid replanning.
• Maintain high software quality through continuous integration, testing, and stakeholder feedback.

Agile Motto: Deliver incremental, customer-aligned value through transparency, continuous improvement, and adaptability.