Flexibility against the "waterfall"
Made famous by more "Agile", flexible method for developing software suggests creating a small part of the overall software system for short intervals. These short "sprints" of the software team usually ends with meetings with the user and presentation of progress. The method appears to be a counterpoint to the traditional approach to creating software where the software team is assigned task, the work takes place over many months and finally passed "finished product". This approach in the software industry called "waterfall."
Agile dance
After each completed a small stage, the software team meets consumer organizations - in the person of its representative or team - and presents the developed features such workers, the open bugs changes. Such meetings usually take place in 2-3 weeks. At this stage the user can immediately determine whether a feature will do the job or not. If it is not "correct", he may reconsider their expectations and change the software requirements. The interaction between the two organizations completely out of the familiar stereotype "developer-contractor". It appears rather dance between two equal partners who are in constant touch with each other and follow each movement. "So it should be considered process of interaction and difficulty in its perception among consumer organizations is very clearly visible from companies first apply Agile methods," says Martin Kulov, chairman of the Association of Software Engineers (ACE), which organize training for agile development techniques in WTC Interpred. "Customers who are not accustomed to Agile practices have confidence that the company can do their job. They expect the traditional method given functionality to be ready at the given date on a budget. "
Trust as a function of transparency
Similar confidence is built tough, over time, recognized software experts. "The consumer should have realized that actually it will save money by Agile methodology, because in case of a problem or need a change, this can be done quickly and easily - and will not come out salty, as would happen if get everything in one place at the end of a software project and only then finds that something is not as it would be, "said Kulov. Western clients tend to act with confidence in their partners, said Nikola Bogdanov, a senior leader in Scrum "Fourth" Like trust hard voted by customers at home, but it is "default" consumer organizations operating in developed markets like the US and Western European, says Nikola Bogdanov, senior Scrum leader in the "Fourth" and speaker at the forum 2DoIT Agile Decoded. According to him, western clients tend to act with confidence in their partners, because the mere fact of being seated at the same table to negotiate, is quite indicative that all want to do meaningful work and no one wants to compromise. But irrespective of the degree of confidence to the software developer a key role in communication and crucial for credibility is transparency. Open communication helps the user organization to gain confidence in the good development of the project. That means with each "sprint" developer to present the client components and the newly selected for the next iteration of work and be self honest about defects found, difficulties encountered, and in case of delay - for reasons. Such openness gives the consumer confidence. This in turn pays a development team: he can expect more and more "empowerment" to decide on future iterations of the project.
Ferment under the hood
"There is a difficult psychological effect. Some outsourcing companies can not accept this way of communication. They are adamant: "My client will never see this stuff!" And details are kept secret, but such an approach is not paved with trust relationship with the user, "warns Kulov. That secrecy, however, is typical for companies whose teams are working simultaneously on several projects. This, in turn, means risk. Teams involved in several projects simultaneously, inevitably encountering a problem with the "burnout" of the people. Overloading them low. "It should be clear that if there is no transparency in the relationship between the software developer and his client, it means something is happening" under the hood "and this is a signal for risk," warns Kulov.
