Software Development Life Cycle vs Agile – Why Pick Agile Development?

The agile software development methodology has become a benchmark for many companies for developing software. However, many companies are still now fully aware of what exactly is the agile software development methodology and what are its biggest advantages.

In this article, we will discuss the software development cycle agile methodology and why so many companies are relying on it.

Let’s dig deeper!

What is Agile Software Development Methodology?

Agile software development tools are a family of tools that ensure seamless software development where the requirements and solutions morph via a collaborative effort of cross-functioning teams and the customers. Here are 4 key principles of the agile software development approach – 

• Individuals and interactions are more important than what development processes and tools are being used.
• Properly functioning and quality-driven software that matches the business and user expectations is more important than documentation.
• Constant interaction with the customer is more important than contracts.
• Being responsive in making instant changes instead of rigidly following the same old patterns.

Software Development Life Cycle vs Agile

Before agile software development came to the world, we used to have the waterfall method. That included all the necessary documentation already in place before the coding can begin. In the software development documentation, there should be all the business requirements that an application must possess including the functionality and how the interface will look, and everything in between.

This means there could be like 300 pages of documentation that outlines all the functional and non-functional aspects of the app. And the worst part is that the developers must know what’s written on page 86 for example. It’s a bit challenging to remember everything and follow such long documentation. 

However, sometimes, it’s useful also. 

Before Agile software development tools, there were not many development tools that required any sort of specialized knowledge, there were no APIs or web components that we have today. Life was simpler before but Agile has surely come packed with a bundle of innovation that your business needs to succeed today.

Advantages of Software Development Life Cycle Agile Methodology

Agile software development implies a more adaptive and flexible approach. It allows teams to understand a problem thoroughly and break it up into manageable units that you can further develop and test properly. 

If during the testing phase, you notice that something’s not working properly, you can make instant changes and continue working as opposed to going back and starting from scratch like the Waterfall model.

While there are different types of agile software development methodologies, all of them require each individual to be more responsible and have ownership of their work. One of the core agile features is its emphasis on constant improvement. It helps businesses with customized software solutions. 

Imagine what would’ve happened if Apple had stopped improving its software 10 years ago. There wouldn’t have been any upgrades on your iPhones. How far have you left behind?

That’s when the iterative nature of Agile comes to play. It promotes an environment of continuous improvement where developers can collect essential feedback from their app users and incorporate it right away. 

That’s why Agile software development is more suited for modern operating conditions. Today, it’s more important to work smarter, not harder. By emphasizing the importance of developing software that works the way it’s supposed to and by building in iterations, software development companies can employ the agile methodology to stay ahead of the competition.

Conclusion

In today’s fast and ever-evolving IT industry, you need an outstanding software development approach that not only ensures flexibility to incorporate changes instantly but also delivers quality results.

The changes or corrections in the app don’t need to come from the customers. It could be a result of an early decision that turned out to be wrong and now it’s creating havoc. 

Since it would be very expensive and time-consuming to go back and start over, Agile gives you the freedom to make changes instantly and move ahead. It teaches you to learn from your mistakes and avoid critical errors in the future.

There are many more benefits that Agile software development can bring to life. If you’re looking to implement Agile methodology in your business app and searching for the right development partner, Cloudester could be your perfect choice. We have deep expertise and an unrelenting passion to deliver customized software solutions for our client’s unique business needs. It will only take a few minutes to connect and we can discuss further. Let’s get in touch soon!