May 24, 2006

Agile Software Development

So, are there any good alternatives to the outmoded, risky Waterfall model for software development? A number of ideas have been advanced. One of the better-known ones is Extreme Programming. (These days it's often called XP to escape the ridiculous name.) There are others. Not all will be directly applicable to every PeopleSoft customization or setup project. But many will be a much better fit than Waterfall, taking advantage of modern capabilities such as modular development and prototyping—capabilities that are fundamental to PeopleSoft.

These alternatives may differ in their details, but many share the set of principles under the umbrella known as Agile Software Development. The time, resources and budget available to any project are not infinite. Choices must be made, and the ultimate objective (a useful, working system) must be kept in mind. Under these constraints, Agile methodologies emphasize:

• Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
• Working software over comprehensive documentation
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
• Responding to change over following a plan

See www.agilemanifesto.org, which links to additional information.

Each of these points resonates with me. Each matches my experiences over the past few years. As developers, we should be part of an integrated team. Software development should be a collaborative effort, not a battle. We must produce a good product that lives in the real world. The plans, the documentation, the processes and tools are just ways to help us get there.

Until next time...