Grass Roots agile

Agile processes promise to speed software delivery and increase software quality while embracing change throughout the development lifecycle. Yet transitioning from traditional software methods to a new way of working can be difficult, painful, and risky. While the team is consumed with understanding and improving their new approach, they also face the pressure of looming project deadlines. Overwhelmed teams feel forced to compromise, believing they can deliver the solution more quickly by reverting to traditional methods. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

In lieu of adopting an Agile software development process, such as Scrum, XP, or Crystal, this session presents practices that developers can inject into their existing software development efforts to increase agility. The practices discussed take a very narrow view. All activities performed and artifacts created must emphasize the creation, growth, and verification of the source code, from initial project inception through final solution delivery. If teams are able to develop a codebase that is malleable, fully tested, and frequently deployed, they possess the inherent ability to measure, adapt, and deliver. To realize the greatest benefit from these practices, we will also discuss how these practices must adapt based on the constraints, attitude, and culture of your social and technology environment.

About Kirk Knoernschild

Kirk is software developer with a passion for building great software. He takes a keen interest in design, architecture, application development platforms, agile development, and the IT industry in general, especially as it relates to software development. His recent book, Java Application Architecture was published in 2012, and presents 18 patterns that help you design modular software.

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