Agile

Methodlogy

(Professional Business Analyst Training organisation)

Dr. Winston Royce in 1970, criticized waterfall approach

through his paper “Managing the development of huge

software systems”. Royce objected this approach due to

1) lack of proper communication between the

specialized groups that involve at each phase of work

2) not able to entertain client’s change requests

•In agile methodology, rather than going in sequential

approach, client creates user stories/ epics/ business use

cases through specialized team or SME’s.

•These user stories are understandable by developers

and testers.

Key features:

1) Iterative

2) Active customer involvement

3) Light weight

4) Very faster and quicker delivery in regular phases

5) Less documentation

Traditional BA (Waterfall) Agile BA

Requirements are documented in Use

Cases,Business Requirements, Functional

requirements, UI Specifications, Business Rules.

Requirements are documented in Epics, User

Stories and optionally Business (or Essential) Use

cases.

Focuses on completeness of requirement and

spends time in ensuring the requirement is

unambiguous and has all the details.

Focuses on understanding the problem and being

the domain expert so that s/he can answer

questions from the development team swiftly and

decisively.

Focuses on getting a ‘sign off’ on the requirements.

Focuses on ensuring the requirements meet the

currentbusiness needs, even if it requires

updating them.

Often there is a wall between the BA/Business and

the Development team.

Agile BA (Often called as Product Owner) is part of

the team.

Tends to dictate solutions.

Has to remain in the problem domain, leaving the

development team ‘space’ to explore different

solutions.

Long turnaround. Quick turnaround.

Focus on what the requirements document said. In

other words, output (Artifact) is a well written

thorough requirements document.

Focus on the functionality of the developed

software. In other words, output (Artifact) is the

software that meets thebusiness needs.

6) Continuous change requests are also entertained

7) Cost effective

8) Business people and developers work together

9) Continuous involvement of customer increases

project success

Disadvantages of agile:

1) Project success depends on level of involvement of client2) Some times full picture is lost due to organizational changes3) Project scope creeps which will allow to create risk of ever lasting projects

Types of agile implementationThere are two most popular methods of implementation

of agile1) Extreme programming (xp)

2) Scrum

As per the industry expert words, Agile methodology will stand alone but the project initiates as a waterfall methodology and at certain stage converts into agile in iterative form.