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Building an app, software, or any other platform is an exciting endeavor, but you need to know how to go about things in order to make it a success. You might be providing a valuable service and fulfilling a new niche, but how do you make users aware of it?
The reality is that you can’t easily predict what your target audience really wants. To save your time, money, and effort, you should look at Agile development for your new app. This comprises of extreme programming, screen, and several other methodologies that can reduce the risk of a failed app.
We’ll explain more about this concept and how it can accelerate the development plus relevance of your app idea:
The Waterfall Method
Source – Pixabay
Before agile development, most app developers used a waterfall model. This involved quite a heavy and stringent method that is very different from the lightweight software we have now. Even when you did finally arrive at a finished product back then, there had to be teams for software analysis and scrutinizing the system requirements needed.
After this, you’d work on designing the software architecture for your envisioned app. It would undergo tests for bugs and only then have a launch as a complete and finished app.
Needless to say, this process was very time-consuming and complicated in planning. It also left very little time and room for any kind of flexibility or change. Since the method was so sequential and strict, there was also no way to know whether the intended users would even like or need the app until it was all complete.
Enter Agile Development
This is where agile development comes in. With this, developers can work on their goals in increments and ask for responses along the way. They can work on beta versions of their apps and get beta testers on board as well. This way, they get to modify their plans and make sure the final product is as likely to succeed as possible.
Agile Development Benefits
Source – Pixabay
Agile app development serves to maintain a modern, lightweight method for turning out the best apps possible. When development teams use this methodology, they’re likely to see the potential problems and also work on features that would make the app more successful.
The whole process hence gives a customization aspect to app development. Of course, you don’t completely rule out planning, but agile app development makes sure your team is working for the best result. If this means pivoting a bit from time to time, the change isn’t impossible.
Further advantages of this development process are that you get frequent working software that you may deliver to the market. This keeps customers happy with the quick results and updates that cater to their needs. Plus, the resultant app is light and flexible enough for any further changes or features at all development stages.
Finally, you get a constant interaction between the developer and customers, along with inter-team communication. This means excellent collaboration and hopefully near-perfect results.
The Benefits of Agile Methodology Overshadow Its Challenges
Even with all its flexibility and other benefits, this method makes for less emphasis on the designing plus the documentation aspect of app development. This could result in a hasty process that may cause may turn out to be a bit challenging later on.
What’s more, agile methodology teams mostly need experienced developers who can analyze feedback and make informed decisions. There’s hence little room for fresher developers or programmers who need training and experience. Still, agile app development is highly popular for many reasons. The benefits seem to outweigh the costs for many teams and companies, with more than half of IT developers using the model.
The few limitations don’t deviate from the fact that agile app development is a huge milestone when it comes to app development methodologies. Besides, it’s easier to get the details here and start your agile app development right away.
About the Process
The agile development process doesn’t have one single role or order. It’s the belief that different methods of developing would have to follow the rules that are best for them. Still, there are a few specific team roles that should exist within this process.
For instance, each development team usually has around 10 members, each with the required skills to plan, develop, and test out any app iteration. The motivation of these teams comes from themselves, without any set leader. However, there should be at least one member to deal with any distracting issues.
Another important player is the product manager. This is the individual who will focus on the stakeholders’ interests along with those of the customers. This way, the development teams stay focused on their main goals and would hopefully turn out a useful result each time.
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