There are so many misbeliefs about Agile Software Development that confuse the novices of the industry. While some are exaggerating its power (making it look like a fairy-tale element), others are dismissing it at all. However, I’m here to reveal the top 5 false beliefs about agile in this article of Coding as Creating – and save your butt from future disastrous misunderstandings.
Even the Wand Wouldn’t Work Without the Words!
Okay, we all know that Harry’s twirling action was enough to get rid of the problems. But hey, he was a professional wizard who didn’t need to deal with SDKs or SQL. We (as developers), unfortunately, are exempted from having a magic stick to twirl and say “Abracadabra” to get things done.
But one thing is even more noteworthy. If we were determined to see the Agile as the wand in the Harry Potter series, it still wouldn’t work. That’s because Harry couldn’t do anything with his magic stick without the spells. It was only after saying “Expelliarmus” or “Accio” that he could activate the magic.
The same goes for SDLC as Agile wouldn’t be useful without the proper SOP. If Sutherland, Scumniotales, and McKenna could agree on one thing, that would probably be the unmagical nature of the technique. They’d point out that this semi-method scheme is only an unfixed tool—and not the ultimate way of problem-solving.
Here Are the Top 5 Misbeliefs About Agile Software Development
1. It’s a Set of Instructions – Just Like the Capital Vices
As I pointed out earlier, this approach is not a set of charms to enhance a developmental project. By contrast, one of its main principles is to be parallel to changes and avoid inflexible tactics.
As Scott Ambler stated, “a project plan is important, but it must not be too rigid to accommodate changes in technology or the environment, stakeholders’ priorities, and people’s understanding of the problem and its solution.”
When you rely on such an approach to guide you throughout the project, the outcome will not be satisfying. That’s because we’re talking about a floating technique with no guarantee to deliver the same results in different projects. And the only way to apply it successfully is by creating a customized version for each specific SOP.
So, reset your mind and get back to Agile processes with an open mind to comprehend their unsettledness.
2. Agile Is the Roadmap to the Promised Land in a Project
This is one of the common misbeliefs about Agile Software Development, especially among beginners. In fact, some developers have so much faith that is ready to take any road relying only on Agile fundamentals.
That’s while it won’t lead them to any specific point as it’s just a catalyzer—and not the destination indicator.
3. It’s a Penance to Wash Away the Deadline Sins
Since many teams can’t deal with the deadlines, they look for a way to remove them. And, as you probably guessed, they opt to utilize Agile as a deadline remover… [sigh]
The fun fact, however, is that Agile Software Development works best when there are some deadlines. Plus, those teams who tend to progress in a stress-free environment may never get hands-on business experiences. That’s because time limits are one of the main elements of DevOps and IT industry in general.
4. God Blesses This Methodology Because It’s the Savior of the Team
When this technique becomes the old man of the group, things go banana fast. What we did want to extract out of Scrum was never meant to become the operating system of progressive projects.
So, if you think it’s an approach to put the team together and fuel the engines up on its own, you’re dead wrong. Contrary to this belief, Agile is applicable in groups who share the same goals and are already on the same page about the project.
In case there’s a civil war going on in your coding squad, don’t rely on this tactic to bring peace.
5. Engineers Must Be Loyal to Holly Book of Agile to Meet in Heaven
Simply put, there is no agile bible and there’s no heaven for developers to come as a reward. Of course, being loyal to this approach will bring in better results and may help your team/company to change for the better. But that’s true only if you’re unanimously aimed for the same destination.
I’ll let J.K Rowling take the mic and emphasize the importance of synchronized goals in a team with two quotes.
“Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open.”
And “we are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.”
J.K Rowling
