The mobile app development market is a volatile place. What people want can change quickly. As someone interested in this world you need to be able to adapt to the needs of your target audience efficiently. The agile approach to software development can help you do just that.
What is the Agile Approach
The basic tenants of the agile approach are that the team will:
Value individuals and interactions over processes and tools
Provide working software over comprehensive documentation
Involve customer collaboration over contract negotiation
Respond to change over following a plan
With the agile development approach your business will focus more on responding to the needs of the client, and the teams involved rather than sticking with a strict set of goals that minimize the human element in app development. In a market where people will quickly lose interest if their needs aren’t being met, agility is an important attribute. Sticking to rigid goals may work in some environments, but it has been found that a more flexible approach is better suited to the world of software development. You can make a great product that is exactly what you envisioned, but if this doesn’t match what your customers are looking for then you run the risk of the product never becoming a success.
The Agile approach normally works in increments on relatively short timescales. This allows project teams to develop usable products within short time frames. By focusing on quality short term projects the development team can analyze how their products do in the open market at a more rapid pace and make changes accordingly in subsequent phases of project development.
How you can use Agile in app development
Mobile apps are pieces of software specifically designed to run on a smartphone or tablet type device. They usually offer access to a limited and specific function. Not everyone uses their mobile devices for the same purposes and apps provide a way to personalize your mobile device with the programs you find the most useful.
Agile development is a perfect approach for app design. Apps don’t generally need very robust programs and an experienced team will be able to roll out a usable prototype in a short period of time. As you learn how customers use your app it will be easier to make adjustments to fit their needs from there. Each iteration is intended to be a complete and usable product with room to grow. The team should also try to build on what they have to keep from having to reinvent the wheel. If something works, keep it. If something needs to go, drop it.
In this kind of development, specific tasks are assigned to the appropriate specialists. In that sense every part of a project is its own individual project which will then be pieced together to form the whole. Communication between project teams is vital for the success of projects when using this technique.
Some key components to include are:
Set up a schedule for when you want specific tasks done.
Focus on getting smaller projects done quickly and efficiently.
Include time for regular communication between project teams.
Benefits of the Agile approach in app development
Breaking projects down into smaller tasks and using the right teams to get the job done make for a more focused and comfortable work environment for those involved. Using the agile approach will allow teams to do what they do best and keep a steady flow of high quality products coming. If the process is implemented properly then the final product should be an app that meets clients expectations in a timely fashion. With skilled workers and clear communication your teams should enjoy high rates of productivity and job satisfaction when using this approach to develop apps.