Agile Processes and Modeling

Abstract

The new wave of agile and iterative processes, including Extreme Programming, the Unified Process, Scrum, and others represent the fruition of 30 years of investigation and encouragement to build software not according to the flawed “waterfall” model of three major phases of requirements → design → construct, but rather, in short (2-6 week) time boxed steps or iterations. In this keynote presentation, I summarize project research illustrating the failure of the “waterfall” and explore the motivation for iterative processes. Then I examine the key values of the Agile Manifesto: · Individuals and interactions over processes and tools · Working software over comprehensive documentation · Customer collaboration over contract negotiation · Responding to change over following a plan

This is followed by a summary of the key ideas in XP, Scrum, UP, and DSDM. The keynote closes with a look at the practice of agile modeling that includes low-fidelity modeling with a preference to using simple tools such as paper and whiteboards, modeling in pairs, and parallel model building.