Distributed Agile Development: Things You Need To Know

Today, businesses are experiencing enormous success in fulfilling the rapidly changing customer needs by adopting the distributed Agile software development methodology, which offers an iterative approach in the software development process.

The two software development methodologies i.e. agile and distributed development can be integrated to deliver extreme benefits to the IT industry in terms of high-quality software production by utilizing optimized resources as compared to traditional development models.

Here are some Challenges faced by distributed software teams:

• Coordinating across time zones
• Collaborating among different development cultures
• Organising and scheduling meetings when both teams are online at the same time

These challenges can be solved using agile practices

What Is Agile Methodology?

Agile methodology is an iterative approach to manage software development projects using sprints work process and that focuses on continuous releases and incorporating customer feedback with every iteration.

The Agile approach embraces the continuous changes that occur in the development of technology-allowing distributed teams to segregate the long test phases, build, processes into smaller segments, delivering efficient software quickly and more frequently.

What Is Agile Distributed Teams?

An agile distributed team is a team that follows an agile methodology and is spread across two or more geographical locations. As such, the team lacks a common physical space and relies on digital technologies in order to run and facilitate the delivery process.

Why Agile Distributed Teams Are Beneficial For Your Business?

Managing a remote team comes with a lot of difficulties and hurdles regarding engagement and collaboration where managers have to constantly rethink their workplace strategy with the changing organizational culture. On the other hand, if applied in the right way the distributed teams will maximize productivity and growth. See how it does it.

• The distributed agile methodology permits us to work seamlessly with our client, exploring opportunities, and ensuring that the project met the requirements on time and budget.
• The distributed agile development provides cost optimization and the talent pool with the tools and advantages of agile development approaches.
• Distributed agile teams require consideration of aspects like work synchronisation, diligent control of deliverables, optimized communications, effective testing framework, and consistent quality assurance framework to ensure the success of distributed agile software development teams.
• Distributed agile teams also strive for continuous improvement in achieving better quality and output with optimal effort.
• Also, a distributed Agile team can bring business agility to the table and produce very robust software while working in a very competitive environment.

All in all, we can say that, if distributed agile system properly deployed then it provides extended talents, flexibility in timelines, lower costs, team and work scalability, and faster turnaround times.

Key Takeaways

• Instead of focusing on automation of the software development process, remote teams should have more focus on effective agile tools that proved to be the most effective ones.
• Agile process should be clear and precise. The goals to be achieved at each should be predefined and set to all the teams working globally.
• Make the best of Agile practices in software development and have quick execution and quick releases. Define and deliver tasks on a daily basis.
• The sprints should be short and realistic. Prepare a roadmap of all the work processes and defines a set of clear goals to be accomplished.

Agile and Remote at the same time? Yes, it’s possible!

Distributed agile software development teams are the new trends now.  A distributed team can be set up to work according to the Agile principles ensuring better effectiveness and adaptability to change. Both the developers and the managers enjoy the benefits of an organization where Agile methodology is followed.

If your team consisted of motivated professionals, then with the implementation of the Agile methodology, you will strengthen your position s a company capable of delivering a quality product within set timeframe and budget.

Tips For Distributed Teams Transforming Into Great Agile Teams

The agile methodology based on the principle of team collaboration, learning, planning, and seamless interaction. It is the new-age development model that provides effective collaboration between remote teams.

• Make use of the right set of tools and effective communication channels
• Have all team members physically work together at one location for a short period during the initial phase
• Let the team describes the ground rules needed to make themselves more effective and successful
• Spread your knowledge evenly across locations
• Enable team members to travel to another location for a certain period of time working side-by-side with remote colleagues

How We Do Agile At Classic Informatics?

Classic Informatics serves its clients across the world by setting its distributed agile teams in different countries-having development and sales team sitting at Gurgaon and Chandigarh office (India), and sales team at London (UK), Sydney (Australia).

Our team of engineers & agile specialists work collaboratively with each other and deliver real-time solutions via remote tools to our global clients.

Our Agile SCRUM certified teams divide the project into sprints with focussed and tangible process defining each cycle. This methodology delivers our clients with fast and efficient software development, accurate estimation of project costs, and feedback at all levels.

Our experts also use Agile Kanban that primarily focuses on a visualised and continuous workflow wherein we break the project down into several segments and prioritise them using a task board, reducing the wait-time. Work-in-process is usually limited in Agile Kanban methodology.

Last Word

In the end, all I would like to conclude is that agile is a great source for software development as it is capable of self-managing teams; visibility into a prioritized backlog, sprints based workflow. At Classic Informatics, we prefer scrum teams that provide high-speed software development with high quality.