What is Agile Methodology and How exactly it is implemented in companies

Agile methodology is a project management and software development approach that focuses on flexibility, collaboration, and customer feedback to deliver high-quality products efficiently. Instead of following a rigid, step-by-step process, Agile allows teams to adapt to changes and continuously improve their work.

Core Concepts of Agile:

  1. Iterative Development – Work is broken into small, manageable cycles (called sprints or iterations lasts for 2-3 weeks ) to allow for continuous improvement. Each quarter can have 4-5 sprints.

  2. Collaboration – Teams (dev, QA and BA/PO) work closely with customers, stakeholders, and each other to ensure alignment.

  3. Flexibility – Agile welcomes changing requirements, even late in development. It is not recommended though.

  4. Customer-Centric Approach – The goal is to deliver valuable, working products quickly and frequently.

Agile Frameworks:

Agile is an umbrella term that includes different frameworks, such as:

  • Scrum – Uses time-boxed sprints (1-4 weeks) with defined roles like Scrum Master and Product Owner.

  • Kanban – Visualizes work on a board to optimize workflow.

  • Lean – Focuses on eliminating waste and maximizing efficiency.

  • Extreme Programming (XP) – Encourages high-quality code through practices like pair programming and test-driven development (TDD).

  • SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) – Adapts Agile for large organizations.

Tools used in Agile:

Rally (CA Agile Central) – An enterprise-level Agile lifecycle management tool designed for large teams, supporting Scrum, Kanban, and SAFe with robust backlog management, sprint tracking, and reporting features.

2. JIRA – A widely used Agile project management tool by Atlassian, offering sprint planning, backlog management, customizable workflows, and extensive integrations for Agile and DevOps teams.

3. Azure DevOps (ADO) – A Microsoft tool that combines Agile project management with CI/CD capabilities, providing sprint planning, backlog tracking, work item management, and seamless integration with Azure services.