UO

Week 6 Notes

Agile Methodology

  • Agile is a project management framework that breaks projects into dynamic phases called sprints.

  • Iterative Process: Teams reflect after each sprint to improve future work.

  • Widely Used: 80% of new software development follows Agile.

  • Sprint Concept: A sprint is a 2-3 week work cycle.

SDLC vs Agile:

  • SDLC follows a structured plan-analyze-develop-test-maintain approach.

  • Agile delivers a usable product faster with less documentation but requires continuous stakeholder involvement.

Triple Constraints in Project Management:

  • Budget (Cost)

  • Time

  • Scope

  • A change in one affects the other two.

2. Sprint Planning

  • Definition: A Scrum event that defines what will be delivered and how.

  • Team Composition:

    • 5-7 members including:

      • Product Owner (defines direction, manages backlog)

      • Scrum Master

      • Analysts, Developers, Testers

  • Process:

    • Define Sprint Goal

    • Plan the work to be done

    • Agree on deliverables

  • Sprint Backlog: A list of work items planned for the sprint.

Sprint Planning Steps:

  1. The What: Product Owner defines sprint goal and backlog items.

  2. The How: Development team decides how to achieve the goal.

  3. The Who: Product Owner, Development Team, System Analyst.

  4. Inputs: Product backlog, work done in previous sprints.

  5. Outputs: Sprint backlog with well-defined tasks.

Sprint Planning Techniques:

  • Planning Poker: A method to estimate work effort collaboratively.

  • Backlog Grooming: Prioritizing, splitting large tasks, and removing outdated stories.

  • Prioritization: Based on value, not cost.

3. User Stories

  • Definition: A short, simple explanation of a software feature from the end user’s perspective.

  • Format:

    • "As a (persona), I want (an action) so that (a benefit)"

  • Purpose:

    • Helps developers understand user needs without technical jargon.

    • Provides value-driven requirements.

  • Acceptance Criteria:

    • Defines when a user story is "done".

    • Provides a checklist for developers and testers.

Benefits of User Stories:

  • Focuses on the user.

  • Encourages collaboration.

  • Drives innovation and creative solutions.