Why choose agile software development

Embarking on a software project can be daunting; if you’re new to development, or working with an agency for the first time, it’s difficult to know what to expect. Amongst the jargon you may have encountered so far, two terms will determine the experience you have: waterfall and agile.

The waterfall model is a traditional approach to development, where every stage and deliverable is mapped out, along with a fixed quote and timeline for completion.

However, another approach – programming in one or two-week sprints – has taken prominence in recent years. It’s known as agile software development. The deadline is still fixed, but only high-level requirements are set, and the brief is refined along the way.

It’s our preferred methodology at Webantic. Let us explain why:

A culture of change

Agile is born out of recognition that no project is set in stone. Goal posts move, stumbling blocks arise, and reacting to these can be difficult if you’re working to a restrictive brief, like that synonymous with waterfall methodology.

The only certainty in life is change; agile embraces this by taking one step at a time. At the end of each sprint, we sit down with our clients for a demo, allowing for feedback and discussion on what to tackle next.

It sidesteps the painful process of change control procedures every time a tweak to the brief is required. Instead, you have the flexibility to test, measure and refine in stages, harnessing change for a better outcome.

Risk management

It’s nearly impossible to make an informed decision about an end product at the very beginning of a project. You can identify customer needs, possible features and consider the user journey, but the rest is essentially armchair logic until you have a minimum viable product.

For this reason, there’s a greater element of risk involved in the waterfall model – it doesn’t factor in knowledge, insights and feedback gained during the development process, which could cost you in the long run.

Agile eliminates this risk by giving you and your stakeholders visibility at each stage of the project. It allows for crucial feedback and, as a result, informed decisions that ensure you optimise the final product.

Financial control

The beauty of agile is that you are simply paying for the developers’ time. So while you might not receive a fixed price for the software build, you don’t have to worry about extra costs should the brief evolve along the way.

This also allows for flexible payments. Instead of paying upfront for something that you might have to wait months to be delivered, you can choose incremental payments at the end of each sprint. It gives you control over your finances and, ultimately, the direction of the project.

Comprehensive tech specifications are time-consuming and costly to write, and are likely to change anyway. Reputable agencies using the agile model should be able to provide an estimate for the work, without going through this process. Agile development may sound disconcerting at first, but it’s a sensible way of approaching a software project that will inevitably face any given number of unknown factors. By working with developers – like us – who embrace this methodology, you will have the flexibility to shape your project as it evolves, and confidence that the end product will be fit for purpose.

Want to learn more about our process? Contact Webantic on 0161 408 1276 to take the first step on the sprint to cutting-edge software.