Has Agile software development run its course? If it has, what’s at the next level?
There have been organizational issues arising in Agile implementations (actually manifested as Scrum or Extreme Programming). “Agile calls for self-organizing teams, but there remains no clear understanding of how best to self-organize,” says Jason. He cites the walls Agile has run up against in practice within enterprises:
Difficulty in promoting business participation: There has long been a reluctance on the part of business stakeholders to get immersed in the process. Perhaps there’s a continuing perception that software development is outside the scope of day-to-day responsibilities, or isn’t a part of formal job descriptions. “Stakeholders have always resisted this participation, and when they do join the Agile team, they struggle with their role,” Jason says.
Lack of focus on software architecture: Agile engagements tend to occur as “one-off software projects as opposed to building reusable code,” he observes. While there has been plenty of talk in recent years about the “industrialization” of software, much of the work still tends to be artisan in nature.
Silos: Yes, Agile is supposed to open up the development process, but it may have had the opposite effect. Many Agile projects have tended to reinforce the notion “that the software development team is a self-contained group, as opposed to participants in a broader collaborative effort.”
Read the entire article at http://www.zdnet.com/article/agile-computing-in-search-of-the-next-level/
