Jack be nimble. Jack be quick.
The traditional way to build software is comparable to an ordered checklist, referred to as “waterfall” development. In waterfall, the design, planning, programming, testing, and deployment stages all exist as concrete, sequential steps. A monolithic and pre-planned order of events begins and executes once specified software requirements are gathered.
Waterfall Development
Waterfall development works best in reliable, controlled environments and when building software with huge consequences in the case of failure. For example, think of software used in airport controller towers. Malfunctions or bugs in this software could put hundreds of lives in danger, thus a very meticulous, audited, and formal process of planning, building, and rigorous code testing is required.
But what if the situation is not as sterile or predictable? Not every client knows exactly what all their requirements are at the beginning of a project and you can’t always predict what features will add the most value to a project. Some software, like mobile apps used by thousands of people on multiple types of devices, works better when it can iterate quickly, respond to user feedback, and prepare for rapid growth.
Agile Development
The methodology best suited for quickly developing flexible, adaptive software is referred to, appropriately, as “Agile.” Used extensively by some major software providers like Google and Amazon, Agile encourages speed of development, flexibility, and responsiveness to changing client needs and runtime environments.
Software consultants who use Agile development strategies focus on building collaborative, self-regulating teams that work in conjunction with each other to holistically build software from the ground up. By focusing on the project as a whole, bugs are squashed earlier and the team can move forward with speed and agility.
Why Use Agile?
At Cuttlesoft, we use every tool and method we can to make development operations smoother, and more efficient. That means faster, more reliable releases and fewer headaches down the road. Agile techniques ensure that the development process is responsive to client needs and user demands. The software we employ is built to be updated easily and quickly, so adding new features is simple.
Whether an app is taking on thousands of users daily, adding on new features, or in need of some routine maintenance, Agile software is designed to be flexible and adaptive. Not all software development firms operate this way. Others use more traditional methods or variants of the “waterfall” methodology. These techniques aren’t wrong, they excel in some situations, but we believe that user-centric software should be accommodating to growth, changing needs, and new circumstances.
Alongside Agile, the Cuttlesoft team employs some modern development operation (DevOps) methodologies including continuous integration and continuous delivery in order to further ensure that development happens quickly and without hold-ups. In addition, the software we build lends itself to easier deployment, maintenance, and growth.
The end result? A software development process that can actually be described as enjoyable. Instead of worrying about whether or not a project will be completed on time or crawling with bugs, clients can focus on making sure that the app features, functionality, and design are exactly how they should be. Agile development goes beyond building software that works well. It produces the best version of an app or software program.
Interested in how Agile development and CI/CD can improve your project? Contact us.
