Blog 5: September 26th

 Over the summer as an intern at Bank of America, I got a pretty good insight of how effective Agile practices can be. I have some high-level understanding of what Waterfall model is, and as Liz Lockhart, PMP and Agile Leader has stated it is "The waterfall project management method is a linear, step-by-step approach that's ideal for projects with a clear scope and predictable timeline. It involves rigorous planning upfront to ensure that the project stays on track, with progress tracked closely and issues addressed promptly." As we know, technology is changing and fast paced which is why waterfall model is outdated and cannot keep up with the changing requirements that is required. On the other hand, one of manifestos of Agile methodology is "Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer’s competitive advantage." From my personal experience, working with a big company I have seen how effective, but I am confident that it would be as effective even in small companies because agile methodology prioritizes the user's satisfaction and that means delivering high quality product in timely manner as people can be not as patient. 

The principles are all logical and reasonable, the only one I saw an issue with is manifesto #6. The manifesto states "The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation." At small scale company it might be different, but working with a big company I realized not all teammates might be in the same location. Some are off-shore meaning they work overseas, and some might be across the country so it is difficult to have face-to-face conversation in today's setting. After Covid, a lot of the companies have transitioned over to either fully remote or hybrid, so a lot of the employees don't even come to the physical office location anymore.

Another value that could be added is focusing on the overall health and well-being of the workers. Being overworked and stressed all the time leads to being burnt out, and productivity levels might go down. A lot of companies have started to implement strategies to help reduce the risk of burn out by increasing paid time-off (PTO), and doing hybrid or even fully remote. I know some companies give wellness stipend to their workers to spend for the gym, clothes, food and just to boost their overall health. Implementing a value along agile manifesto would help boost productivity goal.

Because the project that we are working on is actively used by students, we will be able to get feedback pretty quick and be able to re-evaluate and actively resolve issues. We will be able to re-assess and do our best to come up with solutions that will best fit the fast-changing environment. One of the values of agile model is reiteration and being able to deliver something as often as possible which means that both the business and developer people have to constantly communicate with one another and re-evaluate what is working and what isn't working. If we put agile practice into use in our class we will not only become better developers, but we will be able to hone our soft skills along the way. 

Using agile methodology would help me become a better developer and a better team player. Because the model prioritizes people over tools, I will be able to communicate and ask for help instead of having to solely rely on documentation and tools that are available online. From our previous assignments, I have learned that there is a pretty big community for both Runestone Academy and pretex, so when I am stuck on something and need clarification I can write in one of the communication channel and seek assistance. I found an article by Forbes where they do a comparative analysis on Agile and Waterfall models, and have pros and cons list. Agile and Waterfall are two different project management methodologies, each with its own advantages and disadvantages (Forbes, 2023), and being able to see how most companies used to operate versus how they operate know lets one appreciate the importance of agile manifesto and the values that they focus on.

References:\

Forbes. (2023, September 25). Agile vs. Waterfall Methodology. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/agile-vs-waterfall-methodology/