agile-tooling

Agile Tooling

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Agile Tooling refers to a suite of software tools and technologies designed to support Agile methodologies by facilitating collaboration, project management, automated testing, continuous integration, and transparent communication. These tools enhance efficiency, adaptability, and visibility within software development processes while promoting iterative value delivery and cross-functional teamwork. Researched

Agile Tooling Overview:

  • Definition: Agile tooling encompasses a comprehensive set of software tools and technologies specifically tailored to support Agile methodologies within the context of software development projects.
  • Objectives: The primary objectives of Agile tooling are to facilitate collaboration, ensure transparency, and promote continuous integration within Agile workflows. These tools play a crucial role in optimizing project management, tracking progress, and adapting to evolving requirements with efficiency.

Key Functions and Features:

  • Project Management Tools:
    • Agile-specific project management tools such as Jira, Trello, and Asana are instrumental in enabling Agile teams to create, organize, and manage user stories, tasks, and sprints effectively.
    • These tools offer a wide array of features including visual boards, backlogs, and customizable dashboards that empower teams in planning, tracking, and reporting their progress.
  • Version Control Systems:
    • Tools like Git and Subversion are essential for version control, allowing teams to meticulously track changes in code and efficiently manage collaboration among developers.
    • These version control systems facilitate concurrent work on the same codebase, enable seamless merging of changes, and maintain a comprehensive history of code revisions.
  • Automated Testing Frameworks:
    • Testing tools such as Selenium and JUnit play a pivotal role in supporting automated testing practices. They are instrumental in ensuring the quality of code and reducing the manual testing efforts required.
    • Continuous integration pipelines can be seamlessly set up to automatically initiate testing procedures whenever there are code changes, leading to enhanced code quality and reliability.
  • Continuous Integration/Delivery Platforms:
    • Continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) platforms like Jenkins, Travis CI, and CircleCI are indispensable in automating various aspects of the software development pipeline.
    • These platforms streamline the build, test, and deployment processes, enabling teams to achieve frequent and dependable releases. They seamlessly integrate with version control systems, triggering builds and tests automatically upon code changes.
  • Communication and Collaboration Tools:
    • Communication platforms such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Discord provide a real-time communication hub for team members. They facilitate instant communication, file sharing, and quick decision-making.
    • These collaboration tools significantly enhance teamwork, enabling teams to share information effortlessly and engage in discussions, leading to more efficient workflows.
  • Visualization and Reporting Tools:
    • Data visualization tools such as Tableau and Power BI offer teams the ability to monitor project progress and identify potential bottlenecks through graphical representations.
    • Reporting features in these tools provide valuable insights into sprint performance, burndown charts, team velocity, and other key metrics, aiding in informed decision-making.

Benefits and Advantages:

  • Enhanced Collaboration:
    • Agile tooling fosters enhanced collaboration among cross-functional teams. It breaks down organizational silos and promotes a sense of collective ownership among team members, leading to increased productivity and creativity.
  • Transparency and Visibility:
    • These tools provide real-time visibility into project status. This transparency empowers stakeholders to track progress, identify potential roadblocks, and make informed decisions promptly, ultimately leading to successful project outcomes.
  • Adaptability and Flexibility:
    • Agile tooling supports iterative development approaches, allowing teams to seamlessly adapt to evolving requirements. It encourages the delivery of incremental value, ensuring that the project remains responsive to changing needs.
  • Efficient Workflow:
    • Automation of critical tasks, such as testing, building, and deployment, streamlines the development process, reducing manual overhead and enabling teams to focus on creative and high-value activities.
  • Data-Driven Decisions:
    • Agile tools provide data and metrics that empower teams to analyze performance comprehensively. This data-driven approach helps teams make informed decisions, identify areas for improvement, and continuously enhance their practices.

Key conclusions regarding Agile Tooling:

  • Enabler of Agile Practices: Agile tooling plays a critical role in supporting and enabling Agile methodologies within software development. These tools are specifically designed to facilitate Agile principles, such as collaboration, transparency, and continuous integration.
  • Efficiency and Productivity: Agile tools streamline project management, development, and testing processes, resulting in increased efficiency and productivity. By automating tasks and providing real-time visibility, they enable teams to work more effectively and make the most of their resources.
  • Flexibility and Adaptability: Agile tooling is inherently flexible, allowing teams to adapt to changing requirements and evolving project dynamics. This adaptability is essential in Agile development, where responsiveness to customer feedback and changing priorities is paramount.
  • Data-Driven Decision-Making: These tools provide valuable data and metrics that empower teams to make informed decisions. By analyzing performance metrics, teams can identify bottlenecks, track progress, and continuously improve their practices.
  • Enhanced Collaboration: Agile tools foster collaboration among team members, breaking down silos and promoting collective ownership. Communication and collaboration platforms ensure that team members stay connected and share information seamlessly.
  • Transparency and Visibility: Agile tooling enhances transparency and visibility into project status. This transparency allows stakeholders to track progress, identify issues, and make timely decisions to keep projects on track.
  • Continuous Improvement: The commitment to continuous improvement is a core aspect of Agile development, and Agile tools support this by providing insights into performance and facilitating retrospective analysis. Teams can identify areas for improvement and refine their processes over time.

Related Frameworks, Models, or ConceptsDescriptionWhen to Apply
Agile Tooling– Agile Tooling encompasses the software tools and technologies that support Agile methodologies and practices, enabling teams to collaborate, plan, track, and deliver value more effectively. Agile tooling ranges from project management platforms and version control systems to continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines and automated testing frameworks. The primary goal of Agile tooling is to streamline workflow, increase transparency, and facilitate communication among team members, stakeholders, and customers. By leveraging Agile tooling, organizations can enhance productivity, quality, and innovation while adapting to changing market demands and customer needs.– When adopting Agile methodologies such as Scrum, Kanban, or DevOps, or scaling Agile practices across multiple teams or departments within an organization. – Applicable in industries such as software development, product management, and IT operations to improve collaboration, efficiency, and delivery speed through Agile-based tooling solutions.
Scrum Tools– Scrum Tools are software applications designed to support Scrum teams in planning, executing, and monitoring their work throughout the Sprint cycle. Scrum tools typically include features such as backlog management, sprint planning, task tracking, burndown charts, and retrospective facilitation. Examples of Scrum tools include Jira Software, Azure DevOps, and Rally (formerly CA Agile Central). Scrum tools help teams visualize work, manage dependencies, and communicate progress transparently, enabling them to deliver value incrementally and adapt to changing priorities effectively.– When implementing Scrum methodologies in software development projects, product management initiatives, or cross-functional teams seeking to improve collaboration and productivity. – Applicable in industries such as technology, marketing, and healthcare to streamline Scrum-based processes and enhance project delivery through dedicated Scrum tooling solutions.
Kanban Tools– Kanban Tools are software platforms designed to visualize workflow, manage work items, and optimize process efficiency using Kanban principles. Kanban tools typically feature customizable Kanban boards, swimlanes, WIP limits, cycle time metrics, and cumulative flow diagrams. Examples of Kanban tools include Trello, Kanbanize, and LeanKit. Kanban tools enable teams to visualize work in progress, identify bottlenecks, and improve flow through continuous feedback and iterative improvement cycles. By using Kanban tools, organizations can increase productivity, reduce lead times, and enhance collaboration across distributed teams.– When implementing Kanban methodologies in knowledge work environments, service-oriented businesses, or operational teams seeking to improve workflow efficiency and throughput. – Applicable in industries such as project management, manufacturing, and customer support to visualize and optimize work processes using dedicated Kanban tooling solutions.
CI/CD Pipelines– Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) Pipelines are automation workflows that enable teams to build, test, and deploy software changes rapidly and reliably. CI/CD pipelines automate key development tasks such as code compilation, unit testing, code analysis, artifact packaging, and deployment to production environments. CI/CD tools such as Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, and CircleCI orchestrate the execution of CI/CD pipelines, providing visibility into the software delivery process and enabling teams to detect and address issues early in the development lifecycle. CI/CD pipelines promote Agile principles such as iterative development, automated testing, and frequent delivery, allowing organizations to release software updates with greater speed, stability, and confidence.– When adopting Agile and DevOps practices to accelerate software delivery, improve quality, and reduce time to market for digital products and services. – Applicable in industries such as software development, cloud computing, and e-commerce to automate CI/CD processes and achieve continuous integration, delivery, and deployment through robust CI/CD tooling solutions.
Version Control Systems– Version Control Systems (VCS) are software tools that enable teams to manage changes to source code, documentation, and other project artifacts collaboratively. VCS platforms provide features such as revision history, branching, merging, conflict resolution, and code review, facilitating collaboration among developers and ensuring the integrity and traceability of project assets over time. Examples of VCS include Git, Subversion, and Mercurial. Version control systems play a crucial role in Agile software development by enabling teams to work concurrently on shared codebases, track changes, and maintain a single source of truth for project artifacts.– When developing software applications, writing documentation, or managing digital assets in Agile environments where multiple contributors collaborate on shared repositories. – Applicable in industries such as software engineering, technical writing, and content management to maintain version control and ensure collaboration and traceability using dedicated VCS tooling solutions.
Agile Test Management Tools– Agile Test Management Tools are software applications that support Agile testing practices, including test planning, execution, tracking, and reporting. Agile test management tools integrate with Agile project management platforms to align testing activities with development activities and ensure comprehensive test coverage throughout the software delivery lifecycle. Examples of Agile test management tools include TestRail, Zephyr, and PractiTest. Agile test management tools enable teams to create test plans, define test cases, execute tests, capture defects, and generate test reports, facilitating collaboration between testers, developers, and product owners.– When implementing Agile testing methodologies such as Test-Driven Development (TDD), Behavior-Driven Development (BDD), or Exploratory Testing in Agile projects or Scrum teams. – Applicable in industries such as software quality assurance, compliance testing, and regulatory validation to manage testing activities efficiently and ensure software quality using dedicated Agile test management tooling solutions.
Agile Requirements Management Tools– Agile Requirements Management Tools are software platforms that facilitate the capture, analysis, and validation of requirements in Agile projects and product development initiatives. Agile requirements management tools enable stakeholders to collaborate on requirements gathering, prioritize user stories, and define acceptance criteria in alignment with business goals and customer needs. Examples of Agile requirements management tools include Jira Align, Targetprocess, and Jama Connect. Agile requirements management tools promote transparency, traceability, and stakeholder engagement by providing a centralized repository for managing user stories, epics, features, and dependencies across Agile teams.– When eliciting, documenting, and managing requirements in Agile projects using methodologies such as User Stories, Use Cases, or Story Mapping to ensure that product features meet customer expectations and deliver value. – Applicable in industries such as product management, software development, and system engineering to capture and prioritize requirements effectively using dedicated Agile requirements management tooling solutions.
Agile Collaboration Tools– Agile Collaboration Tools are software applications that facilitate communication, coordination, and collaboration among Agile teams, stakeholders, and customers. Agile collaboration tools support virtual collaboration through features such as chat messaging, video conferencing, screen sharing, and document sharing, enabling distributed teams to work seamlessly across geographical locations and time zones. Examples of Agile collaboration tools include Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom. Agile collaboration tools enhance transparency, engagement, and productivity by providing a digital workspace where team members can communicate, share knowledge, and coordinate activities in real time.– When managing remote or distributed Agile teams, fostering cross-functional collaboration, or facilitating virtual meetings, workshops, or Agile ceremonies such as Daily Standups, Sprint Reviews, and Retrospectives. – Applicable in industries such as technology, consulting, and education to promote teamwork, innovation, and knowledge sharing using dedicated Agile collaboration tooling solutions.
Agile Visualization Tools– Agile Visualization Tools are software platforms that enable teams to visualize work, track progress, and share insights using visual representations such as charts, graphs, diagrams, and dashboards. Agile visualization tools transform complex data into intuitive visuals that help teams understand patterns, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions in Agile projects and initiatives. Examples of Agile visualization tools include Tableau, Power BI, and Google Data Studio. Agile visualization tools support Agile principles such as transparency, inspection, and adaptation by providing stakeholders with real-time visibility into project metrics, KPIs, and performance indicators.– When monitoring project progress, analyzing team performance, or presenting Agile metrics and insights to stakeholders, leadership, or customers in an easily digestible format. – Applicable in industries such as business intelligence, analytics, and data-driven decision-making to visualize and communicate Agile project data effectively using dedicated Agile visualization tooling solutions.
Agile Documentation Tools– Agile Documentation Tools are software applications that assist Agile teams in creating, sharing, and managing project documentation, knowledge artifacts, and technical documentation throughout the development lifecycle. Agile documentation tools support Agile practices such as Just-In-Time (JIT) documentation, Living Documentation, and Documentation as Code (DocOps), enabling teams to capture and communicate relevant information in a timely and context-driven manner. Examples of Agile documentation tools include Confluence, GitHub Wiki, and ReadTheDocs. Agile documentation tools promote collaboration, transparency, and knowledge sharing by providing a centralized repository for storing, accessing, and updating project documentation in alignment with Agile values and principles.– When documenting Agile artifacts such as user stories, acceptance criteria, design decisions, or architectural diagrams, or maintaining project documentation in Agile projects or Scrum teams. – Applicable in industries such as software development, technical writing, and compliance management to streamline documentation processes and enhance knowledge sharing using dedicated Agile documentation tooling solutions.
Agile Feedback and Retrospective Tools– Agile Feedback and Retrospective Tools are software platforms that facilitate retrospective meetings, gather feedback, and capture improvement actions from Agile teams, stakeholders, and customers. Agile feedback and retrospective tools support Agile ceremonies such as Sprint Retrospectives, Product Demos, and Customer Feedback Sessions, enabling teams to reflect on their performance, identify areas for improvement, and implement actionable changes iteratively. Examples of Agile feedback and retrospective tools include FunRetro, Retrium, and Geekbot. Agile feedback and retrospective tools foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and collaboration by providing structured frameworks for sharing feedback, discussing issues, and prioritizing action items in Agile projects and initiatives.– When conducting retrospective meetings, gathering feedback from stakeholders, or fostering a culture of continuous improvement and learning in Agile teams, departments, or organizations. – Applicable in industries such as Agile coaching, organizational development, and change management to facilitate feedback loops and promote team effectiveness using dedicated Agile feedback and retrospective tooling solutions.

Connected Agile & Lean Frameworks

AIOps

aiops
AIOps is the application of artificial intelligence to IT operations. It has become particularly useful for modern IT management in hybridized, distributed, and dynamic environments. AIOps has become a key operational component of modern digital-based organizations, built around software and algorithms.

AgileSHIFT

AgileSHIFT
AgileSHIFT is a framework that prepares individuals for transformational change by creating a culture of agility.

Agile Methodology

agile-methodology
Agile started as a lightweight development method compared to heavyweight software development, which is the core paradigm of the previous decades of software development. By 2001 the Manifesto for Agile Software Development was born as a set of principles that defined the new paradigm for software development as a continuous iteration. This would also influence the way of doing business.

Agile Program Management

agile-program-management
Agile Program Management is a means of managing, planning, and coordinating interrelated work in such a way that value delivery is emphasized for all key stakeholders. Agile Program Management (AgilePgM) is a disciplined yet flexible agile approach to managing transformational change within an organization.

Agile Project Management

agile-project-management
Agile project management (APM) is a strategy that breaks large projects into smaller, more manageable tasks. In the APM methodology, each project is completed in small sections – often referred to as iterations. Each iteration is completed according to its project life cycle, beginning with the initial design and progressing to testing and then quality assurance.

Agile Modeling

agile-modeling
Agile Modeling (AM) is a methodology for modeling and documenting software-based systems. Agile Modeling is critical to the rapid and continuous delivery of software. It is a collection of values, principles, and practices that guide effective, lightweight software modeling.

Agile Business Analysis

agile-business-analysis
Agile Business Analysis (AgileBA) is certification in the form of guidance and training for business analysts seeking to work in agile environments. To support this shift, AgileBA also helps the business analyst relate Agile projects to a wider organizational mission or strategy. To ensure that analysts have the necessary skills and expertise, AgileBA certification was developed.

Agile Leadership

agile-leadership
Agile leadership is the embodiment of agile manifesto principles by a manager or management team. Agile leadership impacts two important levels of a business. The structural level defines the roles, responsibilities, and key performance indicators. The behavioral level describes the actions leaders exhibit to others based on agile principles. 

Andon System

andon-system
The andon system alerts managerial, maintenance, or other staff of a production process problem. The alert itself can be activated manually with a button or pull cord, but it can also be activated automatically by production equipment. Most Andon boards utilize three colored lights similar to a traffic signal: green (no errors), yellow or amber (problem identified, or quality check needed), and red (production stopped due to unidentified issue).

Bimodal Portfolio Management

bimodal-portfolio-management
Bimodal Portfolio Management (BimodalPfM) helps an organization manage both agile and traditional portfolios concurrently. Bimodal Portfolio Management – sometimes referred to as bimodal development – was coined by research and advisory company Gartner. The firm argued that many agile organizations still needed to run some aspects of their operations using traditional delivery models.

Business Innovation Matrix

business-innovation
Business innovation is about creating new opportunities for an organization to reinvent its core offerings, revenue streams, and enhance the value proposition for existing or new customers, thus renewing its whole business model. Business innovation springs by understanding the structure of the market, thus adapting or anticipating those changes.

Business Model Innovation

business-model-innovation
Business model innovation is about increasing the success of an organization with existing products and technologies by crafting a compelling value proposition able to propel a new business model to scale up customers and create a lasting competitive advantage. And it all starts by mastering the key customers.

Constructive Disruption

constructive-disruption
A consumer brand company like Procter & Gamble (P&G) defines “Constructive Disruption” as: a willingness to change, adapt, and create new trends and technologies that will shape our industry for the future. According to P&G, it moves around four pillars: lean innovation, brand building, supply chain, and digitalization & data analytics.

Continuous Innovation

continuous-innovation
That is a process that requires a continuous feedback loop to develop a valuable product and build a viable business model. Continuous innovation is a mindset where products and services are designed and delivered to tune them around the customers’ problem and not the technical solution of its founders.

Design Sprint

design-sprint
A design sprint is a proven five-day process where critical business questions are answered through speedy design and prototyping, focusing on the end-user. A design sprint starts with a weekly challenge that should finish with a prototype, test at the end, and therefore a lesson learned to be iterated.

Design Thinking

design-thinking
Tim Brown, Executive Chair of IDEO, defined design thinking as “a human-centered approach to innovation that draws from the designer’s toolkit to integrate the needs of people, the possibilities of technology, and the requirements for business success.” Therefore, desirability, feasibility, and viability are balanced to solve critical problems.

DevOps

devops-engineering
DevOps refers to a series of practices performed to perform automated software development processes. It is a conjugation of the term “development” and “operations” to emphasize how functions integrate across IT teams. DevOps strategies promote seamless building, testing, and deployment of products. It aims to bridge a gap between development and operations teams to streamline the development altogether.

Dual Track Agile

dual-track-agile
Product discovery is a critical part of agile methodologies, as its aim is to ensure that products customers love are built. Product discovery involves learning through a raft of methods, including design thinking, lean start-up, and A/B testing to name a few. Dual Track Agile is an agile methodology containing two separate tracks: the “discovery” track and the “delivery” track.

eXtreme Programming

extreme-programming
eXtreme Programming was developed in the late 1990s by Ken Beck, Ron Jeffries, and Ward Cunningham. During this time, the trio was working on the Chrysler Comprehensive Compensation System (C3) to help manage the company payroll system. eXtreme Programming (XP) is a software development methodology. It is designed to improve software quality and the ability of software to adapt to changing customer needs.

Feature-Driven Development

feature-driven-development
Feature-Driven Development is a pragmatic software process that is client and architecture-centric. Feature-Driven Development (FDD) is an agile software development model that organizes workflow according to which features need to be developed next.

Gemba Walk

gemba-walk
A Gemba Walk is a fundamental component of lean management. It describes the personal observation of work to learn more about it. Gemba is a Japanese word that loosely translates as “the real place”, or in business, “the place where value is created”. The Gemba Walk as a concept was created by Taiichi Ohno, the father of the Toyota Production System of lean manufacturing. Ohno wanted to encourage management executives to leave their offices and see where the real work happened. This, he hoped, would build relationships between employees with vastly different skillsets and build trust.

GIST Planning

gist-planning
GIST Planning is a relatively easy and lightweight agile approach to product planning that favors autonomous working. GIST Planning is a lean and agile methodology that was created by former Google product manager Itamar Gilad. GIST Planning seeks to address this situation by creating lightweight plans that are responsive and adaptable to change. GIST Planning also improves team velocity, autonomy, and alignment by reducing the pervasive influence of management. It consists of four blocks: goals, ideas, step-projects, and tasks.

ICE Scoring

ice-scoring-model
The ICE Scoring Model is an agile methodology that prioritizes features using data according to three components: impact, confidence, and ease of implementation. The ICE Scoring Model was initially created by author and growth expert Sean Ellis to help companies expand. Today, the model is broadly used to prioritize projects, features, initiatives, and rollouts. It is ideally suited for early-stage product development where there is a continuous flow of ideas and momentum must be maintained.

Innovation Funnel

innovation-funnel
An innovation funnel is a tool or process ensuring only the best ideas are executed. In a metaphorical sense, the funnel screens innovative ideas for viability so that only the best products, processes, or business models are launched to the market. An innovation funnel provides a framework for the screening and testing of innovative ideas for viability.

Innovation Matrix

types-of-innovation
According to how well defined is the problem and how well defined the domain, we have four main types of innovations: basic research (problem and domain or not well defined); breakthrough innovation (domain is not well defined, the problem is well defined); sustaining innovation (both problem and domain are well defined); and disruptive innovation (domain is well defined, the problem is not well defined).

Innovation Theory

innovation-theory
The innovation loop is a methodology/framework derived from the Bell Labs, which produced innovation at scale throughout the 20th century. They learned how to leverage a hybrid innovation management model based on science, invention, engineering, and manufacturing at scale. By leveraging individual genius, creativity, and small/large groups.

Lean vs. Agile

lean-methodology-vs-agile
The Agile methodology has been primarily thought of for software development (and other business disciplines have also adopted it). Lean thinking is a process improvement technique where teams prioritize the value streams to improve it continuously. Both methodologies look at the customer as the key driver to improvement and waste reduction. Both methodologies look at improvement as something continuous.

Lean Startup

startup-company
A startup company is a high-tech business that tries to build a scalable business model in tech-driven industries. A startup company usually follows a lean methodology, where continuous innovation, driven by built-in viral loops is the rule. Thus, driving growth and building network effects as a consequence of this strategy.

Minimum Viable Product

minimum-viable-product
As pointed out by Eric Ries, a minimum viable product is that version of a new product which allows a team to collect the maximum amount of validated learning about customers with the least effort through a cycle of build, measure, learn; that is the foundation of the lean startup methodology.

Leaner MVP

leaner-mvp
A leaner MVP is the evolution of the MPV approach. Where the market risk is validated before anything else

Kanban

kanban
Kanban is a lean manufacturing framework first developed by Toyota in the late 1940s. The Kanban framework is a means of visualizing work as it moves through identifying potential bottlenecks. It does that through a process called just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing to optimize engineering processes, speed up manufacturing products, and improve the go-to-market strategy.

Jidoka

jidoka
Jidoka was first used in 1896 by Sakichi Toyoda, who invented a textile loom that would stop automatically when it encountered a defective thread. Jidoka is a Japanese term used in lean manufacturing. The term describes a scenario where machines cease operating without human intervention when a problem or defect is discovered.

PDCA Cycle

pdca-cycle
The PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle was first proposed by American physicist and engineer Walter A. Shewhart in the 1920s. The PDCA cycle is a continuous process and product improvement method and an essential component of the lean manufacturing philosophy.

Rational Unified Process

rational-unified-process
Rational unified process (RUP) is an agile software development methodology that breaks the project life cycle down into four distinct phases.

Rapid Application Development

rapid-application-development
RAD was first introduced by author and consultant James Martin in 1991. Martin recognized and then took advantage of the endless malleability of software in designing development models. Rapid Application Development (RAD) is a methodology focusing on delivering rapidly through continuous feedback and frequent iterations.

Retrospective Analysis

retrospective-analysis
Retrospective analyses are held after a project to determine what worked well and what did not. They are also conducted at the end of an iteration in Agile project management. Agile practitioners call these meetings retrospectives or retros. They are an effective way to check the pulse of a project team, reflect on the work performed to date, and reach a consensus on how to tackle the next sprint cycle. These are the five stages of a retrospective analysis for effective Agile project management: set the stage, gather the data, generate insights, decide on the next steps, and close the retrospective.

Scaled Agile

scaled-agile-lean-development
Scaled Agile Lean Development (ScALeD) helps businesses discover a balanced approach to agile transition and scaling questions. The ScALed approach helps businesses successfully respond to change. Inspired by a combination of lean and agile values, ScALed is practitioner-based and can be completed through various agile frameworks and practices.

SMED

smed
The SMED (single minute exchange of die) method is a lean production framework to reduce waste and increase production efficiency. The SMED method is a framework for reducing the time associated with completing an equipment changeover.

Spotify Model

spotify-model
The Spotify Model is an autonomous approach to scaling agile, focusing on culture communication, accountability, and quality. The Spotify model was first recognized in 2012 after Henrik Kniberg, and Anders Ivarsson released a white paper detailing how streaming company Spotify approached agility. Therefore, the Spotify model represents an evolution of agile.

Test-Driven Development

test-driven-development
As the name suggests, TDD is a test-driven technique for delivering high-quality software rapidly and sustainably. It is an iterative approach based on the idea that a failing test should be written before any code for a feature or function is written. Test-Driven Development (TDD) is an approach to software development that relies on very short development cycles.

Timeboxing

timeboxing
Timeboxing is a simple yet powerful time-management technique for improving productivity. Timeboxing describes the process of proactively scheduling a block of time to spend on a task in the future. It was first described by author James Martin in a book about agile software development.

Scrum

what-is-scrum
Scrum is a methodology co-created by Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland for effective team collaboration on complex products. Scrum was primarily thought for software development projects to deliver new software capability every 2-4 weeks. It is a sub-group of agile also used in project management to improve startups’ productivity.

Scrumban

scrumban
Scrumban is a project management framework that is a hybrid of two popular agile methodologies: Scrum and Kanban. Scrumban is a popular approach to helping businesses focus on the right strategic tasks while simultaneously strengthening their processes.

Scrum Anti-Patterns

scrum-anti-patterns
Scrum anti-patterns describe any attractive, easy-to-implement solution that ultimately makes a problem worse. Therefore, these are the practice not to follow to prevent issues from emerging. Some classic examples of scrum anti-patterns comprise absent product owners, pre-assigned tickets (making individuals work in isolation), and discounting retrospectives (where review meetings are not useful to really make improvements).

Scrum At Scale

scrum-at-scale
Scrum at Scale (Scrum@Scale) is a framework that Scrum teams use to address complex problems and deliver high-value products. Scrum at Scale was created through a joint venture between the Scrum Alliance and Scrum Inc. The joint venture was overseen by Jeff Sutherland, a co-creator of Scrum and one of the principal authors of the Agile Manifesto.

Six Sigma

six-sigma
Six Sigma is a data-driven approach and methodology for eliminating errors or defects in a product, service, or process. Six Sigma was developed by Motorola as a management approach based on quality fundamentals in the early 1980s. A decade later, it was popularized by General Electric who estimated that the methodology saved them $12 billion in the first five years of operation.

Stretch Objectives

stretch-objectives
Stretch objectives describe any task an agile team plans to complete without expressly committing to do so. Teams incorporate stretch objectives during a Sprint or Program Increment (PI) as part of Scaled Agile. They are used when the agile team is unsure of its capacity to attain an objective. Therefore, stretch objectives are instead outcomes that, while extremely desirable, are not the difference between the success or failure of each sprint.

Toyota Production System

toyota-production-system
The Toyota Production System (TPS) is an early form of lean manufacturing created by auto-manufacturer Toyota. Created by the Toyota Motor Corporation in the 1940s and 50s, the Toyota Production System seeks to manufacture vehicles ordered by customers most quickly and efficiently possible.

Total Quality Management

total-quality-management
The Total Quality Management (TQM) framework is a technique based on the premise that employees continuously work on their ability to provide value to customers. Importantly, the word “total” means that all employees are involved in the process – regardless of whether they work in development, production, or fulfillment.

Waterfall

waterfall-model
The waterfall model was first described by Herbert D. Benington in 1956 during a presentation about the software used in radar imaging during the Cold War. Since there were no knowledge-based, creative software development strategies at the time, the waterfall method became standard practice. The waterfall model is a linear and sequential project management framework. 

Read Also: Continuous Innovation, Agile Methodology, Lean Startup, Business Model Innovation, Project Management.

Read Next: Agile Methodology, Lean Methodology, Agile Project Management, Scrum, Kanban, Six Sigma.

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