Key Advantages and Disadvantages of Agile Methodology

Published on: October 09, 2022
Last updated: November 11, 2022 Read in fullscreen view

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Key Advantages of Agile Methodology

Flexibility / Adaptability

The central theme of Agile is flexibility. Agile teams are responsive to change, even at the last minute, and can adapt to it without much disruption. Project deliverables are not set in stone, so teams can easily reassess their plans and adjust their priorities to align with updated goals. Being adaptable means teams can deliver consistently and manage clients’ changing requirements effectively.

Cost control

You can afford to iterate and don't need to deliver fully functional software at once.

An agile method can also be used to improve cost control. After each stage, the team reviews the budget when making future decisions. Then, they decide if they will continue, suspend or cancel tasks or even the project itself.

This is an essential part of project management as it allows teams to understand the costs of each feature, which will then be taken into account when making strategic decisions.

Improved quality

Agile methodologies use an iterative approach to project management, meaning processes are improved upon each time an interval is repeated. This consistent focus on improvement and quality control is one of the core principles of Agile, and it helps to create superior products.

Reduced risk

Developers regularly assess progress during sprints, meaning they have better visibility into the project and can spot potential obstacles quickly. These minor issues can be tackled before they escalate, creating an effective risk mitigation process and giving the project a greater chance of success.

Stakeholders engagement

A key part of using an agile method is the involvement of stakeholders when completing projects.

By collaborating with different stakeholders during each phase of the project, you will build a dynamic system based on the trust and confidence of each team member and forge greater and stronger relationships within your teams.

To use this method effectively, it is recommended to have stakeholders participate actively as the project progresses. This will allow them to make sure that tasks are being completed according to the plan and make changes if necessary.

Key Disadvantages of Agile Methodology

Although there are many advantages to using an agile methodology, there are also a few disadvantages that you should consider before using one:

It can be difficult to predict efforts such as cost, time and resources at the beginning of the project.
It can be difficult to measure progress since agile methods deliver in increments.
It can be difficult to implement since people naturally resist changes.
Teams can get sidetracked if they don’t see any progress.

Poor resource planning

Because Agile is based on the idea that teams won’t know what their end result (or even a few cycles of delivery down the line) will look like from day one, it’s challenging to predict efforts like cost, time and resources required at the beginning of a project (and this challenge becomes more pronounced as projects get bigger and more complex).

When developers run out of work, they can't work on a different project since they'll be needed soon.

Scope Creep

Teams can get sidetracked into delivering new functionalities at the expense of technical debt, which increases the amount of unplanned work

Due to the flexibility of Agile methodology, some members of the development team, especially the customers, may demand more and more of the system each time it is improved. Project managers who are inexperienced or not thorough may end up mismanaging projects by failing to rationalize user requirements.

You need a long-term vision for the product and actively work on communicating it

Limited documentation

Documentation tends to get sidetracked, which makes it harder for new members to get up to speed.

In Agile, documentation happens throughout a project, and often “just in time” for building the output, not at the beginning. As a result, it becomes less detailed and often falls to the back burner.

Fragmented output

Incremental delivery may help bring products to market faster, but it’s also a big disadvantage of Agile methodology. That’s because when teams work on each component in different cycles, the complete output often becomes very fragmented rather than one cohesive unit.

The product lacks overall design, both from a UX and architecture point of view, which leads to problems the more you work on the product

No finite end

The fact that Agile requires minimal planning at the beginning makes it easy to get sidetracked delivering new, unexpected functionality. Additionally, it means that projects have no finite end, as there is never a clear vision of what the “final product” looks like.

Final Word

To make Agile Development work, make sure 2 key factors are met:

Honest collaborative developers
Smart engaged client

Agile demands more time and energy from everyone because developers and customers must constantly interact with each other.

Agile isn't the right approach for every software project, either. If you don't have access to customers, can't iterate, or if you have a complex organizational structure, it's very difficult to adhere to Agile principles.

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