It is a structured approach that helps teams apply Agile principles in project management and software development. It provides guidelines, roles, processes, and best practices for iterative and incremental work delivery.
Key Terms
User Story
It is a simple description of a feature or functionality from the perspective of the end user. It helps the development team understand what the user wants and why it's important.
Ex. User Story 1: User Registration
Product Backlog
A prioritized list of user stories, features, bug fixes, and other tasks that need to be completed for the product. The Product Owner is responsible for managing the product backlog.
Sprint
A time-boxed iteration, usually lasting 1-4 weeks, during which a set of user stories are completed and a potentially shippable product increment is delivered
Ex. The team decides to have a 2-week sprint. During this sprint, they focus on implementing the user registration feature and the push notification feature.
Epic
It is a large body of work that can be broken down into smaller tasks called user stories. It usually represents significant features, initiatives, or business objectives that take multiple sprints to complete.
Scrum Master
A facilitator who helps the Scrum team adhere to Agile principles and practices. They remove impediments and ensures that the team can work efficiently.
Ex: They help the team stay on track by facilitating daily stand-up meetings and removing any obstacles. If the team faces a technical issue, the Scrum Master coordinates with other departments to get it resolved.
Product Owner (PO)
They are responsible for defining and prioritizing the product backlog. They represent the stakeholders and ensures that the team is working on the most valuable features.
Development Team
A cross-functional group of individuals who work together to deliver the product increment. The team typically includes developers, testers, designers, and other specialists.
Daily Stand-Up (Daily Scrum):
A short, daily meeting where the team members discuss what they did yesterday, what they plan to do today, and any obstacles they are facing.
Sprint Review:
A meeting held at the end of each sprint where the team demonstrates the completed work to stakeholders and gathers feedback.
Sprint Retrospective:
A meeting held after the sprint review where the team reflects on the sprint, discusses what went well, what could be improved, and how to enhance their processes.
Definition of Done (DoD):
A set of criteria that a user story must meet to be considered complete. The Definition of Done ensures that the team delivers high-quality and consistent work.
Kanban Board:
A visual tool used to track the progress of tasks. It typically includes columns such as To Do, In Progress, and Done. The board helps teams manage their workflow and limit work in progress.
Burndown Chart:
A visual representation of the remaining work in a sprint. It shows the progress of the team toward completing the sprint goals.
Types of Agile
1. Scrum
It is a framework that uses fixed-length iterations called sprints (typically 2-4 weeks). It emphasizes roles like the Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Development Team, along with events like daily stand-ups, sprint reviews, and retrospectives.
2. Kanban
- It focuses on visualizing the workflow and managing work in progress to improve efficiency by using a Kanban board to represent tasks and their status.
- It emphasizes visualizing the workflow, limiting work in progress (WIP), ensuring continuous delivery, and effectively managing the flow of tasks.
3. Lean
It aims to minimize waste and maximize value by focusing on delivering only what the customer needs. It emphasizes continuous improvement and efficient resource use.
4. Extreme Programming (XP)
It focuses on technical excellence and customer satisfaction. It includes practices like pair programming, test-driven development (TDD), and continuous integration.
5. Feature-Driven Development (FDD)
It is a model-driven, short-iteration process that focuses on delivering tangible features. It involves regular builds, code inspections, and domain object modeling.
6. Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM)
It is an Agile project delivery framework that focuses on delivering projects on time and within budget. It emphasizes business need, active user involvement, and empowered teams.
7. Crystal
It is a family of Agile methodologies that adapts to the size and criticality of the project. It emphasizes communication, teamwork, and simplicity.
8. Agile Unified Process (AUP)
It is a simplified version of the Rational Unified Process (RUP) that applies Agile practices. It focuses on iterative development and active stakeholder participation.
Stay Connected!
If you enjoyed this post, don’t forget to follow me on social media for more updates and insights:
Twitter: madhavganesan
Instagram: madhavganesan
LinkedIn: madhavganesan
Top comments (1)
Great introduction to the Agile framework! One of the most valuable aspects of Agile is its emphasis on adaptability and continuous improvement—something that’s especially crucial in fast-moving development environments.
From experience, the biggest challenge isn’t just adopting Agile principles but embedding them into a team’s culture. It’s easy to implement stand-ups and sprints, but real agility comes from fostering collaboration, maintaining transparency, and iterating based on feedback. Tools that support both structured task management and open communication can make a huge difference in keeping teams aligned and productive.
For those looking to refine their Agile workflows, this Project management resource provides an integrated approach to managing tasks, tracking progress, and improving team collaboration.
What’s been the most impactful Agile practice for your team? Would love to hear how others have successfully adapted Agile in their workflows!