Starting to get the hang of agile
Apart from learning to code during the boot camp, me and my fellow students have also learned more practical aspects. Like getting acquainted with various useful tools, such as Postman, Slack, Notion, and Figma.
We have also been trained in the delicate art of working within groups or teams — or as we say in tech — pair programming and mob programming.
The class has been divided into teams of eight and we were given instructions on how to work together in an agile way. Therefore each project week has been a sprint, containing standups (both written and oral), demos, and retros.
In addition to this, the coaches have also promoted the use of task managing tools, for example, kan-ban boards such as Trello.
With all of this newly acquired practical experience, I decided to do a bit more theoretical reading on the subject. Hence — here is a teeny-tiny crash course about the term agile.
So first — what is agile? Well, it is an umbrella term for different methodologies — not a methodology itself. Examples of methods is Scrum, Lean, and Express Development. Agile is a set of values and principles, without rules. The whole idea is to always adopt the work procedures to what fits the team best — at the moment.
The “old” way of working was called waterfall. The idea then was that a project went through its development phases without any feedback or going back to improve things. It was a one-way street.
Agile is the opposite. It is reiterating the process according to feedback. The purpose is to be competitive — in the fast-changing tech industry, there has to be continuous deliverance. The agile process makes sure that the product is relevant when it is “done” (if it ever is). Because it will always evolve and adapt to what the customer wants. The customer perspective is the core.
If you are curious about learning more on the subject I can recommend Mark Shead who has some fun and educational videos on Youtube.
For myself, I am positive that this is something that suits me and I look forward to being a part of an agile workplace.
