Agile Application Lifecycle Management: How To Dance Through Development
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We all know the challenge of getting a software project off the ground with speed and confidence. Agile development requires every member of the team to be in perfect harmony with each other - like a well-choreographed dance.
However, speed and grace are not enough. You must have quality control and accurate tracking of the entire application lifecycle. In that way, development is a lot more like ballet than hip-hop or contemporary dances. It requires that every little step be polished to perfection.
Enter Agile Application Lifecycle Management (ALM). Combining the quick turnaround of agile processing with the detail-oriented focus of ALM tools, you can create a production process that is both graceful and disciplined. With this strategy in place, your team will be leaping forward with the precision of a prima ballerina.
What Is Agile Application Lifecycle Management?
Agile ALM can be seen as a combination of two separate ideologies. To get a full picture, we must first understand its building blocks.
Agile Practices
Agile is an iterative software development model. It relies on short, flexible cycles that can be quickly adapted to changing requirements and customer feedback. This approach encourages collaboration between developers, testers, and other stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle.
The ideology's key concepts include:
Workflows - Prioritizing tasks, tracking progress, and managing resources.
Collaboration - Enabled by tools such as instant messaging, video conferencing, and all-in-one platforms like Stormboard.
Automation - Utilizing automated testing frameworks to help speed up the development process.
Some examples of Agile processes include the Kanban model and the Scrum framework.
Application Lifecycle Management (ALM)
ALM is a software engineering practice that seeks to improve the quality, speed, and efficiency of software development. It takes into account all aspects of the project, from design, coding, testing, and delivery.
ALM also includes tools for tracking progress and ensuring everyone is on the same page throughout the process. For example:
Version Control Systems - Tools such as Git and Subversion allow developers to track changes in their codebase over time.
Testing Frameworks - Automated test frameworks like Selenium help ensure that code changes do not introduce bugs or other issues.
Issue Trackers - Tools like JIRA help developers track and manage issues, bugs, and tasks
You can use these tools to create stories and connect them to the tasks that need to be completed in order to move the story forward.
Check out our blog on the basics of ALM and everything you need to know!
How They Work Together
Agile ALM takes the best of both worlds and combines them into a powerful tool for software development. It provides an iterative approach to development, which allows teams to quickly adapt as customer requirements change or new ideas come up.
At the same time, it helps streamline processes by providing tools for tracking progress and keeping everyone in sync throughout the project's lifecycle.
There are four core tenets of Agile ALM.
Collaboration- Everyone within a team understands what everyone else is doing.
Integration - Team members and leaders must be able to get a bird’s eye view of what is going on from anywhere.
Automation - a streamlined system allows the team to focus on high-value activities and speed.
Continuous Improvement - Keeping extensive data about the process allows teams to identify any bottlenecks and push for a better system.
Working towards these four values will help your team stay on point.
Benefits of Agile Application Lifecycle Management
The primary benefit of Agile ALM is its ability to provide speed and flexibility. Using short, iterative cycles, teams can quickly adapt as customer requirements change or new ideas come up. The result is a faster development process with fewer delays.
Agile ALM also makes it easier for teams to collaborate effectively. Teams are able to share information quickly and easily, which helps ensure that everyone is on the same page throughout the project lifecycle.
This collaborative approach also encourages creativity and innovation among team members.
Challenges of Agile Application Lifecycle Management
One of the biggest challenges of Agile ALM is the need for constant communication between all stakeholders. Without proper coordination, projects can quickly become bogged down in bureaucracy.
To combat this, utilize collaboration tools like Stormboard to bring everyone together in real time.
Another challenge is that teams must be willing to make changes on the fly. This can be difficult if team members are not comfortable with change or don’t have enough experience working with an Agile methodology.
Making the changes accessible and understandable to everyone helps curb these issues and ensures the entire team is involved in making decisions.
Implementing Agile Application Lifecycle Management
Automation and visibility are central to the Agile ALM mindset, meaning that the right tools will give you a huge boost in successfully implementing it.
There are two conflicting ideas about choosing the perfect tools for your process.
System One: Best-Of-Breed
Because the Application Lifecycle has so many disparate phases, some companies will choose separate tools for each. This works great if individual team members have a system they already use and enjoy. It also allows the team to upgrade individual tools without messing with the entire process.
However, this system often leads to a lack of cohesion. If any of your tools don’t have the integration features required, you can end up with information silos and a lack of communication.
System Two: Integrated Solutions
A company might opt instead for a single ALM tool or system that is already integrated. This takes the stress out of communication and keeps information flowing.
A single system won’t solve everything, though. More often than not, these tools will have gaps in their functionality because they were designed with one goal in mind. You might find that one department within your company is thrilled with the ALM tool, while other departments are struggling.
Ultimately, a mix of the two systems is going to yield the best results. Find different tools that can work together with seamless integrations.
An example of this is Stormboard, which allows teams to collect and analyze ideas, iterate and expand on them, and create an action plan to move forward. Stormboard also features bi-directional integrations with the most popular ALM tools on the market.
Agile ALM Best Practices
It can get confusing trying to balance agility and ALM. No ballerina succeeds without support from the pros. Here are some tips that can help you start to dance.
Pro-Tip One: Utilize Agile Templates
Starting from scratch can get confusing. Find tools that set you up for success from the start.
For example, Stormboard offers templates for agile processes like Kanban. With their ALM integration, you can easily get all the information you need without setting up all-new workspaces.
Pro-Tip Two: Set The Project Needs Collaboratively
In traditional ALM, one of the first steps is deciding on what the project requirements are. When you shift to an agile method, you’ll want to be a lot looser with these.
All the needs should be based on user stories and other qualitative data. They may change over the development process because it is all about the why rather than the what. Make sure everyone is involved in the process of setting these needs.
Pro-Tip Three: Focus on Agile Issue Tracking
Issue tracking is an important part of ALM, and with agile methods, it can be even more helpful. Have the team set up a system to keep track of the issues that come up over the course of development.
This allows you to stay on top of bugs as they happen. Make sure to include notes about why each issue was created and what it took to resolve them. This helps other teams in case similar problems arise in future projects.
Pro-Tip Four: Make Sure Everyone is On The Same Page
Agile ALM requires communication from everyone involved in order for it to be successful. It’s important that all members understand their roles and responsibilities within the project, as well as what the goals of the project are.
In Conclusion
It is clear that ALM can be a powerful tool for developers and technology managers. Like ballet dancers on the stage, teams must work together in unison to ensure their applications perform.
With an effective agile approach, teams can better manage the complexity of their projects and adjust quickly to changes as needed. By taking advantage of this powerful technique, you can keep up with ever-shifting demands and deliver better results with more grace and speed than ever before.
Stormboard is the go-to choice for Agile teams worldwide. Our experts work with teams across virtually every industry, and have experience with everything from improving a well-oiled team to helping kickstart newbies to the world of agile.
Connect with us now and allow us to help your team reach new heights!
About the author:
A programmer by trade, Nick Saraev is a freelance writer and entrepreneur with a penchant for helping people excel in their careers. He's been featured on Popular Mechanics & Apple News, and has founded several successful companies in e-commerce, marketing, and artificial intelligence. When he's not working on his latest project, you can find him hiking or painting.
