Agile Model - Portfolio JekGuz ENG

The term Agile is often associated with software development methodology. This approach indeed originated in the IT field and is actively used within it.

However, the Agile model has proven to be quite universal and applicable to workflows in areas that are not related to IT product development.

History of the Agile Model

During the 1990s, a number of lightweight software development methods emerged in response to the dominant heavyweight methodologies, which critics described as overly regulated, heavily planned, and micromanaged.

These included:

Rapid Application Development (RAD) – since 1991
Unified Process and Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM) – since 1994
Scrum – since 1995
Crystal Clear and Extreme Programming (XP) – since 1996
Feature-Driven Development (FDD) – since 1997

Although all of these methods appeared before the publication of the Agile Manifesto, they are now collectively referred to as Agile software development methods.

In February 2001, the “Manifesto for Agile Software Development” was released in the state of Utah, USA. It served as an alternative to the documentation-heavy “heavyweight” practices like the Waterfall model, which had been the gold standard at the time.

The Manifesto was approved and signed by representatives of various methodologies, including:

Extreme Programming (XP)
Crystal Clear
DSDM
Feature-Driven Development (FDD)
Scrum
Adaptive Software Development (ASD)
Pragmatic Programming

Although Agile practices were already in use by many companies prior to the manifesto, it was this event that brought Agile development into the mainstream.

Main Stages of the Agile Model

Planning Stage
This is the initial phase of the software development lifecycle. The best outcome of this stage is a well-defined product strategy.

Design Stage
At this point, the project team starts working on the product’s architecture and UI/UX design. Designers create early wireframes, mockups, and prototypes.

Development Stage
The team begins building the product using an iterative and incremental approach, known as sprints. The product backlog is broken down into smaller, actionable tasks called user stories, which are then prioritized, estimated, and developed in the order defined by the backlog.

Testing Stage
This stage ensures that everything works as expected and meets stakeholder and end-user expectations. Key players are QA engineers, who use various testing methodologies to verify functionality, reliability, and user-friendliness.

Deployment Stage
Once the product is functioning properly, the team deploys it to the production environment and conducts a final round of testing and verification. DevOps engineers set up environments and pipelines and manage the deployment process.

Maintenance Stage
The final stage is maintenance, where the development team continuously supports the product. They monitor performance, fix bugs or issues, and provide updates and improvements to enhance functionality and user experience.

Pros and cons of the agile model

✅ Advantages of the Agile Model

Flexibility and openness to change
Reduced risk of failure
Resilience to missed deadlines
High team involvement and motivation
Fast reaction to problems
Minimal bureaucracy and routine

❌ Main Challenges and Risks of Agile

Lack of a clear plan and structure
Requires constant communication
Strong dependency on the team
Risk of focusing too much on small details
Can be difficult to implement in some environments

Scope of Application of the Agile Model

Agile is an ideal approach for startups and small, custom projects. In such cases, most disadvantages are not an issue—lack of structure isn’t a problem, the client is usually deeply involved, teams don’t change often, and implementation takes less time.

However, for large-scale projects that span many months, the disadvantages become more significant and can hinder the successful execution of the project.

In terms of business sectors, Agile was originally created for software, game, and interface development teams. Today, it’s used by companies like:

Google
Netflix
Microsoft
Spotify
Ericsson
Dell
Adobe

— and many other IT companies, from industry giants to small startups.

Sources

Main TA model

V-model