Agile Process Models

Since the millennium, many approaches focusing more or less on agile principles have been developed.

In Utah in February 2002 many creators of such methods gathered to formulate the Agile Manifesto.

: Click here

The Agile Manifesto itself can be found here. Based on this manifesto, many method approaches were created. However, only the following ones can be found more often in practical use:

Crystal is rather a development philosophy, discussing extensively the maxims of agility in terms of practical aspects.
SCRUM and ARTE are two examples for specific tasks: project management and technical systems.
eXtreme Programming, the most minimalistic method, focuses only on the final output: the source code. Thus, eXtreme Programming is sometimes considered as being too puristic.

ARTE - an agile Method for technical Systems

Real-time embedded (RTE) systems have some specific characteristics with strong impact on the development process. ARTE, an agile RTE-method by Hruschka/Rupp, focuses with best practices on lowering the impact of these known problems.

Most important characteristics of RTE-systems with significant impact on the development process:

Embedding in environment
Distribution
Requirements for time behavior
Parallel processes

However, not all RTE-system have all of these characteristics. Thus, ARTE suggests an examination of your system in the first place. As soon as you know which of these characteristics apply to your system you will be able to establish an agile method tailored exactly to your system.

For more information on ARTE see our download area. (only available in German)

SCRUM

The term "scrum" is taken from the world of sports. In Rugby, a scrum is the part of the game when both teams line up in rows and compete for the ball thrown in by trying to hook the ball backwards with their feet.

Ken Schwaber, Jeff Sutherland and Mike Beedle used the term to name an agile management method. SCRUM is a set of rules or patterns which help to handle complex projects better than common planning and observation methods. Thus, SCRUM is no allover development method in the common sense.

What you need to know:

Due to the simplicity of the method and the clearly defined rules, the basics of SCRUM are quickly understandable to the persons involved.
As SCRUM provides division of responsibilities between the persons involved, an increase in productivity can be achieved within a short period of time.
However, an abuse of the responsibility given can cause the whole project to fail.

For detailed information on SCRUM see: http://www.scrumalliance.org

eXtreme Programming (XP)

eXtreme Programming (XP) was created by Ward Cunningham and Kent Beck, a guru in object-oriented software development. XP consists of simple, but tightly connected practices which aim at high quality of the product, early feedback, efficient transfer of knowledge within the team as well as flexibility and changeability of the system.

Although the term "eXtreme Programming" may be associated with anarchy and savage hackerism, XP belongs to those process models that are strict and disciplined, with detailed instructions on respective activities of planning and development.

What you need to know:

XP as process model is suitable for small or mid-sized teams. We have made the best experiences with teams of 15 persons at most.
There is little practical experience concerning the suitability of XP for large-scale projects.
Yet, single practices of XP can be successfully applied in larger teams as well.

For more information on XP see:
http://www.xprogramming.com