Agile software development and project management have been around for decades. Despite this, many companies still use a waterfall approach for most of their product development.
Traditional waterfall approaches to projects are still around because, well, they tend to work. While this method has its time and place, though, it can’t compete with the dexterity of an agile workflow.
Many companies struggle to keep up with the fast-paced changes of the business and tech industries. If this sounds like you, an Agile approach may be what you need to bring your company to the next level. Keep reading to learn the benefits of Agile project management and the top reasons to use an Agile approach in your business.
Flexibility
The year 2020 was the year of the pivot for businesses. Everyone had to change what work they did and how they did it basically overnight.
If you had months-long project plans that you were working toward, you probably experienced a hiccup in your work and production. You might have even had to take precious time to completely redo your project plans.
With Agile development, change is baked into the plan from the beginning. Because the plan is so flexible, you have the freedom to adapt your course of action to both challenges and opportunities as they arise.
Customer Satisfaction
Picture this: you spend weeks working toward a milestone in your project plan. At the last minute, you find out that your client wants something completely different from the direction you’ve been taking the product. Everyone on your team is stressed, and no one is happy.
While an Agile approach, this problem doesn’t happen. The very nature of Agile development requires frequent communication between your team and your stakeholders. This means that you’ll get their feedback in real-time and be able to adjust your process as changes get brought up.
This ability to be so responsive to the needs and desires of your client boosts your productivity and customer satisfaction rates.
Close Collaboration with Your Teammates
A key part of the Agile Development framework is using a daily scrum to meet with your teammates. This lets you check in on progress from the day before, and plan tasks for the day ahead. Everyone knows what everyone else is doing, and obstacles are brought to the whole team’s attention before they can become major issues.
This approach to collaboration makes sure everyone’s goals are in alignment for the duration of the Sprint. Potential conflicts are resolved as they come up.
Power is more evenly distributed across your team. Your teammates have the space to speak up if they need something from their collaborators or the stakeholders.
If the words “scrum” and “Sprint” have you freaking out, don’t worry. You and your team can take a scaled Agile framework course to help you learn the terminology and the processes of Agile development.
Employ an Agile Workflow in Your Business Today
Now you know the top benefits of using an agile workflow in your day-to-day business operations. Use Agile for your business operations to increase your team’s flexibility, build your customer satisfaction, and deepen your teammates’ collaboration with each other.
Looking for more ways to take your business to the next level? Check out the other articles in our Tech and Business sections!
