Setfire practices agile software development. Agile is a really good way to focus development on what really matters; business value and product - and we believe that this should be the priority on any development project.
We're not dogmatic in our usage of agile practices. Although we believe in the benefits of working in an agile way, we are flexible enough to tailor our approach to fit the needs of the project rather than strictly following a set of rules. We're well-versed in Extreme Programming (XP), Scrum and Kanban, and are constantly learning, adapting and weaving new practices into our own.
For us, agile software development is about inspection, adaptation and improvement - and that is what we're all about.
For us, there are tons of great reasons to work in an 'agile' way - here are just a few:
Working together - there's nothing to match sitting in the same room and getting something done; it's not only more enjoyable, but it's also much more efficient than long spec documents or 'thrown over the wall' design.
You get what you need - we're focused on making what you need to achieve the goal you have in mind, or to solve the problem at hand. Maybe your idea is spot on - great! - but if it's not, you'll be able to see very quickly and change your mind.
Loads of information on progress - daily standups and regular demonstrations (usually every couple of weeks!) means you know exactly where we're up to. We're completely open and honest about progress and will be the first to let you know if there's an issue.
Reduced risk - and of course, constant information on progress and a focus on the end goal means that you can keep a close eye on costs and the associated risks.
In addition, agile teams are generally understood to produce better code (through constant testing during development) and to be more productive.
All images and text © Setfire Media Ltd 2010, unless stated otherwise.
