Most technologists who have been developing software over the past 20 years can reflect back on earlier projects that would have greatly benefited from the use of the Agile principles. If they could redo these projects using Agile, they would see a much higher success rate with a lot less effort.

With Agile, you have a rapid development paradigm that accelerates the development curve, stays close to the business user, carves up an iterative process schedule, demands a high-level of communication between all team members and most importantly, eliminates the risk elements of budget overrun and lagging schedules.

Agile methodologies emphasize people and their interactions, rather than processes and contracts. It emphasizes flexibility over planning.

In the late 1990’s several methodologies began to get increasing public attention. Although each had a different combination of old ideas, new ideas, and transmuted old ideas, they all emphasized the same things. Close collaboration between the programmer team and business experts was especially important, as was face-to-face communication as opposed to written documentation. Also valued were tight, self- organizing teams, and ways to craft the code and the team such that the inevitable requirements churn was not a crisis. In 2001, various originators and practitioners of these methodologies met and chose the word “agile” for an umbrella term. They crafted the Manifesto for Agile Software Development, whose most important part was a statement of shared development values:

We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it. Through this work we have come to value:

• Individuals and interactions over processes
• Working software over comprehensive
• Customer collaboration over contract
• Responding to change over following a plan.

The Manifesto struck a chord. It led to many new Agile projects being started. Some succeeded and some failed, as with any human endeavor. However, what was striking about the successes was how much both the business people and the technical people loved their project. This was the way they wanted their software development done.

According to a worker productivity survey from staffing firm Hudson Highland Group, 59% of American workers would like to telecommute at least part- time. Of these workers, 38% think a mix of working at home and at the office is ideal, while the other 21% would prefer to only work from home. Currently, 23% of U.S. employees work from home or are give the option to telecommute.

A few more interesting stats. . .

• 37% of entrepreneurs think working from home is ideal
• 20% of managers enjoy a telecommuting option
• 29% of employees work from home more than once a week

Agile and iterative methods have emerged as the most popular approaches to software development, and with good reason. Research (examined and cited in detail within this book) shows that iterative methods reduce the risk of failure, compared to traditional models of development. This book is an efficient introduction for both managers and practitioners that need a distilled and carefully organized learning aid for the hands-on practices from planning to requirements to testing and the values that define these methods. The author also provides evidence of the value of switching to agile and iterative methods. By studying this book, the reader will learn to apply the key ideas in agile and iterative development, the details and comparison of four influential iterative methods (Scrum, Extreme Programming, Evo, and the Unified Process), answers to frequently asked questions, and important related management skills. The book's goal is quality information that can be quickly understood and applied.