In today’s era, creating high-end and bug-free software is challenging. Whether one is working on HR management software development or RFP software development, keeping up the high standards is very important.
Considering the high levels of businesses in today’s time, there is a need for developing top quality software solutions that cater to the demands with great quality product/services. Because these products and services would determine the fate of your organization.
Flexible, user-focused, and convenient are the top requisites that the right software development tool should serve. The outcome of using the right methods would yield high-quality services and products.
With the help of software development, client experiences can be enhanced, more feature-rich and innovative products can be brought into the market, and setups may be made safer, more productive and efficient!
Giving the client what it needs with the help of top-notch, functional underworking software development methods, let us discuss what these are.
⚡Agile vs. Lean Software Development Models
Agile software development is a set of different methodologies that derives successful outputs through collaboration, continuous planning and organizing oneself. It is put into use keeping a specific time frame (from the time the project is started). Agile Software Development focuses on building the software incrementally rather than just delivering it all at once.
Here are some impressive statistics on Agile adoption:
???? Agile adoption has helped 98% of organizations. (Source)
Another resourceful form of the developed software is Lean. Lean is a framework that aims to save time, produce minimum waste and strictly deliver what the product needs!
Lean Software Development (LSD) was originally known as the “Toyota Production System”. Automaker Toyota brought this excellent approach into action to minimize the wastage of time and clutter while producing cars. Since this method believes in streamlining the process and cutting away everything that isn’t necessary, it was later adopted by a lot of organizations.
Taking reference from the research study titled “Lean Software Management: BBC Worldwide Case Study”, it can be observed that – ‘that over the 12-month period, lead time to deliver software improved by 37%, consistency of delivery rose by 47%, and defects reported by customers fell by 24%. The significance of this work is showing that the use of lean methods including visual management, team-based problem-solving, smaller batch sizes, and statistical process control can improve software development.’
Even though Agile and Lean work differently, they are always confused with one another. The misunderstanding arrives because they share common goals and principles. This is where it gets hard to bifurcate. So, here we are, enlisting some differences that would help you-
➤ The Approach
The first and foremost distinction can be noticed in the approach of how these two deliver outputs. Even though both the approaches believe in the principle of “Deliver Fast”, the basic line of difference is their method.
???? By using Agile, companies have experienced 60% in revenue and profit growth
Agile Software Development imparts all the attention in delivering small batches (also known as sprints). The reason behind this approach is to gather and utilize feedback while developing the upcoming work.
On the contrary, Lean receives instant customer feedback by increasing the speed of work (by prioritizing and decluttering). The quicker the team delivers, the faster they can learn from feedback.
➤ Less and More
Agile’s core philosophy revolves around cross-collaboration This could be between developers, end-users, business partners, etc. With the help of collaboration, both the parties have equal involvement in the project.
On the other hand, Lean exists on the foundation of the “Minimalist approach”. It tries to narrow down to as minimum as possible. And it can be easily observed in almost all of its principles.
➤ Development
The development of Agile can be branched into two methods, namely, Scrum and Kanban. Scrum aims at providing business value in the minimum time possible. The goal is to deliver a new software every 2-4 weeks. This method of Agile Development continuously tracks the actual work.
For increasing efficiency and delivering knowledge-oriented work, Kanban is a good fix. This framework comprises a visual board where the team members can evaluate the state of every piece of work at any given time.
Lean is developed and its framework is created with the help of different management processes.
???? 93% of business units that had fully adopted an agile model before the current pandemic did better than business units that hadn't.
➤ Time Taken
As mentioned before, the task of producing and delivering services by Agile is dynamic. This is the reason to embrace it over and over again. Agile produces outcomes for the end-users with continuous improvement along the way.
Whereas in Lean Software Development, the method of decluttering and prioritizing serves as a boosting force. The result is fast delivery of respective services and products.
➤ Principle
Agile’s first and foremost step of a convention is generating software of the highest quality as early as possible. Next comes the flexibility of accepting the respective changes and modifying them right away.
It also promotes the collaboration of businessmen and developers to work on the project collectively and create a balance.
Regular check-ups on the technology used, continuous attention to detail, the good outcome on the designing front, etc., are some of the other non-negotiable factors that make Agile what it is today!
Lean’s methodology gives the highest preference to minimizing waste and unnecessary things that might come in the way while developing software. It has 7 major development principles:
- Eliminate waste
- Build quality in
- Create knowledge
- Defer commitment
- Deliver fast
- Respect people
- Optimize the whole
It hits all the boxes of an ideal software development tool!
???? Agile success rates are more than 1.5x higher than those of Waterfall projects
➤ Usage & Flexibility
Agile is well-suited for dynamic requirement changes. Along with that, it is highly pliable with different frameworks.
Lean is not so flexible with deliverable changes. But when it comes to continuous inspection and adaptation of a product, Lean can be relied on.
???? Which one is better?
Agile and Lean have consistently provided value and worth to the companies and the impressive results are a testament to the statement before.
The versatility of these software developments in a myriad of business environments proves that one cannot fit them into a single category.
It all comes down to a single question: which one of them should be adopted?
Both focus majorly on creating customer-oriented products and services with the help of their development process.
But the methodologies adopted by Lean are not always understood and hence, are assumed to be a part of Agile Software Development.
Whereas Agile was intricately produced by the professionals in the field, for software development purposes.
The needs of clients vary vastly. It is important to choose the right method to yield the outcome you want!
???? FBI has adopted Agile and has highly benefited from it.
❓Some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
- How is Lean different from Agile?
Although confused with each other, Agile and Lean are different from each other on the grounds of principle, basic structure, term, approach, etc.
- Is Six Sigma similar to Agile?
Both of these have a stark different variability which carefully distinguishes their working for developing software.
Developers using Six Sigma believe that they can maximize outcomes by minimizing variability. Whereas, Agile practitioners are more biased towards a management approach that promotes smooth working in the presence of variability.
- Should you use Lean and Agile?
The answer to this question lies in the kind of project that has to be developed, the goals of the organization, and the kind of team involved.
Both Lean and Agile aren’t mutually exclusive so organizations can go with either of them.
