Agile

Agile is a term which originally described a set of principles that could be applied to software development processes. There are a number of types of agile software development process (iterative in nature) which are born out of these principles.

Agile software development favours the ability to respond to changes to deliver working and usable software in preference to the use of rigid plans, processes and documentation. The overall intention being that software projects were able to adapt, react and be developed in collaboration with the customer.

Agile approaches are not always suitable. Each project should be assessed to establish the type of approach that should be taken. Organisational culture can also play a part in the suitability of agile methodology; within government backed software projects the culture of the organisations involved has contributed to the failure of attempts to use agile.

The term agile has been adopted an applied to numerous other activities. In general, the application implies flexibility within processes so that change can be easily accommodated. It may also be used in business to positively describe a reduction in the number of staff involved in a process.

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