What Makes Agile Nearshore Software Development Useful?

In previous articles we’ve talked about the benefits of agile nearshore development, compared it to other service models and how challenges can be engaged through this methodology by listing different engagement models used, such as dedicated software development teams and IT staff augmentation. However, what makes agile nearshore software development so beneficial? How do agile methodologies add value to the nearshore software development process?

The benefits given by agile methodologies can be traced back to the 12 core principles that make up its philosophy. With this article, we hope to explain the 12 principles, and how they look in practice based on the everyday activities of a developer. This way, you’ll be able to understand why we at Teravision practice using agile methodologies and agile nearshoring.

Principle 1

Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software. One of the first benefits of agile development is to ensure the product being developed is finished in its best form possible. In order to do this, almost like a paradox, agile encourages any nearshore team that uses it to shorten the time between product ideation and launch. How does that happen? By making sure the product gets into customer hands quickly. This idea is explored through the lean product development method used by many start ups to incorporate customer feedback quickly. By offering incremental improvements to a product, companies will be more likely to develop a product that clients need and desire.

How does this work?

Instead of looking at products as finished, think of offering different versions of a single product that, through agile nearshore software development, can be improved upon. This is done by prioritizing developing a feedback loop between clients and the internal development team or the active agile software development company being employed to make the product, instead of just finishing the product. This ensure product-market-fit in ways that traditional methods do not offer.

Principle 2

Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer’s competitive advantage. This principle is pretty self-explanatory. The reality is that during agile nearshoring, product requirements can change on the fly without warning, especially in this particularly fast changing environment. Without flexibility to incorporate these changes, the previous principle can’t be made effective either, and no nearshore development team or nearshore development services hired can truly evolve into an agile nearshore development team without it.

How does this work?

A nearshore development team that makes use of this principle are aware that they need to constantly be aware of what is happening in the market, making sure any insights reported that can impact the products development are incorporated into the conversation. These agile nearshore software development companies also follow a set of goals and business objectives that clue them toward the most optimal decisions. Combining market insight and overarching business objectives allows for proper agile nearshore software development to flourish.

Principle 3

Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference to the shorter timescale. Remember how we talked about shortening the time between product ideation and launch as one of the key principles of agile methodologies? This principle goes into the grassroots ways to shorten that development time. Agile nearshore software development divides these iterations into small, component specific launches to ship that iteration and quickly build upon it. This ensures that products have enough room for their agile nearshore development team to test product hypothesis and developing the previously discussed feedback loop for iteration.

How does this work?

These small launches we previously talked about are divided into small development cycles called “sprints”. These sprints breakdown product components and features into 2-4 week development intervals in order to speed up product development. Most agile nearshore services usually never go beyond these timeframes, as going any further can imply inefficient work processes.

Principle 4

**Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project. **Communication is key to any product development process. This is especially true when the objective is to reduce the amount of time spent of product development and getting the product in client hands quickly. This is why agile nearshore development requires as much contact between developers and stakeholders of the project. Combining the insights both parties can provide to the development process requires trust and transparency, and these things can only be achieved through thorough communication between both sides.

How does this work?

The best technique for this is daily meetings, or standups as they are usually called. Every agile nearshore team that keeps its stakeholders aware of how a product is going through daily meetings can appreciate the ease of communication when there is something new to report on every day.

Principle 5

Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done. Trust and autonomy. Sometimes the best way to encourage developers to give it their all is simply to offer them a chance to fully show what it is they can do. Finding the right people with the right skills for the job, and setting clear responsibilities to each gives a clear definition as to where a project is going, and that needs to be all for an agile nearshore software development team. Micromanagement only hinders the group as a whole.

How does this work?

Collaboration between product managers and developers can make or break a project if not managed properly. From product manager focusing on the goals and finish line, and the developers focusing on how to cross that line, this collaboration establishes all the necessary responsibilities and gives leg room for empowering its members.

Principle 6

The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation. In the age of remote work, ensuring effective communication is key to ensure agile nearshore software development can happen well. This can only happen when you take communications outside of messaging apps.

How does this work?

Daily stand up meetings, sprint planning meetings and demos. These are some of the best ways for agile software development companies to give teams a chance to see each other, even if it is through a video conference call.

Principle 7

Working software is the primary measure of progress. The job of any nearshore software development company or any company that practices agile nearshore software development. As such, the real measurement of success for any software product is the progress you make in its development. As such, this reiterates the need to remember the main objective of agile: get products to users hands as quickly as possible.

How does this work?

Agile nearshore software development is all about shipping new features and improvements over time instead of gunning for a finished product. Nearshore agile methodologies don’t sweat the things that don’t work. Instead it takes them as sources of insight and potential to keep improving products well beyond its initial launch.

Principle 8

Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely. Nothing good can ever come from setting up goals and objectives that are unattainable. This is why agile nearshore software development encourages its participants to properly estimate and consider the time it will take to complete tasks, without overworking development teams.

How does this work?

Offering proper work estimates gives a sense of control to the team while not shrugging off the business needs of the project’s stakeholders. Once any nearshore team plans the print and has its tasks mapped out, no other tasks are added to this sprint.

Principle 9

Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility. To reiterate, short cycles and frequent, smaller launches are the encouraged approach to software development using agile. However, there is also an inherent need to keep code clean to reduce the risk of problems a messy code can cause. Agile nearshore software development teams that are worth their salt always try to keep their code tidy.

How does this work?

Technical debt and refactoring are activities and factors that agile nearshore software development teams need to keep in mind.

Principle 10

**Simplicity—the art of maximizing the amount of work not done—is essential. **Why use more time than necessary to complete specific tasks? This principle mentions that agile nearshore software development should focus on impact and allocating time to the tasks that matter, meaning teams need to be strategic when deciding how to properly assign tasks.

How does this work?

Prioritizing efforts comparing efforts and expected impact, alongside the short nature of the sprints encourages this mentality, and ensures agile nearshore software development teams are focused solely on the impact their tasks provide to the project.

Principle 11

The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams. Just as a quick refresher, micromanagement has no place in agile nearshore software development, or in any form of agile methodologies. More traditional forms of management unintentionally encourage this behavior by having key decisions being made by management unilaterally. Agile encourages teams to make these decisions for themselves which empowers them to work as they need to.

How does this work?

For teams to be self-organizing, they need to be given a level of autonomy that gives them full ownership over their projects. Every agile software development company handles this differently.

Principle 12

At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly. This statement proves true whenever we see just how flexible an agile software development company needs to be in order to succeed. Not only do agile nearshoring companies require to be flexible to business or client requirements changing, but they also need to be constantly updating their processes and innovating how they do things. In other words, agile nearshore software development is all about constant improvement at every point of the process.

How does this work?

This flexibility we mentioned before requires a willingness to experiment with your process as with the product that is being developed. The only way to properly encourage these types of engagements is to include opportunities for retrospectives on the process, figuring out what worked, what didn’t and the opportunities to improve for following sprints, and the only way to do this is to cultivate a culture that encourages earnest feedback.