It is highly important to choose the right professionals for the agile software development team if you want to be successful. Regardless of whether this is your first project or the 100th, you still have to act by the plan. Consider the professionalism of the team and each team member. Make sure that the team matches your demands.
About Agile Software Development
In brief, this type of software development contains the Agile methodology. It requires collaborative, unified, creative, and flexible work from all the teams involved in the process. It has 12 main principles that provide you with a highly effective strategy for software development. They are:
- Satisfaction of the customer. This is the main principle of work. Customers must get updates on the working process;
- Continuous delivery strategy. Developers have to create the project step by step, focusing on the needs of the business;
- Collaboration. Team members have to know each other’s tasks and be able to work together;
- Ability to change. Every professional agile software team must keep up with the market trends;
- Motivation. Highly motivated members of the team usually work better and faster. They also should trust and support each other during the whole working process. Team leaders have to show the example at the beginning;
- Close interactions. Numerous experiments show that team members are more supportive and motivated when they speak with each other face to face or via online conference programs. This way, they become more involved in the project;
- Quality of your software. You have to make sure that the software you provide is of the highest quality. It is the main principle of any agile project;
- Competitive speed of development. You have to choose the most appropriate speed of your work on the project. Delays are not appreciated in this highly competitive market. Pick the pace you and your team feel the most appropriate and don’t lose it;
- Skills and specifics match. If your team members don’t have the required skills for some projects, it is better to hire others. You shouldn’t spend much time explaining and teaching the specifics to everyone. Make sure that people you hire have a specific set of skills;
- Simplified processes. This is the key to your success. Find the way how to simplify the process, and you will be able to compete against big and experienced companies;
- Organization. If your workers can’t self-organize their work, it will double the time you spend on the project. Every member of your team must be good at self-organizing. Otherwise, you can’t keep up with the continuous delivery principle;
- Self-improvement. Make sure that each member of your team is capable of working on self-improvement and willing to take on new challenges.
Qualities of Top Agile Development Team Members
You have to carefully choose the person you really need among the wide range of professionals offering their services. Keep in mind that the development team is the top priority for the flourishing agile project. You have to provide them with all the tools they need, while everyone in the team has to be enthusiastic about the project, enjoy working on it, and be able to learn quickly. The basic characteristics of each member of the team are:
- Ability to work on different tasks and quickly switch from one challenge to another;
- Self-management. All the team members have to be organized and know how to work in the team;
- Every team member must be familiar with the product and the task they have. If you hire a newcomer, prepare to waste some time explaining numerous details;
- Useful suggestions. Although it is not the major demand for a team member, you should look for a professional who not only understands how the project works but can improve it by providing working recommendations;
- The best specialist has to easily adjust to the standards you have in the company, its inner processes, and be able to work with the tools you offer.
Best Agile Software Development Team
If you want your team to be the best on the market, you have to focus on the basic demands and principles of agile software management. Find out professionals who are willing to evolve together with a project and are not afraid of the challenges. Create your dream team to win the market. Do you have experience with an agile team? What are you looking for in your team members in the first place? Share your thoughts in the comments below.