July 24, 2007
JDQ Systems Inc., in keeping with its commitment to excellence in software applications development, business process improvement and project management, steps ahead of the field again.
By combining Agile software development methods in an innovative mix of live and virtual environments, JDQ has found a way to share best practices in real time. This results in JDQ’s clients realizing greater productivity while minimizing risk and reducing costs.
“In today’s development environments, you have to provide new types of mechanisms for people to communicate more effectively", explains Derek Shackleford – JDQ Principal, Chief of Application Development and the architect of JDQ’s JUMP!Higher Virtualized Agile Development Methods.
Industry surveys reveal that more than 50% of software projects end up over budget and overdue. This is closely related to the inability of traditional software development and project management methods to “think on their feet” and react with agility. Failure to adapt quickly to the necessary changes application development projects often require is cited as the number one cause of over-run.
JDQ’s innovative methods help identify and utilize best practices while saving time and money. This is achieved, in part, by shortening the time between ideation; best practice identification; development, modeling and prototyping; critical feedback from trials; and initiating the next iterative cycle.
JDQ is currently engaged in three distinct client projects that successfully marry JDQ’s proprietary on-line collaboration tools like ProjectWatch™ with the proven methods of Agile software development in a “virtual face-to-face” environment.
While Agile methods had been used with great success from their inception in the early 90’s until the turn of the century, they have become less effective in today’s fast-paced and often multi-located development environments. Requiring the physical presence of all team members at daily scrums strains the resources of larger organizations. Adhering to strict Agile methods also makes it difficult to respond to new ideas while maintaining adequate tracking and measurement. Often, vital performance data and documentation of valuable best practices slip away unused.
JDQ’s JUMP!Higher Virtualized Agile Development Methods succeed in resolving both issues by applying the usual Agile methods of Sprint, Scrum and Heartbeat in a unique Virtual Face-to-Face™ environment that promotes sharing best practices in real time.
Some key advantages of this new system include:
- Virtual and live face-to-face interaction on-demand between drivers, programmers and end-users as needed, no matter where they are situated. This close cooperation promotes sharing best practices and making nimble decisions;
- More inter-department sharing of best practices. Opportunities to learn and apply valuable methods outside of one’s immediate purview;
- Best practices are documented to facilitate sharing amongst the team members and the organization at-large;
- Self-organizing teams that promote buy-in, responsibility and accountability;
- A strength-based, appreciative approach that builds on what works and discards what does not;
- The values of simplicity and elegance shared amongst the team;
- Rapid, frequent, continuous delivery of useable applications;
- Using working iterations as the principal measure of progress;
- Changes in requirements are welcomed and responded to quickly.
- Easy, real-time monitoring and measurement.
JDQ welcomes new custom application development opportunities that use JUMP!Higher Virtualized Agile Development Methods. For more information, please contact Derek Shackleford directly at:
dereks@jdq.com or call him at: (604) 876.1422 ext. 932
For more information about Agile Software Development, please refer to:
http://www.agilealliance.org
