While many experts push for Agile adoption throughout organizations, a different trend within organizations is emerging.  Organizations are taking smaller steps towards Agile by focusing on specific Agile techniques and applying them to their individual development processes. By adopting certain techniques, organizations still receive some benefits of Agile without “going Agile”.  After all, it is possible to do Continuous Integration without time-boxing and still reduce integration problems.

Getting Benefits of Agile Software Development

For those interested in gaining the benefits of Agile through smaller and more targeted techniques, there are a number of possibilities.  Below are recommended readings on Agile techniques, each focusing on one specific area, while detailing the processes and outlining the benefits.  Here is a great place to start when looking to gain the benefits of Agile software development.

User Stories Applied: For Agile Software Development, by Mike Cohn.

The Agile equivalent of requirements is User Stories, and this book is the definitive guide to creating and using them.  Readers will not be disappointed with Mike Cohn’s practical advice on User Stories, as the information offered is easy to read and apply. Valuable topics discussed include why to use User Stories, when they are appropriate, and how to monitor progress.

Continuous Integration: Improving Software Quality and Reducing Risk, by Paul M. Duvall, Steve Matyas and Andrew Glover.

This is a great resource for Continuous Integration. The authors stress the importance of integrating early and often using CI practices and provide detailed results of a successful CI implementation (including reducing risks, better visibility and reducing repetitive manual processes). Another important element of this book is its companion Web site, www.integratebutton.com, which provides updates and code examples.

The Art of Unit Testing: With Examples in .Net, by Roy Osherove.

This is one of the best on the topic of Unit Testing, partly because of RoyOsherove’s experience and passion about the subject, and partly because of his practical delivery. His book covers important areas of Unit Testing, including writing maintainable test code, code review and adopting Unit Testing in an organization.

Refactoring: Improving the Design of Existing Code, by Martin Fowler, Kent Beck, John Brant, & William Opdyke

This book offers important technical insight into the process of changing code to improve internal structures without changing external behavior and is a highly recommended resource on refactoring and improving design of existing code.

To get more benefits of Agile without going Agile, try JUnit Recipes: Practical Methods for Programmer Testing by J.B. Rainsberger, and Implementing Lean Software Development: From Concept to Cash by Mary and Tom Poppendieck or visit AccuRev’s Agile Resource Center.