Achieving Global Agile Development

Volume 2 Number 11 - December 2007

As 2007 comes to a close, we can reflect on the accomplishments of many Agile teams. We’ve crossed the Agile chasm and the results are pouring in: highly distributed teams are delivering mission-critical products and have truly begun to quantify the business benefits that their products provide. We should also consider the work that lies ahead. Have teams achieved global Agile development? What will it take for companies to implement enterprise-wide, rather than project-specific, Agile initiatives? When will there be a critical mass of skilled Agile developers and managers on hand in each large organization? There’s no question that 2007 delivered a wealth of Agile successes, so we need to build on that momentum in the coming year.

In this issue of the Agile Journal, our contributors consider a variety of perspectives around global Agile development. Skills lie at the heart of all initiatives. Ross Pettit explores how companies can use Agile practices to help build rather than source high performing, global teams. Erik Gottesman and Andy Takats argue that in order for Agile processes to scale to support enterprise-wide requirements, organizations must proactively architect real-world adoption strategies, rather than just proselytize the benefits of specific Agile practices.

We can cite numerous successes on Agile teams, but we cannot say that there is total consensus in the industry as to how to implement specific practices. Approaches vary as do some core beliefs. Amr Elssamadisy discusses the “what” and “why” behind refactoring, and how several industry leaders view the effectiveness of refactoring and test driven development. David Webb concedes that we may not yet be at the point to have best practices for global development, but rather that we may just be able to draw upon some good ideas. He delves down into three areas: data considerations, communications needs, and a company’s Agile readiness.

Distributed Agile projects are becoming more common, but teams know that without strong testing and quality management practices, there’s no way for projects to truly scale. Test-Driven Development and communication lie at the heart of these efforts. Scott Ambler and Khurram Nizami share some effective testing strategies for geographically distributed quality management.

We have many new plans for the Agile Journal in 2008, largely driven by input from our readers and contributors. Please continue to share your advice and experiences with the Agile Journal community and give us feedback on the Agile Journal’s contents. If you’d like to contribute an article on an upcoming topic, go to the “Letters to the Editor” in the forum at AgileJournal.com and send us your ideas. Enjoy the holidays!

Liz Barnett
Editor in Chief

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