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Introduction to Agile Methods

A THOROUGH INTRODUCTION TO THE AGILE FRAMEWORK AND METHODOLOGIES THAT ARE USED WORLDWIDE

Organizations of all shapes and sizes are embracing Agile methodologies as a way to transform their products, customer satisfaction, and employee engagement. Many people with varying levels of work experience are interested in understanding the architecture and nuances of Agile, but it is difficult to know where to start. Numerous practitioner books are available, but there has never been a single source for unbiased information about Agile methodologies–until now. Introduction to Agile Methods is the place to start for students and professionals who want to understand Agile and become conversant with Agile values, principles, frameworks, and processes.

COVERAGE INCLUDES

  • How Agile compares with the Waterfall method and when to use each
  • Why Agile demands a cultural transformation–and how that looks to each participant
  • Comparing various Agile methodologies, including Scrum, Kanban, Extreme Programming (XP), Crystal, Feature Driven Development (FDD), Lean, and DSDM
  • Understanding the roles within Agile and how they work together to create superior results
  • Agile approaches to requirements gathering, planning, estimating, tracking, reporting, testing, quality, and integration
  • Extending Agile beyond IT
Authors Sondra Ashmore and Kristin Runyan use academic research and their own experiences with numerous Agile implementations to present a clear description of the essential concepts. They address all key roles and the entire development life cycle, including common roadblocks that must be overcome to be successful. Through the authors’ realistic use cases, practical examples, and thought-provoking interviews with pioneering practitioners, complex concepts are made relatable. No matter what your role or level of experience, this book provides a foundational understanding that can be used to start or enhance any Agile effort.
About the Author(s)
Sondra Ashmore Ph.D.

Sondra Ashmore is a non-fiction writer from Des Moines, Iowa. Her writing focuses on both technologies as well as the history of her hometown.

Sondra has spent over 20 years working in the field of information technology. Her research has focused on creating an amazing user experience and optimizing the software development process by using Agile methodologies. She co-authored Introduction to Agile Methods in 2014 to help students and IT practitioners get a baseline understanding of what Agile has to offer.

Her love for her historic neighborhood has also encouraged her to expand her writing to capturing stories about the history of Des Moines and highlighting the beauty and craftsmanship of historic homes. She co-authored and published Owl’s Head: A Hidden Gem in 2021 after two years of research on the Owl’s Head neighborhood. It also includes original watercolor paintings of 15 of the homes located in the neighborhood.

Kristin Runyan

Kristin Runyan loves many things – Agile, Product Management, Leadership, black labs, hanging with her family, and movies with a giant tub of popcorn and a fountain coke. Kristin has had the opportunity to live in St. Louis, Houston, Fort Worth, Austin, Dallas, West Midlands (England), Des Moines, and currently in San Diego, CA. She has been blessed to oversee five Agile implementations in very different companies. With over 20 years of Product Management experience, she enjoys marrying the two disciplines to create innovative product solutions.

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