Two of the most significant trends in IT — mobile and cloud computing — are pushing enterprise developers toward Agile software development. Thanks to mobile and cloud-based apps, end users have become accustomed to being able to find apps that exactly meet their needs. “In many cases today, the business has alternatives, thanks to cloud — all the services they could need are available with a credit card,” noted HP’s Raziel Tabib. “IT has to work to be the preferred solution. If the IT department wants to maintain its position, it has to make the best tools to meet business needs. Developers have to get engaged with end users to ensure they are meeting those needs.”
One way that enterprise application developers are working to better compete and meet users’ needs is with the collaboration and incremental development principles of Agile methodologies. While adopting Agile development techniques doesn’t guarantee success, it can help developers do a better job of understanding and responding to their users.
ZDNet’s Dana Gardner writes, “I think Agile will get even more of a boost in value as developers move toward a ‘mobile first’ approach, which seems tightly coupled with fast, iterative apps improvement schedules.”
