Information Systems Development Methodologies - High Level Models and Methodologies for Information Systems - page 41

3.2 Information Systems Development Methodologies

3.2.1 Agile Methodology

The use of agile methods has rapidly increased among the ISD arena, a swift
evolution that has been almost entirely determined by practitioners rather than
researchers (Conboy 2009 ). Although its fundamental principles have been around
since the 1970s, agile methodology has truly gained momentum during the last
15 years (Abbas et al. 2008 ). As agile methods became increasingly popular,
researchers have been more and more interested in studying and systematizing them
(Conboy 2009 ).
Agile methodologies have evolved around the concept that the development of
IS is a creative work, where design activities occupy a key position (Tumbas and
Matkovic 2006 ); on the other hand, they are also based on the premise that the
development process often involves constant changes and adaptations that give rise
to a need for flexible approaches and methods. It can thus be asserted that the

increased use of agile methods is connected to the instability of the technological
environment. Customers are not always able to describe their necessities, in a
comprehensive manner, at the beginning of a speci

c project; therefore, developers
found it necessary to create methods that are capable of adapting to changing
circumstances and speci cations along the design and development process.

According to Tumbas and Matkovic ( 2006 ), the development of IS processes needs
to be

flexible in order to allow its users to analyze and adjust their needs and
requirements frequently, without endangering the effectiveness of the entire pro-
cess. Agile methods aim at responding directly to this necessity.
Additionally, it is argued that agile methods have emerged as a reaction to the
incapacity of previous methods to rapidly and ef ciently stand up to dynamic and

changing contexts (Abrahamsson et al. 2009 citing Highsmith 2002 ), which are
common place in the context of IS and information society.
Within this context, Conboy ( 2009 )de

'

s continued
predisposition to rapidly or inherently create change, proactively or reactively
embrace change and learn from it, while at the same time contributing to the
customer ' is perception of value. For Abbas et al. ( 2008 ), an agile method is adaptive
(this method can handle change, in technology and requirements, even to the point
of changing the method itself), iterative, and incremental (with every iteration, part
the system is developed, tested, and improved, while a new part is being devel-
oped), and people-oriented (it highlights face-to-face communication within the
team and with the customer, who is closely involved with the development pro-
cess). Furthermore, to ensure effective development, agile methods stress informal
communication and require frequent feedback through reviews and evaluations in
collaboration with customers on-site (Paelke and Nebe 2008 ).
Thus, it can be summarized that agile methods are primarily adaptive rather than
predictable, while also aiming at faster development times and more integration
with customer needs. The major advantage of these methods is that they can easily

nes agility as a method