Agile Development, Iterative Approach

The single greatest predicate in most web site development projects is cost, and an Agile approach to development keeps development, which translates to financial resources, directly in line with the design specification.

There is loads written on Agile development, no need to repeat it, here is an executive summary.

First step in a project is lay out the business requirements, and with the web site, the message, the look and the feel.

Second, look at the business requirements, from a high level, and put together what open source projects best fit the requirements.  Here is where Aliovox  can quote a fixed price for a design, skinning, installation and configuring of the site.  This way core functionality can be met on a fixed budget.

Next we work together to line up the priorities and break them down into line items.  Each line item is a displayable piece of functionality, or artwork.  The items are broken down such that they can be accomplished in a few hours, to a few days, not much longer.

The crux of the agile approach is at fixed intervals of time, work is checked in, reviewed, and the next set of tasks are set out to be done.  I like to have weekly meetings to demonstrate work done for the week, and discuss it, and lay out the next weeks work.

The iterative approach insures everyone is aware of the progress, and a sober view of remaining work and remaining budget is apparent.