Paul Krill
Editor at Large

Does agile programming lack agility?

news
Mar 20, 20061 min

Software exec notes that agile seems to be mostly about processes and tools instead of individuals

Agile software development, which aims for quicker delivery of software than traditional methods, hasn’t yet met its promise, said Steve McConnell, author and chief software engineer at Construx Software Builders, at the SD West 2006 conference last week.

McConnell noted what so far appears to be a contradiction in agile programming: Although it’s intended to focus on individuals and interactions, it seems to be mostly about processes and tools. “It seems to me that the promise of agile development has fallen short, at least so far,” McConnell said.

McConnell acknowledged the excessive enthusiasm surrounding agile programming but noted this has happened before with other new technologies, such as CASE.

He also stressed the importance of iteration and incrementalism, in addition to risk management.

Paul Krill

Paul Krill is editor at large at InfoWorld. Paul has been covering computer technology as a news and feature reporter for more than 35 years, including 30 years at InfoWorld. He has specialized in coverage of software development tools and technologies since the 1990s, and he continues to lead InfoWorld’s news coverage of software development platforms including Java and .NET and programming languages including JavaScript, TypeScript, PHP, Python, Ruby, Rust, and Go. Long trusted as a reporter who prioritizes accuracy, integrity, and the best interests of readers, Paul is sought out by technology companies and industry organizations who want to reach InfoWorld’s audience of software developers and other information technology professionals. Paul has won a “Best Technology News Coverage” award from IDG.

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