Agility in software engineering refers to the ability of a software development team to respond quickly and effectively to changes in the software being developed, changes to team members, changes due to new technology, and changes of all types that may affect the product they build or the project that makes the product. Agile software development is a methodology that anticipates the need for flexibility and applies a level of pragmatism to the delivery of the finished product. Key features of agile software development include:
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Iterative development: Agile methods break tasks into smaller parts and each iteration is considered as a short time "frame" in the Agile process model, which typically lasts from one to four weeks. The division of the entire project into smaller parts helps to minimize the project risk and to reduce the overall project delivery time requirements.
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Feedback: After releasing the product, the team receives feedback about the product and works through the feedback.
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Continuous improvement: Agile software development believes change is always a way to improve the project and provide additional value.
Agile software development requires a cultural shift in many companies because it focuses on the clean delivery of individual pieces or parts of the software and not on the entire application. Agile testing involves all members of a cross-functional agile team, with special expertise contributed by testers, to ensure delivering the business value.
