Rapidly changing market conditions, the need for flexibility and today’s changing economy mean traditional methods of implementing software are no longer appropriate and that private and public-sector organisations should adopt newer techniques to implement software, a new report by IT services company Sogeti Ireland suggests.
“The same is true of management practice,” said Declan Kavanagh, CEO of Sogeti Ireland and author of the report, ‘Can Business Management Learn from Agile Development?’.
The report points to the adoption of Agile software development and implementation which results in stakeholders’ closer involvement, more expedient and frequent delivery of functionality, benefits to users and improved financial performance. The report also said traditional 18-months software development cycles are unacceptable in today’s rapidly changing environment.
The drivers of Agile software development are time to market; matching client needs; responsiveness to change; focus on added value activity; quality and fashion. “Some or all of these drivers also top many organisations’ management agendas,” said Kavanagh.
The report proposes an ‘Agile business model’, which will deliver short execution cycles within a planning framework; accommodate change without creating waste; deliver frequent output that can be used to impact the organisation’s internal/external customers and engage users effectively and more frequently.
“Managers must acknowledge that change happens and accommodate this in a flexible, responsive manner that delivers the maximum to the bottom line or boosts stakeholder satisfaction,” Kavanagh said.
Photo: Declan Kavanagh, CEO of Sogeti Ireland
