7 Parameters to Measure the Effectiveness of Your Agile Initiative
The Ninth Annual State of Agile Survey received input from nearly 4,000 people between 2016 and 2017. It revealed some agile practice among the respondents.
The Ninth Annual State of Agile Survey received input from nearly 4,000 people between 2016 and 2017. It revealed that agile practice among the respondents had increased by 45%. Unfortunately, 11% of them were unaware of any agile metrics. This lack of awareness impedes the improvement of agile methodologies because ways of measuring its impact are absent.
Here are seven parameters that you can use to measure the effectiveness of your agile initiatives.
1. On-Time Delivery
Fifty-eight percent of the respondents believed that on-time delivery was the most significant measure of success in agile practices. In this case, on-time delivery means that a particular item required by the business arrived on the expected date. It also had the proposed features. In other words, all parties adhered to every condition in the contract as initially written.
2. The Quality of the Product
Forty-eight percent of the respondents mentioned quality as the primary measure of success when it came to agile initiatives. To put it differently, the condition of the software is their chief concern. For example, is it useable? Is it secure? Is it reliable? Achieving high standards of excellence in the production of software is only possible if it undergoes constant testing and monitoring.
3. The Level of Customer Satisfaction
More than 44% of the respondents stated that they measured the success of agile processes by examining the level of customer satisfaction. They would analyze it by referring to the volume of calls made by users to the company’s support team. They would look at sales figures as well in addition to the rate at which people are using the product.
4. Business Value
Forty-four percent of the respondents claimed that they assessed agile methodologies based on the worth that they brought into the business. They measured this worth through well-defined analytical techniques including Statement of Work (SoW). They also estimated it by linking each feature the product has to a specific value that it brings into the business.
5. The Scope of Features and Requirements
Thirty-nine of the respondents stated that they analyzed agile initiatives based on the scope of the product. More specifically, they looked at the features of the software and its requirements. Fortunately, the collection of this metric is a straightforward process. The parties involved can do it in agile standup meetings while representing it through burn-down charts or Kanban boards.
6. The Visibility of the Project
Project visibility is the most significant measure of agile initiatives for 30% of the respondents in this survey. Achieving a high level of it is possible if the parties involved share the product across multiple platforms. They have to do it in diverse ways so that everyone can play a role towards the success of the project.
7. The Level of Productivity and Predictability
Twenty-nine percent of the respondents stated that they measured agile processes by examining their level of productivity. Burn-up charts are an excellent way of collecting data for this metric. Determining predictability is also possible by reviewing the product's velocity trends. For example, fluctuating levels of velocity is an indication of unpredictability.
Conclusion
The Ninth Annual State of Agile Survey gives professionals profound insights into agile trends across the country and the globe. More importantly, it increases your awareness of agile metrics including the seven parameters mentioned above. These metrics help you measure the impact of agile initiatives on your business so that you can modify them appropriately if necessary.