Choosing the Best of the Plan-Driven and Agile Development Methods

We seem to be under a curse in our profession. Although not cast by a witch or a wizard, the curse affects us just the same. It is the curse of "either/or"-the curse that we must choose either "this" or "that" but we cannot choose parts of both. Nowhere is this more evident than in today's struggle between the adherents of the traditional "plan-driven" and newer "Agile" approaches to software development. What most overlook is that both groups want to achieve exactly the same goal: quality software that meets customer needs within the constraints of time, budget, staff, and technology. They differ only on the strategies to achieve this goal. For example, both groups agree that system requirements must be understood; their differences lie in questions of "how much of what to do and when to do it." Lee Copeland offers insights and suggestions on the methods and approaches that will be most valued on your project-control vs. flexibility, individual contribution vs. process guidance, and contractual specification vs. adaptable delivery. Find out which of the plan-driven and Agile processes will work best in your organization and in your project's context.