Gain insights into applying Agile methods in large projects and teams. Explore challenges, best practices, and strategies to secure organizational buy-in for successful implementation.

Agile methods allow us to handle rapidly changing requirements, typical in most software projects. These methods are conventionally used for small teams and software projects. However, in this course, you will learn how to effectively apply Agile methods to large software projects and large teams.

You’ll start with a recap of the Agile Manifesto, followed by a description of the common challenges associated with Agile methods in the context of large software projects. You’ll learn how Agile approaches have been applied to build responsibility. Next, you’ll learn about approaches to apply Agile methods in the processes. You will then learn best practices for applying Agile methods such as software testing, and software architecture. 

This course provides insights into successful and unsuccessful approaches to introducing agility to teams, processes, and technology aspects of large projects. It also teaches strategies to secure organizational buy-in for agility in the context of large projects and teams.

Applying Agile Methods to Large Teams and Projects

Although Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) are often organized in one department, they are different things, as defined by #key# Hillel Glazer : Author of Software Engineering Institute’s white paper "CMMI or Agile: Why Not Both!?" and an expert in blending Lean, Agile, and modern development techniques with CMMI and ISO. #key#:
> QA is not quality control (QC). [...] To put it simply, QC is testing. [...] In a nutshell, QA is process-oriented and QC is product oriented. [...] QA makes sure you are doing the right things, the right way.




Agile processes put quality control more in the center of development than traditional processes. Quality control is expected to work closely with the customer, supporting them during project development in specifying, implementing, and verifying acceptance tests. Often, in traditionally led projects, quality control comes into action at the very end of the project; tests are typically scheduled at the end of linear development. However, if the whole project is running out of time, it is common for the project to shorten or even cancel the test phase. It is natural for quality control to be cut in this context because, as the deadline looms, there is little else that can be canceled. And it is only at this late stage that ignoring the schedule becomes hard to do. This means there is often no _explicit_ time for quality anymore. This is one of the reasons why quality has to be an _integrated_ element of the process.


Learn about the notions of quality, quality assurance, and quality control in an agile process.

Introduction to the Course

Agility and Largeness

Dealing with Large Teams

Dealing with the Process

Dealing with the Technology

Dealing with the Company

Putting It All Together: A Project Report (Case Study)

Final Thoughts

Quality Assurance and Quality Control