RAD, DAD, LSD… or how to make sense of all the Agile frameworks?
Is SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) safer than XP (Extreme Programming)?
Is LSD (Lean Software Development, not that LSD) only for start-ups and DAD (Disciplined Agile Delivery, not Divide and Delegate) only for highly disciplined teams?
Why so many acronyms after all?
In the Olympics, they all talk in acronyms all the time. You spend most of the meeting trying to work out what the acronym meant. By the time you’ve done that it’s time for the next meeting.
In the Agile Olympics we talk in acronyms a lot but determining a ranking among the frameworks is not as straightforward as in the actual Olympics. Is there a place for a winner at all? Is there a one-size-fits-all agile software development approach?
Well, according to the Annual State of Agile Report, Scrum wins a gold medal with a 58% adoption rate as a sole solution, 8% in combination with XP and 10% when used with Kanban.
But what makes up the 9% of Other/Hybrid/Multiple methodologies? If your head isn’t now suffering a perplexity of principles, we can help you make the right decision for your organisation.
What is an Agile framework?
Before we go any further, let’s define what an Agile framework is.
An Agile framework is a specific approach to develop software based on principles stated in the Agile Manifesto.
Understanding Agile frameworks begins with understanding what they are not: the way to carry out a complete Agile transformation of an entire organization. Although, any organization undergoing the transition would at some point change the way they build their products and services, Agile transformation goes far beyond software and aims to change an organization’s culture based on values proclaimed in the manifesto.
Popular Agile frameworks
- Rapid Application Development (RAD)
- Disciplined Agile Delivery (DAD)
- Lean Software Development (LSD)
- Adaptive Software Development (ASD)
- Feature Driven Development (FDD)
- Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)
- Dynamic Systems Development Method (DDSM)
- Kanban
- Heart of Agile
- Modern Agile
- The Crystal Method
- Extreme Programming (XP)
As we follow up with more articles from this series, we are going to explore each of the popular frameworks. Every framework has its strengths and weaknesses and might work well for some teams but would not be ideal for others. The one thing to remember is that choosing the “right” framework is just a starting point for your agile transformation, and you should experiment to create your unique approach of building successful products with an agile spirit.
Kateryna Novozhylova
Hi! I'm Kateryna Novozhylova, co-founder & CPO at Fractional Teams. I write about product management and agile development practices.
