Going.Agile.&.Extreme

The task of delivering software solutions on-time and on-demand has become a great challenge for many project teams nowadays with businesses moving at web-time and user requirements becoming more volatile. Changes happen too fast and project teams often end up with either the wrong product or a missed deadline. Perhaps it is time we re-look into the strategies of developing and delivering software solutions.

For quite sometime my friends from abroad have told me about Agile Programming (AP) and Extreme Programming (XP). Now, having more time on software development, I finally have the luxury to look at them. I've only started to read about AP and XP. Therefore, I won't be able to share much on it for now.

Basically, AP introduces a new paradigm where heavy documentation and long-winded processes no longer reign supreme in the software development life-cycle. Instead, it encourages short-release cycles and places more emphasis on working software - Read more.

XP is another lightweight methodology like AP and in away can be seen as one of the AP approach. I'm paying more attention to XP currently as some of the concepts (which is similar to AP) has captured my attention - Read more.

I've always prefered simplicity in my style of design and practiced iteractive releases in the software that I build and most of the XP principles do make a lot of sense to me. I'm particularly keen on Test-Driven Development currently where I'm looking at NUnit.

However, I believe these type of lightweight methodologies will send shivers to our project managers who come from the old school (you know those SDLC dudes). Now, I'm thinking if I can introduce AP or XP to my CMMI Engineering Process Group. Those guys seem to like documentation and process alot. :(

What do you think? Do you think AP or XP is workable in our culture and service-based environment? Have you tried to practiced them in your organization?