Agile delivery
Agile delivery is an iterative approach to software delivery in which teams build software incrementally at the beginning of a project rather than ship it at once upon completion.
GitLab's ultimate guide to Agile project & portfolio management (PPM) →
What is Agile delivery?
Agile is one of the most important and transformative methodologies introduced to the software engineering discipline in recent decades, helping software teams efficiently create customer-centric products.
Agile delivery is an iterative approach to software delivery in which teams build software incrementally at the beginning of a project rather than ship it at once upon completion.
Agile development means taking iterative, incremental, and lean approaches to streamline and accelerate the delivery of projects.
Why embrace Agile delivery?
The demand for faster software development is universal, and Agile delivery. meets both customer and business needs.
Organizations that adopt Agile delivery practices can gain a competitive edge in a fast changing market. Businesses that empower teams to use Agile development practices satisfy discerning customers and adapt to new technologies, helping them to develop the products that set the standard for industries.
It’s not just businesses that benefit from Agile delivery. Customers have more substantive experiences with organizations when their needs are met and their feedback makes a difference in product development. Customers appreciate when their input and expectations help shape an organization’s releases.
Agile delivery basics and benefits
Getting started with Agile means becoming acquainted with the most common methodologies and characteristics.
Scrum
Scrum, often synonymous with Agile, is an approach that emphasizes continuous improvement, self organization, and experience-based learning. By utilizing user stories, tasks, backlogs, and extensions, teams have a structured model to carry them across a software development lifecycle. Teams that use a Scrum approach to development are likely to be committed, respectful, and focused.
Kanban
Teams that use a Kanban framework favor transparency and communication. Tasks are organized using Kanban cards on a board to enable end-to-end visibility throughout production. Three practices guide Kanban: visualize work, limit work in progress, manage flow. Teams that use a Kanban framework are collaborative, transparent, balanced, and customer focused.
Agile mindset
An Agile mindset means viewing setbacks as learning opportunities, embracing iteration, collaboration, and change, and focusing on delivering value. With an Agile mindset, teams can adjust to changing market needs, respond to customer feedback, and deliver business value. Adopting a new perspective can positively change a team’s culture, since the shift permits innovation without fear, collaboration with ease, and delivery without roadblocks.
Speed to market
Faster time-to-market enables quicker customer feedback and higher customer satisfaction.
Higher quality
Since testing is integrated throughout the lifecycle, teams have early sight into quality issues.
Transparency
Teams are involved throughout a project — from planning and prioritizing to building and deploying.
Resources
Here’s a list of resources on Agile that we find to be particularly helpful in understanding Agile and implementation. We would love to get your recommendations on books, blogs, videos, podcasts and other resources that tell a great Agile story or offer valuable insight on the definition or implementation of the practice.
Please share your favorites with us by tweeting us @GitLab!
Webcasts
Agile project management →
Setting up Agile groups and teams →
Case studies
Axway was able to achieve hourly deployments with GitLab CI/CD →
How GitLab CI supported Ticketmaster's ramp up to weekly mobile releases →
Reports
Agile planning →
Scaled Agile and GitLab →
Accelerating software delivery →
Suggested Content
How to use GitLab for Agile software development
by Victor Wu
How Agile artifacts map to GitLab features and how an Agile iteration looks in GitLab.
Learn more
What is an Agile mindset?
by Suri Patel
Learn how embracing change can help you speed up software delivery.
Learn more
4 ways to use GitLab Issue Boards
by Victor Wu
By leveraging the power of labels, GitLab Issue Boards can be easily customized to support any workflow. Here are four examples.
Learn more
Issue labels can now be scoped!
by Suri Patel
A small change with a huge impact: Scoped Labels can help teams customize their workflow and speed up delivery.
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5 Ways to stay agile in a growing organization
by Jeremy Watson
Some of the GitLab Manage team have a conversation about staying agile as a company grows.
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Improving pair programming with pairing sessions
by Suri Patel
Pairing with a teammate can increase delivery. Here we look at what pairing sessions are, what they involve and what they're good for.
Learn more