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In the context of software development, build refers to the process that converts files and other assets under the developers’ responsibility into a software product in its final or consumable form. The build is automated when these steps are repeatable, require no direct human intervention, and can be performed at any time with no information other than what is stored in the source code control repository. (see more)
B
Backlog
See product backlog.
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Business agility is the ability of an organization to sense changes internally or externally and respond accordingly in order to deliver value to its customers. (see more)
C
Collective Ownership
Collective code ownership is the explicit convention that every team member can make changes to any code file as necessary: either to complete a development task, to repair a defect, or to improve the code’s overall structure. (see more)
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Customer development is a four-step framework that provides a way to use a scientific approach to validate assumptions about your product and business. (learn more)
D
Daily Meeting
The daily meeting is one of the most commonly practiced Agile techniques and presents opportunity for a team to get together on a regular basis to coordinate their activities. (see more)
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Definition of Ready involves creating clear criteria that a user story must meet before being accepted into an upcoming iteration. This is typically based on the INVEST matrix. (see more)⇑ back to top
E
Epic
An epic is a large user story. (see more)
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Extreme Programming (XP) is an agile software development framework that aims to produce higher quality software, and higher quality of life for the development team. XP is the most specific of the agile frameworks regarding appropriate engineering practices for software development. (see more)
F
Facilitation
A facilitator is a person who chooses or is given the explicit role of conducting a meeting. (see more)
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An Agile team frequently releases its product into the hands of end users, listening to feedback, whether critical or appreciative. (see more)⇑ back to top
G
Given When Then
The Given-When-Then formula is a template intended to guide the writing of acceptance tests for a User Story: (Given) some context, (When) some action is carried out, (Then) a particular set of observable consequences should obtain. (see more)
I
Incremental Development
In an Agile context, Incremental Development is when each successive version of a product is usable, and each builds upon the previous version by adding user-visible functionality. (see more)
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Agile projects are iterative insofar as they intentionally allow for “repeating” software development activities, and for potentially “revisiting” the same work products (the phrase “planned rework” is sometimes used; refactoring is a good example). (see more)
K
Kanban
The Kanban Method is a means to design, manage and improve flow for knowledge work and allows teams to start where they are to drive evolutionary change. (see more)
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A Kanban Board is a visual workflow tool consisting of multiple columns. Each column represents a different stage in the workflow process. (see more)
L
Lead Time
Lead Time is the time between a customer order and delivery. In software development, it can also be the time between a requirement made and its fulfillment. (see more)⇑ back to top
M
Milestone Retrospective
A Milestone Retrospective is a team’s detailed analysis of the project’s significant events after a set period of time or at the project’s end. (see more)
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Mock Objects (commonly used in the context of crafting automated unit tests) consist of instantiating a test-specific version of a software component. (see more)⇑ back to top
N
Niko-niko Calendar
A Niko-niko Calendar is updated daily with each team member’s mood for that day. Over time the calendar reveals patterns of change in the moods of the team, or of individual members. (see more)⇑ back to top
O
Open Space
In Open Space meetings, events, or conferences, participants create and manage their own agenda of parallel sessions around a specific theme. (see more)
P
Pair Programming
Pair programming consists of two programmers sharing a single workstation (one screen, keyboard and mouse among the pair). (see more)
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A high-level summary of the project’s key success factors displayed on one wall of the team room as a flipchart-sized sheet of paper. (see more)
Q
Quick Design Session
When “simple design” choices have far-reaching consequences, two or more developers meet for a quick design session at a whiteboard. (see more)⇑ back to top
R
Refactoring
Refactoring consists of improving the internal structure of an existing program’s source code, while preserving its external behavior. (see more)
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Rules of Simplicity is a set of criteria, in priority order, proposed by Kent Beck to judge whether some source code is “simple enough.” (see more)⇑ back to top
S
Scrum
Scrum is a process framework used to manage product development and other knowledge work. (see more)
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The team aims for a work pace that they would be able to sustain indefinitely. (see more)⇑ back to top
T
Task Board
The most basic form of a task board is divided into three columns labeled “To Do,” “In Progress,” and “Done.” Cards are placed in the columns to reflect the current status of that task. (see more)
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A timebox is a previously agreed period of time during which a person or a team works steadily towards completion of some goal. (see more)
U
Ubiquitous Language
Striving to use the vocabulary of a given business domain, not only in discussions about the requirements for a software product, but in discussions of design as well and all the way into “the product’s source code itself.” (see more)
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The user story template is one of the most commonly recommended aids to write user stories: As a … I want … So that … (see more)
V
Velocity
At the end of each iteration, the team adds up effort estimates associated with user stories that were completed during that iteration. This total is called velocity. (see more)
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Version control is not strictly an Agile “practice” insofar as it is now widespread in the industry as a whole. But it is mentioned here for several reasons. (see more)⇑ back to top
X
XP – Extreme Programming
Extreme Programming (XP) is an agile software development framework that aims to produce higher quality software, and higher quality of life for the development team. XP is the most specific of the agile frameworks regarding appropriate engineering practices for software development. (see more)⇑ back to top