{"id":293,"date":"2018-06-06T14:17:43","date_gmt":"2018-06-06T12:17:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dotinum.com\/blog\/?p=293"},"modified":"2025-09-03T15:11:00","modified_gmt":"2025-09-03T13:11:00","slug":"what-is-agile-development-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dotinum.com\/blog\/what-is-agile-development-history\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Agile Development? From the historic point of view"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

TL;DR<\/strong> Agile development has changed the way software is built, replacing the rigid Waterfall model with a flexible, customer-focused approach. In this article, you\u2019ll learn where Agile came from, what the Agile Manifesto introduced, how it differs from the Waterfall method, and why many organizations today rely on Agile principles and sprints to deliver better results.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The origins of Agile development<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In ancient times, when people weren\u2019t communicating with Messenger or their smartphones, the word \u201cinfluencer\u201d didn\u2019t have a special meaning and politicians weren\u2019t expressing their point of view on Twitter, the term \u201cagile\u201d has now been born. It was exactly 2001, when a group of 17 IT specialists drafted the Agile Manifesto<\/strong><\/a>. They gathered in order to establish some major principles for developing better software:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cWe are uncovering better ways of developing software and by doing it we are helping others do it. Through this work we have come to value:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Individuals and interactions<\/strong> over processes and tools
Working software<\/strong> over comprehensive documentation
Customer collaboration<\/strong> over contract negotiation
Responding to change<\/strong> over following a plan<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

I guess you are wondering what this mysterious term \u201cagile\u201d means. Was there anything before the \u201cagile\u201d era? Keep reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Waterfall model \u2013 the old-school approach<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s move to Canada for a minute. I am sure that if you visit this beautiful country, you will definitely want to see the famous Niagara Falls. Let\u2019s sit on the shore and admire this amazing natural marvel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I bet you think: \u201cWhat\u2019s the point of this story? There\u2019s no connection between waterfalls and IT.\u201d Are you sure? Try to use your imagination a bit – or I can help you visualize this picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Before agile, a waterfall model<\/em> was the most common approach to software development. It works quite simply – once you go past a stage, you can\u2019t move back. Just as with water in Niagara Falls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It means that programmers must stick to rules that were set in advance, even if a market changes. Coders are limited by tons of documentation. Sometimes it takes months to build an application and it\u2019s not even tested before it\u2019s finished. What\u2019s more, a client is also very limited. He can\u2019t change his mind and suddenly add or delete some features. After compiling the requirements document, it won\u2019t be possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The term waterfall model was first used by Winston W. Royce, in his article Managing the Development of Large Software Systems. This model emphasizes that a software development life cycle (SDLC) is composed of some specific phases:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25a0 Requirements:<\/strong> In this phase, a product manager should do his best to get the most specific information regarding a client\u2019s outcome expectations. All requirements regarding a product specification should be written down. Later, software will be developed on the base of this requirements document.
\u25a0 Analysis:<\/strong> This is a stage, when all requirements are being analysed. A group of specialists study how to build a system, taking into account all necessary tools and materials.
\u25a0 Design:<\/strong> This phase concerns technical aspects of the design – programmers choose an appropriate coding language and technologies, the best and most compatible with a particular software development.
\u25a0 Coding:<\/strong> Bearing in mind previous steps, programmers start implementing business logic, which means creating the code.
\u25a0 Testing:<\/strong> It\u2019s a moment when both a whole software and its particular parts are being tested. Testers look for bugs and report issues if they find anything not working properly.
\u25a0 Deployment:<\/strong> A piece of software is ready to launch – real clients start using a product. A deployment is not the end of a Software Development Lifecycle. Even more important is software maintenance – support in further product development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Based on a waterfall model<\/strong>, software development was a very long, difficult process. In some cases it took years to get software ready to launch and a documentation had hundreds of pages.
In the 90s, people experienced a very rapid internet proliferation. The development of a global network had an impact on the birth of new coding languages such as PHP, Ruby and JavaScript. The evolution of technology caused the need to invent different approaches regarding software development – more flexible, matched to continuous market changes, and most of all – with faster implementation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Agile Development \u2013 a new way of building software<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The growth of the agile approach has officially started with an Agile Manifesto<\/strong> in 2001, which I quoted in the beginning. However, the roots of this methodology can be found much earlier in Japan, more precisely – in the Sakichi Toyoda business approach. The founder of the Toyota brand was also the father of Kaizen and the precursor of \u201clean management\u201d – a new way of thinking, based on improving business operations continuously, with a special focus on innovation and evolution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The main objective of agile thinking is to minimise the time spent on preparing documents and overall planning. Coming back to Agile Manifesto (probably the most significant moment in the agile history), a group of IT specialists has set 12 principles concerning the agile development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to them, customer satisfaction is the most important. It can be achieved only when software is improved and changed continuously, no matter on which stage the product development is. The goal is to create valuable software, so that it becomes a client\u2019s competitive advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cChange\u201d may be a key word to understand agile development. It\u2019s much different than in a waterfall approach, where once requirements are determined, they can\u2019t be modified in the future. In agile, programmers focus on building an excellent working software, not just a product adjusted to specifications (that sometimes may turn out to be wrong).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like in \u201clean management\u201d, the simplicity is the way a piece of software should be developed. When creating a code, it\u2019s important to minimise the amount of essential work in order to create a better, good quality product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The process of software development is divided into small parts, called \u201csprints\u201d. At the end of every phase, everything is tested and consulted with a client\u2019s representative. It is the perfect moment for a client\u2019s feedback concerning possible changes and improvements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the 11th annual state of <\/a>agile report, organizations are succeeding with agile:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201c98% of respondents said that their organization has realized success from agile projects.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

If you are not convinced that the agile approach is a good way to implement projects, I recommend you to track this website, where the 12th annual state of <\/a>agile survey has been already published.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In many cases, an agile development is the best approach to implement projects. Be careful though, this is not the rule. In some situations, it\u2019s impossible to apply this solution. There are some fields in which a waterfall approach works better. For example, when building a refinery, first you need to plan every step precisely, then build. When the project has a fixed scope, time and budget, a waterfall approach is a better choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And what do you think about agile development?<\/strong> When to use it? Share your opinion in the comments!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Need help with building a website or mobile application?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drop us a message!<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n

FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What is Agile Development?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Agile Development is a flexible software development approach based on the Agile Manifesto (2001). It focuses on customer collaboration, continuous improvement, and delivering working software in small iterations called sprints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the key principles of Agile?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Agile emphasizes individuals and interactions, working software over documentation, customer collaboration, and responding to change over rigid planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When should you use Agile?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Agile is best for projects with evolving requirements, where flexibility and quick delivery are crucial, such as software development.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

TL;DR Agile development has changed the way software is built, replacing the rigid Waterfall model with a flexible, customer-focused approach. In this article, you\u2019ll learn where Agile came from, what the Agile Manifesto introduced, how it differs from the Waterfall method, and why many organizations today rely on Agile principles and sprints to deliver better […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":311,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[28,29],"class_list":["post-293","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bez-kategorii","tag-agile-development","tag-software-development"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat is an agile development? - Blog Dotinum<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn the history of Agile development, its principles, and how it differs from the traditional Waterfall model.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/dotinum.com\/blog\/what-is-agile-development-history\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What is an agile development? - Blog Dotinum\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn the history of Agile development, its principles, and how it differs from the traditional Waterfall model.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/dotinum.com\/blog\/what-is-agile-development-history\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Blog Dotinum.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-06-06T12:17:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-09-03T13:11:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/dotinum.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/company-concept-creative-7369.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"3000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"2000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Anna\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Anna\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"What is an agile development? - Blog Dotinum","description":"Learn the history of Agile development, its principles, and how it differs from the traditional Waterfall model.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/dotinum.com\/blog\/what-is-agile-development-history\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"What is an agile development? - Blog Dotinum","og_description":"Learn the history of Agile development, its principles, and how it differs from the traditional Waterfall model.","og_url":"https:\/\/dotinum.com\/blog\/what-is-agile-development-history\/","og_site_name":"Blog Dotinum.com","article_published_time":"2018-06-06T12:17:43+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-09-03T13:11:00+00:00","og_image":[{"width":3000,"height":2000,"url":"https:\/\/dotinum.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/company-concept-creative-7369.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Anna","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Anna","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/dotinum.com\/blog\/what-is-agile-development-history\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/dotinum.com\/blog\/what-is-agile-development-history\/"},"author":{"name":"Anna","@id":"https:\/\/dotinum.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/7f633487fa7d7b35aaeb9a58f671e5e0"},"headline":"What is Agile Development? 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