What Is Agile?
Agile is a mindset and approach to project management that supports high performing cross functional teams in working as efficiently as possible. Agile frameworks are generally very segmented and consist of multiple phases. This structured strategy helps teams with project planning and allows for more quantifiable progress tracking. Additionally, Agile practices address common issues that take place within collaborative assignments, offering strategies that work to mitigate these issues while simultaneously helping unlock a team’s full potential.
Originally published as a manifesto by a team of developers in 2001, Agile methodology was intended to help software developers maximize efficiency while working on collaborative projects. An iterative approach to scoping, development, delivery, and continuous improvement is a cornerstone of the Agile philosophy. Agile principles are designed to be reused and repeated across a wide range of projects.
Several Agile-inspired practices/methodologies exist today and are used by teams all over the world. Some of the most commonly implemented Agile methodologies include:
- Scrum
- Kanban
- Extreme Programming (XP)
- Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM)
- Crystal
While each methodology has its own framework and nuances, commonalities between Agile methodologies include similar core principles, such as:
- Frequent communication
- Teamwork
- Flexibility
- Timely delivery
How Does Agile Methodology Impact Model Based Systems Engineering?
While Agile methodology has been used in IT and software development for a couple decades, the Agile framework can and has been replicated and applied in other industries. Over the last several years, the Agile approach has grown in popularity and become more widely accepted across various disciplines, including the engineering field. Though Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) is relatively efficient on its own, Agile methodology offers additional benefits and increased efficiency.
While the four core principles listed above may seem elementary, they are key factors that contribute to the success of cross functional teams. See below for how MBSE benefits from Agile principles:
Frequent Communication
Consistent good communication is a cornerstone of successful cross functional teams, specifically within the engineering realm. Poor communication is a perennial issue in the engineering space and can create debilitating effects within teams, especially within MBSE. MBSE teams generally consist of multiple people in different locations – especially now, with the rise of the hybrid workforce – which magnifies the need for excellent communication.
Agile is a useful tool for working on multidisciplinary teams, while Agile specifics differ across various methods, Agile promotes frequent communication and check-ins from each team member that touch on:
- Current project status
- Impediments or blockers
- Successes
- Future development plans
Frequent status updates, incremental, and continuous planning are helpful as they ensure all team members are on the same page day in and day out as well as aware of what activity is coming up so they can plan their own work effectively. The ripple effect of good communication is far reaching and can impact nearly every other area of an MBSE project.
Teamwork
Great team dynamics are indispensable when working towards a common goal. That said, fostering a sense of comradery among teammates is easier said than done, especially in cross functional teams. Individual personalities and work ethic combined with differing levels of knowledge and expertise, and small variances between these factors can have a big impact on team cohesion.
It’s not practical to select specific personality traits or exact levels of knowledge to create an “ideal team”. However, basic Agile fundamentals are great enablers for fostering effective teams. Agile positively impacts MBSE as it puts a large emphasis on teamwork and empowers team members to meaningfully contribute to the success of the project in tangible ways.
Within MBSE, different team members will likely play different roles and have varying strengths. While each person may work on and contribute to different sections of a project, it is important to foster the mentality that MBSE projects are a team effort, not an individual one.
Agile assists in holding each individual accountable to their portion of the project and enables everyone to stay on pace and meet their targets together as a team. In the event there are complications or problems (which there often are), the modular structure of MBSE and atomic units of time (sprints) from an Agile approach allows other teammates to have better visibility into other parts of the project and enables them to jump in to help others when needed. This is beneficial for creating an all-hands-on deck environment as well as for tracking project progress.
Flexibility
The Agile approach readily accommodates flexibility, which is useful for projects, where it’s not possible to capture all the requirements and nuances of implementation prior to project start, which is most projects in a dynamic environment. In MBSE, many project details are unknown upfront. While there will be some outline or reference points such as models or wireframes, implementation details and detailed requirements tend to evolve and change with the progression of the project. The flexibility of an Agile approach is beneficial as it embraces change on the outset and provides mechanisms and structures for incremental development and delivery.
The flexibility Agile offers comes in especially handy for MBSE because it helps teams determine their current position within a project as well as what they need to do to reach their goal each day/sprint. This mentality allows teams to shift gears and change their course of action as needed. For MBSE teams specifically, Agile methodology can prevent teams from modeling too many requirements up front, which can lead to a lengthened requirements management phase and delay execution iterations.
Timely Delivery
Agile principles are ultimately driven towards a single objective: delivering high-quality results. Many MBSE projects consist of high-level goals and tight deadlines, which can seem daunting when starting out. A structured Agile approach supports teams in first understanding and then hitting milestones and targets in collaboration with all project stakeholders. Consistent check-ins with group members ensure assignments stay on track, reach goals, and meet deadlines.
Splitting projects up into several phases is also very useful within MBSE. While it is important to have a high-level objective when working on a project, it is also important to break the end goal down into small manageable and meaningful phases which provide standalone value. Doing this allows for teams to have a clear vision of how to get from point A to point B. Additionally, it allows for large projects to feel more achievable.
Whatever your Agile-inspired methodology of choice is, Belcan has experience running cross functional teams across industry verticals following Agile principles. Our customers trust us to facilitate complex projects—including transitions to MBSE. Learn how Belcan’s people, processes, and deep expertise are accelerating the digital journey of organizations like yours.
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