Hybrid Agile vs. Pure Agile – What's the Difference and Which Process Should You Use?
Agile Development is a popular approach to software development in use today. The Agile philosophy centers on the values of flexibility, collaboration, and a focus on constant improvement. But even within Agile Development, there are different approaches you can take. The two most commonly used approaches are Hybrid Agile and Pure Agile.
Before delving into what makes these two approaches different, we need to understand what each one means.
What is Pure Agile?
Pure Agile is an approach to software development that involves strictly adhering to the Agile principles and guidelines. It is a process of building software that is highly iterative, done on small scales, with continuous improvement in mind. Planning is done on a per-sprint basis, and each sprint is a complete software build. Pure Agile teams are usually small, highly focused, and cross-functional.
What is Hybrid Agile?
Hybrid Agile is an approach that blends the principles of Agile Development with other accelerated development methodologies such as Waterfall or Lean. It is an approach that acknowledges that no one approach fits all software development projects, and seeks to adapt to the needs of the clients, team, or project stakeholders, and is more flexible in adapting or adopting other methodologies as necessary.
What Are the Differences Between the Two?
Pure Agile is a more structured and rigid approach in its adherence to Agile principles. It is best for projects that are typically research-based or those with a specific timeline, such as for startups, pilot projects, and limited scope projects.
Hybrid Agile is a more flexible approach that combines Agile principles with other development methodologies as needed. Hybrid teams are often larger, more complex, and handle scale projects such as large-scale projects with outside partners or with strict deadlines.
So, Which One Should You Use?
The choice between using Hybrid or Pure Agile for your project really depends on the type of project that you are working on, the size of your team, and the overall needs of your stakeholders.
It is necessary to assess the goals and objectives of your project, the timeline, the scope, and the people involved before determining which approach to take.
Although it is difficult to prescribe what is best, statistics from a survey by VersionOne revealed that 64% of Agile teams used a Hybrid approach with Lean or Waterfall. This is a clear indication that Hybrid is increasingly becoming the preferred approach.
Conclusion
Agile Development is a powerful way to develop software, but there are different approaches that must be considered when selecting the right process. Whether your team uses a Pure Agile or Hybrid Agile approach, it is important to be able to adapt the methodology to the changing needs of the project.
We hope that this article has been helpful in clarifying the differences between the two approaches and providing insights on which process to adopt for your team. Remember – every team is different, so do what works best for you!
References
- Agile Alliance: The Agile Glossary
- VersionOne: The State of Agile Survey
- Medium: Pure Agile vs. Hybrid Agile Development