Overview

The benefits of the agile methodology are simple:

1. You’ve got pieces of working code in your hands every few weeks
2. You can make priority changes and new features as the project progresses
3. You’re in constant contact with our team to make sure things are running smoothly

Storyboarding & Design

As always, we begin your project according to the MentorMate Way – determining your business needs first and designing from the user perspective. During the initial client meetings, solutions to your needs are designed via rough sketches. Once it is agreed there is enough detail to move on, the sketches are sent to the design team where they are turned into wireframes. These wireframes will go through several revisions based on client feedback. When finalized, our technical team creates documentation and a backlog for the project – a list of priorities for the development of the project.

Development

Once the backlog is created, we begin your project by working in quick, pre-defined bursts of time – “sprints” – that typically last for two weeks. For each sprint, a Sprint Backlog is created with specific details for the work to be done over the sprint’s duration. Following the sprint, you’ll receive a piece of working code that you can test and that you will own. We also create a burn chart – a chart that shows everyone how much work has been done on the current sprint versus how much is remaining.

Your business needs can change as a project goes on, but these hurdles shouldn’t trip up the project. Following each sprint, we take a day to revisit the backlog and assess the sprint that has just taken place. At this time, the backlog can be reordered, with certain features on your project moving up to the front, or some being pushed to the back burner. New features can be added, or old ones subtracted. Your needs are always at the forefront of our minds.

Feedback

Two weeks is a quick turnaround, but it’s too long to be out of communication with your vendor – you need to be in the loop every day. With our SCRUM methodology, we give you the option of participating in our brief “stand-ups” every morning. These are typically 5-10 minute meetings to status updates on the project that allow concerns to be voiced. The three main questions addressed in each of these meetings are:

1. What have you done since yesterday?
2. What are you going to do today?
3. Are there any problems that will keep you from getting that done?

You need insight into your project at a ground level. These meetings are brief, but go a long way in building a strong sense of trust and good personal relationships between your team and MentorMate.

Are You Ready for an Agile Project?

Agile offers real-time development for your real-time life. By receiving pieces of code in your hand every few weeks, you end up with a flexible methodology that lets you customize as you go. Prefer a different type of development style? Take a look at our IBGA approach.