Agile Development Guide

Agile at 18F

We embrace agile practices to deliver value early and often, focusing on user needs and continuous improvement through iterative development.

Core Principles

Iterative Development

• Build incrementally
• Release frequently
• Learn continuously
• Adapt quickly

User-Centered

• Focus on user value
• Regular user feedback
• Data-driven decisions
• Continuous validation

Team Collaboration

• Open communication
• Shared responsibility
• Cross-functional teams
• Collective ownership

Agile Practices at 18F

1. Sprint Structure

   • Two-week sprints
   • Sprint planning
   • Daily standups
   • Sprint reviews

2. User Stories

   • User perspective
   • Clear acceptance criteria
   • INVEST principles
   • Value-focused

3. Estimation

   • Story point estimation
   • Team velocity tracking
   • Capacity planning
   • Regular calibration

💡 Agile Tip

Remember that agile is about people over processes. Focus on building trust and communication within your team.

Tools and Techniques

Kanban Boards

• Visualize work in progress
• Track story status
• Identify bottlenecks
• Manage flow

Ceremonies

• Sprint Planning
• Daily Standup
• Sprint Review
• Sprint Retrospective

Best Practices

Agile Excellence

• Keep ceremonies focused and time-boxed
• Maintain a well-groomed backlog
• Practice continuous improvement
• Share progress openly with stakeholders