Getting Started
In the Agile world things are "grown" rather than "built". This applies to the system, the team and the process. Now that you have selected eXtreme Programming (XP) as your Agile development method, all the other steps in starting an Agile project still apply. Below are some of the more specific things to look for when starting your XP project.
Building the Team
Starting Small and Growing
If your organization is new to Agile methods or eXtreme Programming (XP),it is a good idea to start project with the smallest team possible.... more
Throttling back
You should be prepared for some initial loss in average team productivity each time a new pair is added. more
Beginning Development
Selecting User Stories
Begin development on User Stories that are well understood and that don't have a lot of inherent complexity. This will allow everyone to focus on their energies on troubleshooting the XP process. Since working software is the primary goal of XP, it is a good idea to select a User Story that will deliver some of that.
Iteration Management
Keep iterations short in the beginning, one to two weeks. Later, you can make them longer if you prefer. more
Process Monitoring and Improvement
XP is a very rigorous development method, but there is still much room for the team to continuously improve their implementation. more
Iteration Planning
It will take a while for people to get comfortable with the iteration planning process. There are many decisions to make, and tremendous freedom, which people who use other development methods are not used to. moreTesting
Continuous Integration and unit tests are challenging but critical quality components of the XP method. moreContinuous Improvement
XP is all about creating a development environment that is responsive to change. more
