Agile Software Development

What you will learn

1. 

   Agile Software Development

   3 months to complete

   Learn how to build products that deliver continuous value to customers using an Agile approach to software development. By the end of this program, students will be able to differentiate between Scrum, Kanban, and XP, create an environment that fosters high performing teams, and manage iteration planning using Agile techniques. Students will also be able to create a release plan for a Minimum Viable Product, create metrics that show project status, and effectively communicate progress both within and outside of the development team.

   Related Nanodegree programs

   Prerequisite knowledge

   No experience required.

   1. Foundations of Agile and Agile Frameworks

      In this course, students will be introduced to The Agile Mindset and how it sets the tone for "being" Agile versus just "doing" Agile. Students will learn to leverage The Agile Manifesto as the foundation for all Agile Frameworks, identify the practical differences between Agile and Waterfall approaches, and master characteristics of three of the more popular Agile Frameworks being utilized across all industries: Scrum, Kanban and XP. Students will then take a deep dive into Agile Teams and Governance and apply best practices of both in order to deliver immense business value.

   2. Delivering Value with Agile Planning and Prioritization

      The Agile approach to planning is an iterative process that focuses on delivering value to the customer. In this course, students will be introduced to the high level aspects of agile planning, including product vision and roadmaps. Students will also learn how to manage requirements at the tactical level, including gathering, writing, and prioritizing requirements using agile techniques from each of the major frameworks. Finally, students will learn different approaches to estimating work and how to build release and iteration plans that help the team continuously deliver value. At the end of the course, students will be equipped with the tools and techniques they need to apply Agile Planning and Prioritization within a team or organization to deliver value more efficiently.

   3. Progress, Communication, and Organizational Agility

      In this course, students will learn how to communicate project progress and status through information radiators, guide and direct organizational agility through the use of metrics, and differentiate between patterns to mimic and anti-patterns to avoid. Students will also learn how to identify and mitigate risk, and build both internal and external communication strategies that work effectively for the relevant stakeholder audience.