Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) is the management of the software application lifecycle from initial development to final release. ALM encompasses all the practices, processes, and tools that help manage the lifecycle of an application from a development and business perspective. Key capabilities of an ALM platform include the ability to manage change management, workflow, source code management, task management, testing and bug tracking, lab management, reporting And the analysis. An ALM platform should also include a central repository for managing all the various types of content created (i.e., code, tasks, roles, requirements, and other artifacts), as well as a system for establishing traceability and accountability across the many processes of the ALM platform. locations and types of tools.
Given the complexity and magnitude of time and resources that a company invests in software development, risk management becomes extremely important. All software development contains inherent risk, as software development is not based on mathematical or physical certainty, but instead is based on innovation, discovery, and artistry. Unlike a manufacturing system where processes can be automated, the software development process cannot be translated into a one-size-fits-all solution. It is impossible to predict each and every variable that might affect a software project from the start.
In the past, development teams have relied primarily on the “waterfall” approach to managing ALM. However, like the manufacturing assembly line, the waterfall method is a “linear” approach in which product requirements are collected in advance and the development process follows a predefined sequence of events, from coding to manufacturing. testing, quality control and then launch. The risk of following this type of approach is that it increases the risk of project failure. By the time the final product is released, it may no longer be relevant to the market it was designed for.
To reduce the risk of project failure, software development teams are constantly looking for ways to improve both the process and the technology of software development. No software system is so simple that all development can be completely scheduled from start to finish in a linear fashion, which is why we are seeing a shift in the market towards “Agile ALM”. Simply put, both the ALM and Agile communities are focused on improving the current state of software development. While ALM approaches the challenge from a technology standpoint, Agile focuses on improving the “process.” Due to the common goals and synergies of ALM and Agile, we expect multiple Agile ALM vendors to appear in the market in the next 1-3 years.
Unlike the “linear” waterfall method, agile teams use an “iterative” or “watch and adapt” approach to ALM to address changing requirements, complexities, and risk factors that will emerge throughout the software project. . Scrum, the most popular implementation of the Agile movement, has experienced exponential growth in recent years for both small and large-scale development projects, and is now rapidly expanding its footprint in the enterprise. Scrum’s success, for the most part, stems from its focus on enabling the creation of “high-value features” as well as efficient collaboration among self-organizing teams. Teams using Scrum see Scrum as a benefit because they realize business ROI sooner, minimize rework on the project, and accelerate product innovation.