Question

For the following systems discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using an agile approach (for the software components):

       a) Pet store POS system

Answer 1

Question: For the following systems discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using an agile approach (for the software components):

       a) Pet store POS system

Answer:

Definition of Agile:

Agile is a method which includes project management process, mainly used for software development, where demands and solutions are developed through the collective effort of self-organizing and cross-functional teams and their customers.

Example: Scrum, eXtreme Programming (XP) etc.

Definition of Agile Approach:

Agile approach is a constant approach to project management and software development that enables a team to deliver value work to their clients with less problems and faster.

Definition of POS System:

The Point of Sale system is the place and time where the customer makes a payment at a store, for the products or services. It is the place where the retail transaction is completed.

Example: Paying for a product at the checkout counter, making payment to the employee and taking the receipt.

Pet Store POS System:

Pet Store business has adopted POS System for making their business easier. The customer after buying the pets from the pet store, pays at the checkout counter through POS system and takes receipt. This POS System helps in doing easier monetary transactions at store and keeping all the records of the transactions happened at the store.

Advantages of using an agile approach at pet store POS System:

a. More Flexible: By utilizing agile approach at POS System, as the agile process is divided into different sprints which increases the learning opportunities along the process and will need more functionality than first assumed.

b. Deeper Understanding and Value for Money: In agile process the different strings last for weeks, with which every string can be visualized as a mini project and feedback of client can be taken on every string for the benefits of both the parties.

c. Ongoing Delivery Updates: By Agile approach and its sprints experience of fast roll outs and ongoing delivery updates happen, as compared to a big complete roll-out in the future.

d. The most critical can be solved first: In the Agile process, the most critical things can be picked firstly and solved first, than performing the strings in a strict sequence.

Disadvantages of using an agile approach at pet store POS System:

a. More time and commitment: As Agile approach has many sprints in them, it consumes more time and commitment of the team developing the POS system software.

b. Lack of process causes team get easily sidetracked: when a team proceeds without proper documentation plan or vision of how to do and what to do. It makes team easily get sidetracked.

c. The level of collaboration can be difficult to maintain: Agile process needs long collaborations and more time which is not easy to be maintained for a longer run.