Agile Methodology

When working in software development organisations follow software development systems to ensure the project is a success. Agile methodology is one such system.

Agile methodology

Agile methodology has a series of stages like the waterfall lifecycle.
Some of the stages are repeated to allow for people to change their requirements and develop a product over several iterations, called sprints.

User requirements

The agile system starts with user requirements, with a focus on splitting up the project into user stories.
User stories are descriptions of the different ways the system will be used, what it will look like and what they expect it to do.

Sprint

A development sprint is a short time-frame during which a specific user story is completed.
A sprint planning meeting is held to prioritize and categorise these user stories and set up the work for the development sprint.
This product is a fully working “deliverable” that the client or market can use instantly.

Iteration

The deliverable is given to the client.
The product is evaluated and this information is fed back into the next sprint planning meeting.
The sprint planning meeting and the sprint are repeated multiple times until the full scope of the project is agreed as finished.

Merits & Drawbacks of the Agile Methodology

Software development methodologies are suitable in different situations and all of them have positive and negatives.

Merits of agile

With an agile methodology, the client can take a product to market more quickly.
Clients can receive incremental updates for the product.
The final product has absolute certainty that it is what the client wanted as they are constantly involved with its development over each iteration.

Drawbacks of agile

Agile offers less predictability compared to waterfall for timings and costings as the process constantly repeats.
Agile methodology requires higher time input from the client as they are constantly required for feedback and consultation at all stages of the development process.
Agile methodology can easily go off track and a project can last well beyond the initial idea, meaning high costs and high time input.

Usage

Agile is best suited to projects where the client has a good idea of what they want, but also has a lot of time they can invest into controlling the project and feeding back on it.

1Components of a Computer

1.1Structure & Function of the Processor

1.1.1Structure of the CPU

1.1.2Fetch, Decode, Execute Cycle

1.1.3Factors Affecting CPU Performance

1.1.4CPU Architecture

1.2Types of Processors

1.2.1CISC & RISC

1.2.2Multicore & Parallel Cores

1.3Input, Output & Storage

1.3.1Computer Systems

1.3.2Magnetic Storage

1.3.3Optical Storage

1.3.4Types of Optical Storage

1.3.5Types of Memory

1.3.6Flash Memory

1.3.7Virtual Memory

2Software & Software Development

3Exchanging Data

4Data Types, Data Structures & Algorithms

4.1Data Types

4.1.1Data Types

4.1.2Arrays & Strings

4.1.3Representing Numbers

4.1.4Binary Arithmetic

4.1.5Hexadecimal

4.1.6Converting Binary Numbers

4.1.7Floating Points in Binary

4.1.8Floating Point Arithmetic

4.1.9Bitwise Manipulation

4.1.10Character Sets

4.2Data Structures

4.2.1Arrays, Linked Lists & Queues

4.2.2Graphs, Hash Tables & Stacks

4.2.3Trees

4.3Boolean Algebra

4.3.1Computational Logic

4.3.2Boolean Logic

4.3.3Karnaugh Maps

4.3.4Boolean Identities

4.3.5Flip Flops & Adder Circuits

5Legal, Moral, Cultural & Ethical Issues

5.1Computing Related Legislation

5.1.1Data Protection Act (1998)

5.1.2Computer Misuse Act (1990)

5.1.3Copyright Designs and Patents Act (1988)

5.1.4Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (2000)

5.2Moral & Ethical Issues

5.2.1Online Activity Tracking

5.2.2Censorship

5.2.3Cultural Issues

5.2.4Environmental Issues

5.2.5Layout, Colour Paradigms & Character Sets

6Elements of Computational Thinking

6.1Thinking Abstractly

6.1.1Abstraction

6.2Thinking Procedurally

6.2.1Decomposition

6.3Thinking Logically

6.3.1Pseudocode & Flow Diagrams

7Problem Solving & Programming

7.1Programming Techniques

7.1.1Programming Fundamentals

7.1.2Modularity

7.2Programming Construction

7.2.1Integrated Development Environments

7.2.2Testing

8Algorithms

8.1Algorithms

8.1.1Interpreting, Correcting & Completing Algorithm

8.1.2Sort Algorithms

8.1.3Insertion & Merge Sort

8.1.4Search Algorithms

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