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Agility has become something that everyone aspires to achieve when it comes to team management - especially for outsourced development teams. Agile teams are known for their ability to adapt quickly to changes, work efficiently, and deliver high-quality results within faster timeframes. However, building an Agile team isn't as simple as hiring a group of people and expecting them to work using this particular methodology. It requires careful consideration of each member's technical skills during the hiring process to ensure your new Agile developers will be able to carry out projects using this method with ease. This article will dive into the skills you should look for when you hire Agile team members and how to best approach the creation of Agile teams.
The Basics of Agile Software Development
Agile development is a methodology that promotes continuous iteration of development and testing throughout the lifecycle of a project. The key foundations of this methodology are based on the Agile Manifesto, which emphasizes individual interactions, working software, customer collaboration, and the importance of responding to change over following a strict plan.
All of the Agile principles further outline this innovative approach. They encourage satisfaction through early and continuous delivery of valuable software, welcoming changing requirements, delivering working software frequently, and maintaining regular communication between your remote developers and in-house staff.
Thanks to this useful ideology, Agile has become a project management and product development strategy centered around continuous improvement, flexibility, customer satisfaction, and high-quality delivery. The Agile development process involves regular check-ins, iterations, and feedback loops to ensure that the work is always aligned with the customer's needs and goals. When you hire Agile team members you’ll notice they usually are self-organizing and have a strong focus on collaboration and short, sustainable work cycles.
The Process to Hire Agile Team Members
Hiring an agile team involves more than just looking at an individual's technical skills. It's about finding people who embody the principles of agile working - adaptability, collaboration, customer focus, and continuous improvement. Technical skills should also play a pivotal role in your hiring decisions when building an Agile team as they provide the foundation from which your new developers can effectively implement these principles. As such, you and your recruitment department should look for key skills that signal a software developer is trained in this methodology and will make your company processes more efficient. With about 71% of U.S. companies now using Agile as their chosen project management methodology, the demand for these developers has risen and you should choose more carefully than ever. Here are the 10 most important skills to look for when you hire Agile team members.
10 Skills to Look for When Hiring Agile Team Members
1. Technical Proficiency:
This is the most fundamental skill to look for in Agile developers. Any Agile professionals should be proficient in the key programming languages and have no difficulties using different Agile development tools, databases, and IDE platforms for Agile projects.
2. Agile Mindset:
An Agile mindset is all about embracing change, focusing on the customer, working iteratively and incrementally, and valuing individuals and interactions over automated processes and external tools.
3. Team Collaboration:
The Agile methodology is all about teamwork. When you hire Agile team members, it’s best to look for individuals who can work well in a team, share their knowledge, and collaborate on effective solutions for your project.
4. Problem-solving Skills:
Agile teams face numerous challenges that require creative and efficient problem-solving skills. An efficient agile team member should be able to identify problems and come up with both short and long-term solutions for these issues.
5. Flexibility:
In an Agile environment, change is the only constant. Any Agile developers you hire should be flexible enough to adapt to these changes and pivot the course of the project when necessary. To best assess this ability, try to ask them questions regarding unexpected occurrences with any previous projects they were part of and how they reacted to them.
6. Clear Communication:
Clear communication is crucial in an Agile team, as it helps to ensure every software development and project manager is on the same page. This includes both verbal and written communication skills - from how they express themselves on a Zoom call to the way they draft an email with the latest updates of the project.
7. Continuous Improvement:
Agile software development is all about continuous improvement. Therefore, when you hire Agile team members, try to find individuals who are always looking for ways to improve their skills, processes, and the final product.
8. Self-organization Skills:
Agile teams are meant to be self-organizing, meaning they manage their own work and take responsibility for their tasks. Look for individuals who have strong self-organization skills and are capable of managing their own tasks without excessive handholding but that will still appreciate their team’s support.
9. User-focused Approach:
Agile teams always keep the end-user and customer of the software product in mind. Any Agile good developer should understand the product’s end result when ut comes to the user's needs and be able to develop something that meets those needs and fulfills the consumer’s requirements.
10. Deep Understanding of Agile Principles:
Last but most certainly not least, a complete understanding and adherence to Agile values and principles are crucial for an Agile developer. They should be able to apply all these concepts effectively in the iterations before the final software deployment as well as use them for their own project management tasks - no matter how big your outsourced development team might be.
Ready To Hire Agile Team Members With Blue Coding’s Nearshore Software Development Services?
As we mentioned, building an Agile software development team is crucial in today's rapidly evolving business environment. By focusing on the crucial skills mentioned above, you can ensure you hire Agile team members who are able to adapt quickly to changes, work efficiently, and deliver high-quality results.
Now, hiring agile developers requires careful consideration of these skills during the recruitment process. So whether you're just starting to build your agile team or looking to improve your existing one, your company might need some additional support in their recruitment process. At Blue Coding, as a nearshore software development company, we understand the challenges of modern IT hiring and know exactly how to hire Agile team members amid a complex market. Through our nearshoring services, your company can save money on development costs and hire Agile developers much faster than sticking to the traditional hiring strategies. Contact us today if you want to learn more about our services and schedule a free discovery call. And don’t forget to follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram to stay up-to-date with the latest nearshore development news!
