Agile Methodologies and Process Discipline

Agile methodologies have been touted as the programming methodologies of choice for the high-speed, volatile world of Internet and Web software development. They have also been criticized as just another disguise for undisciplined hacking. The reality depends on the fidelity to the agile philosophy with which these methodologies are implemented, and the appropriateness of the implementation for the application environment. This article addresses these issues and summarizes and critiques the compatibility of agile methodologies with plan-driven methodologies as described by the Capability Maturity Model® for Software.