From Agile To Fusion: Evolving Your Team's Methodology For Success

You can surely relate to the statement that It is very hard to determine the right methodology for the software. In the history of software development, the software development team used the waterfall to manage projects, then agile came into being, and now the software business is going towards fusion and the development goes on.

Agile is still doing great but it lacks in handling big and complex projects. According to a Gartner survey, over 84% of companies as well as 59% of government companies have already started using fusion methodology.

If you are someone who belongs IT or software development industry and wants to switch from agile to fusion, this article is for you.

Let's begin!

What is Agile?

In simple words, agile is an iterative method of mobile app development or project management that is flexible and quick in responding to changes. Here developers don't follow any strict process, the team delivers the small functional component to stakeholders to get a review and make instant changes according to their feedback.

This makes sure that the exact product requirements and all the expectations are fulfilled.

How Agile has transformed the Traditional Project Management Approaches?

Of course, agile transformed project management in many ways. Previously developers used the waterfall model which was generally planning, developing, testing, and deploying.

The first application of the agile system was somewhere in Greenville during the period between 1958 and 1968 when Great Lakes Carbon Corporation was working on the production of petroleum products at the Rocky Mountain Research.

In the traditional system, the developer would complete the whole software, and sometimes, if they needed to change something, they could not go back. That was the limitation to the capabilities of the waterfall, and it failed to meet the product owner’s expectations.

On the other side, with the agile system, a developer can do multiple iterations of improvement and will make changes in the small component until the client has to approve.

Benefits of Agile Development

Let's explore some Agile Development Benefits:

#1. Faster Delivery

The team can respond easily to the client’s feedback and complete the development faster. Agile teams break the software components into small parts (sprints) hence it can be easily manageable and the team can prioritize and make quick decisions for faster delivery.

#2. Continuous Feedback

The client is continuously in touch throughout the mobile app development lifecycle. Each sprint is reviewed by the client and the team makes the necessary changes as per feedback hence this helps to achieve better outcomes by meeting both the party's requirements.

#3. Better Adaptability

Agile methodology is easily adaptable as the team gets to know about the changes at an early stage hence it is possible to iterate changes multiple times until the product is not up to mark as per the client’s expectations.

#4. Superior Quality Product

The final product will surely be relevant and efficient to what the client wanted because the team tests each sprint and makes necessary iterations throughout the project.

#5. Reduced Risk

There is a zero chance of project failure because every component is thoroughly tested and reviewed by the team and approved by the client. Hence all the issues and risks are already solved at the beginning stage before the launch of the product.

Why Agile Alone Isn’t Enough?

Agile is a 100% highly effective model and successfully used by plenty of businesses but you might need something extra-ordinary when handling large-scale and complex mobile app development.

Let me show you some minus points of agile, it might not be suitable for large-scale projects because sending small components for review every time may be time-consuming sometimes. Also practically, it's not possible to coordinate with multiple team members all the time during the development cycle.

So here comes fusion methodology in the picture. Fusion is basically a hybrid method that helps teams to handle complex tasks, and develop top-notch software with collaboration across different departments.

What Is Fusion Methodology?

Here team can flexibly combine various frameworks like waterfall, lean, etc along with agile. They can also choose suitable practices and collaborate with multiple departments to align with the exact product goals.

Gartner introduced the name fusion team which refers to the experts using a blend of various technologies, analytics, specific business domain expertise, and more.

In short, fusion teams are no less than superheroes because they have expertise and skills across various domains. And most important they focus on delivering assured high-quality products by combining essential technologies.

Benefits of Fusion Methodology

It is evident why fusion teams are becoming trending. Here, I will share the benefits of fusion methodology.

#1. Improved Team Collaboration

Fusion methodology makes sure that every team member takes their responsibility. Here in this methodology, the focus is on teamwork to achieve the expected product results.

For instance, a mobile app development project requires a developer, designers, marketers, etc. If you are using the fusion method, every member is going to work on the component that they specialize in. Developers will write code for the app, designers will prepare the design part and marketers will research and work on strategies and make sure the app aligns with the brand.

#2. Flexibility Across Projects

You can choose what is best for your product based on its complexity. You can have full freedom to integrate technology, and tools and implement a waterfall or lean model based on the scope and complexity of the projects.

#3. Faster Delivery With Better Quality Control

Comparatively to agile, using fusion can help you deliver the final product 2x faster to the clients with assured quality. It allows you to combine various frameworks like waterfall, lean, agile, or anything, whatever works best for your project.

#4. Scalability For Larger Teams

Fusion is flexible. You can add team members with specialized skills according to how big or complex your project is. Let explain to you with an example: 

Say, you are starting up an e-commerce app, this will need a professional team for managing orders, payments, inventory, and customer support, and many other tasks.

So, using fusion, you can choose and add suitable frameworks like agile, waterfall, etc according to your project requirements.

Fusion Vs Agile Teams

Steps To Transition From Agile To Fusion Methodology

#1. Evaluate Your Team’s Current Workflow

If you want to have a really smooth transition then start with identifying gaps and challenges with Agile. You can't meet project expectations if you don't know the pros and cons of shifting from agile to fusion.

Check where agile is lacking to fulfill your requirements. Prepare a list with issues and solutions like how you can fix that with fusion methodology and carry out improved outcomes.

#2. Integrate Additional Methodologies

Prefer to choose methodologies that fit your project needs 10/10. Once you have evaluated your team and project workflow, based on that you can introduce complementary frameworks (E.G., Lean, Waterfall).

#3. Training And Change Management

Even if your team is familiar with fusion methodology, train them on various other aspects to make them understand how it can be combined with other frameworks, different approaches, how to solve unexpected issues, and soon.

#4. Iterative Transition

We all know change is never easy because it includes changing the entire working patterns, updating team members as needed, and many other things. Don't apply fusion directly on large projects, it can turn out risky if it doesn't work out well.

I would suggest to go slow going slow and experimenting with switching from agile to fusion on small projects. This will help you understand logically how it performs.

Once you understand about its integrations and issues that come your way, you are good to go and scale to big ones.

Key Tips For Successful Fusion Teams

If you are planning to do fusion teams, go through the tips given below to better perform your fusion project:

• Hire people with specialized knowledge and skills and that the work fits your goals.

• Small teams are easier to handle. Ideally, you should have 6-8 maximum members for the team.

• Allocate clear responsibilities and roles for each member.

• Project manager or fusion team leader should at least have a concept about digital judgment and also understand stuff regarding technical compliance and security.

• Your team will have to ensure augmenting cross-functional collaboration between you and other professional insights to build a good product.

• Ensure proper communication: arrange regular meetings and periodical discussions.

Real-Life Case Studies: Teams Succeeding with Fusion

Below we have researched some of the businesses that have already used fusion and are succeeding in the market. Let's have a look at the below Fusion Examples.

#1. Spotify

Do you know your favorite music app Spotify also uses fusion? it uses a mix of agile, lean, and some DevOps technologies. Squads(agile) were used for speed and lean is used to reduce improper usage of resources and prevent waste. The DevOps team collaborated efficiently between the development and operation teams to launch the software fast in the market.

#2. Airbnb

Airbnb is getting popular day to day, especially among these GenZ generations who love to explore new places and use the Airbnb platform more to have a comfortable stay.

Airbnb was facing heavy user traffic hence they solved this problem using the fusion method. They combined agile with CI/CD in their updated version and it helped to improve overall app speed.

Is Fusion Right For Your Team?

This is the question that bothers many folks. There is a definitive answer to this, based on your project’s complexity and team’s skills. However, consider the following situations and learn if fusion is a way to go for you:

1. Use fusion when agile cannot suffice the project functionalities.
2. When your project needs collaboration from different dimensions and depends on numerous experts.
3. Try Fusion if you are dealing with custom requirements or various mixtures of frameworks.
4. Fusion if you have long-range plans for projects and wish to scale over time.

Pro tip: make sure to note the team size, project complexity, and your team’s expertise in Agile, as well as all the needed other frameworks.

Final Words

So wrapping up, it would not be wrong if I say, that moving from agile to fusion is like upgrading your toolkit from knife to whole toolbox. Because this will provide you with more options and less headaches in handling complex projects. Your team can achieve amazing results by combining agile, lean, and waterfall models.

If you need help with mobile app solutions or need tailored customized mobile app development services then come to Expert App Devs. you can reach us by simply filling out the contact form to get a free consultation or quote.

Frequently Asked Questions

#1. What is fusion methodology and how does it differ from agile?

In fusion projects, the team blends approaches to organize and fulfill the requirements effectively over an extended project timeline.

Agile typically employs a framework at any given time. Emphasizes iterative processes and prompt delivery.

#2. What are the main benefits of transitioning from agile to fusion?

Moving from agile to fusion presents advantages to consider such as flexibility and team productivity along, with increased scalability and efficiency among others. These are the reasons why fusion might be a preferable option especially, for larger projects ensuring timely completion of work.

#3. How can my team start the transition from agile to fusion?

You should look at your current project where Agile is not able to fulfill the requirements. Introduce different frameworks to your team and approaches related to fusion. Start with small projects and test for various fusion methods to see the results.

#4. Can fusion methodology be applied to all types of projects and teams? 

Though, agile works for most of the small to medium projects hence its not necessary to implement fusion for all. Fusion is only suitable for big projects that need involvement from different experts.

#5. What challenges might arise when moving from agile to fusion?

• The team could potentially become uncertain, about their roles and duties as they may shift under the method.
• Communication, between teams may decrease leading to a lack of sharing information among all team members.
• Recruiting is increasingly important, as hiring someone who's n't the match can significantly disrupt the process.
• Team collaboration may lead to divisions that hinder their ability to remain aligned with the objective of the project.

Understanding these concerns can assist in handling the change.

Vaibhav Patel

Project Manager

Vaibhav Patel is a project manager with expertise in web development, API development, Laravel/PHP/WordPress/Node/Perl development, database management, server management (AWS/ Microsoft Azure), mobile app development and Agile practitioner.