Agile is an iterative project management and software development approach that helps teams deliver value to their customers faster and with fewer headaches. Instead of betting everything on a long-term launch, an agile team provides work in small but consumable increments. Requirements, plans, and results are evaluated continuously, so teams have a natural mechanism for responding to change quickly. Frameworks such as DevOps, Kanban, Scrum, or Shape Up are considered part of Agile methodologies.
DevOps is a set of practices that combines software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops). It aims to shorten the systems development life cycle and provide continuous delivery with high software quality. Several DevOps aspects came from the Agile methodology.
Heterogeneous computing refers to using multiple processing units (such as CPUs, GPUs, FPGAs, and ACAPs) to leverage the unique strengths of each type of processing unit to achieve better performance and efficiency than would be possible with a single kind of unit alone. By combining multiple processing units with different architectures and capabilities, a heterogeneous computing system can handle a broader range of workloads and optimize performance for each task. Heterogeneous computing is becoming increasingly popular in fields like artificial intelligence, scientific computing, and high-performance computing.
Shape Up is not a traditional Agile methodology like Scrum or Kanban. It’s actually a product development framework introduced by Basecamp, a software development company. Shape Up is designed to help teams build and ship software products efficiently and in a way that encourages innovation and quality. Here’s a summary of the key principles and practices of Shape Up:
Fixed time and flexible scope: Development cycles have a fixed timeline, typically six weeks, with a flexible scope that is adjusted to fit within the time frame.
No Sprint Planning or Daily Standups: Shape Up avoids traditional Agile meetings like sprint planning and daily standups, instead relying on written communication to share updates and decisions.
Two Tracks: Shape Up operates with two tracks—the shaping track for creating “Pitches,” and the building track for implementing the selected projects or “bets.”
Shaping: During the shaping phase, a group of more senior individuals produces a collection of document (“Pitches”) that serves as a detailed proposal for the work to be done in the next cycle. This includes descriptions, wireframes, and high-level designs.
Betting Table: The Betting Table, consisting of various stakeholders, selects or bet on projects from the shaped proposals or “Pitches” based on their interest and potential impact.
Building: Once projects are selected, the “makers” have a fixed amount of time, typically six weeks, to build the feature.
Over hours: Basecamp promotes a healthy work-life balance, so team members aren’t expected to work overtime. Unfinished work within the six-week timeframe is considered a failure, and teams move on to the next project.
Rest and recovery: After each development cycle, there’s a “cool-down” or “rest and recovery” period for team members to address technical debt, perform maintenance, or engage in activities of their choice.
The book Shape Up—Stop running in circles and ship work that matters (Ryan Singer, https://basecamp.com/books/shapeup) is recommended for reference or further study.