What is Agile and Why it's Important?

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Agile is a software development methodology that emphasizes collaboration, flexibility, and rapid iteration. It was created in response to the traditional "Waterfall" methodology, which was criticized for being inflexible and slow to respond to changing requirements.

Agile was first described in the Agile Manifesto, which was created in 2001 by a group of software developers who were dissatisfied with traditional software development methodologies. The manifesto emphasizes four values:

1. Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
2. Working software over comprehensive documentation
3. Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
4. Responding to change over following a plan

These values emphasize the importance of flexibility and adaptability in software development. Agile is often described as a "lean" methodology, in that it seeks to minimize waste and focus on delivering value to customers as quickly as possible.

There are many different frameworks and methodologies that fall under the Agile umbrella, including Scrum, Kanban, Lean, and XP (Extreme Programming). Each of these approaches has its own specific practices and tools, but they all share the same basic principles of collaboration, flexibility, and rapid iteration.

One of the key features of Agile is the emphasis on teamwork and collaboration. Agile teams are typically cross-functional, meaning that they include members with a variety of different skills and backgrounds. The team works together to define and prioritize tasks, and they collaborate closely throughout the development process.

Another important aspect of Agile is the concept of sprints. Sprints are short, time-boxed periods of development (usually 1-4 weeks) during which the team focuses on a specific set of tasks. At the end of each sprint, the team delivers a working product increment that can be tested and reviewed by stakeholders.

Agile also places a strong emphasis on continuous improvement. The team regularly reflects on their processes and practices, and they look for ways to improve their efficiency and effectiveness. This can involve experimenting with new tools or techniques, or simply making small changes to their existing processes.

Overall, Agile is a powerful methodology that has revolutionized the way software is developed. Its emphasis on collaboration, flexibility, and rapid iteration has helped teams deliver high-quality products faster and more efficiently than ever before. If you're looking to improve your software development process, Agile is definitely worth exploring!

You Must Do These Activities In Your Vacation To Indonesia

Image by agus santoso from Pixabay

Indonesia is a vast and diverse country with over 17,000 islands, each with its unique culture and customs. As a tourist, there are many activities that you can try to immerse yourself in the local culture and have an unforgettable experience. Here are some of the top activities to consider:

Take a cooking class

Indonesian cuisine is rich and diverse, and taking a cooking class is a great way to learn about the different ingredients, cooking techniques, and dishes. You can try traditional dishes such as nasi goreng (fried rice) or sate (grilled skewers) and learn how to make them from scratch.

Visit a local market

Visiting a local market is a great way to see how Indonesians shop for groceries and interact with each other. You can find fresh produce, meats, spices, and traditional snacks, and even try bargaining with the vendors for the best price.

Attend a cultural performance

Indonesia has many traditional dances, music, and puppetry shows that showcase the country's diverse culture. You can attend a wayang kulit (shadow puppetry) show, a gamelan music performance, or a Balinese dance performance, and learn about the stories and customs behind them.

Try a homestay

Staying with a local family is an excellent way to experience the local way of life and learn about Indonesian culture firsthand. You can stay in a traditional house, help with daily activities such as cooking and farming, and interact with the family members.

Visit a local village

Indonesia has many rural villages that are home to unique traditions and customs. You can visit a village and see how the locals make handicrafts, cook traditional dishes, or perform cultural rituals.

Join a community service program

Indonesia has many non-profit organizations that focus on community development and social issues. You can join a volunteer program and contribute to projects such as environmental conservation, education, or health care, and learn about the local community's needs and challenges.

In conclusion, Indonesia has much to offer, and there are many ways to experience the country's unique culture and customs. Trying out these activities will allow you to learn about Indonesian culture and history and create lasting memories.

Should I Go The Agile Avenue, or Down the Waterfall?

Although my most recent assignment was a Scrum Master, I am always open to other approaches and methodologies. I personally believe, that in some cases, Waterfall would suit better in certain situations, rather than Agile. On the other hand, in many situations, I would prefer Agile, or Scrum in particular.

Maybe strange to some people, I often would still doing Scrum, even in activities that we're actually doing Waterfall. I love having the ability to plan a short run, having quick feedback loop, having the ability to inspect and adapt as early and often as possible.

Agile and Waterfall are two popular methodologies used in project management or product development. Both have their own advantages and disadvantages, and deciding which one to use depends on the nature and scope of the project, as well as the organization's needs and preferences.

Agile methodology is best suited for projects that require flexibility and adaptability. It is ideal for complex projects with changing requirements, as it emphasizes collaboration, feedback, and continuous improvement. Agile projects are broken down into sprints or iterations, with each sprint producing a working product increment that can be tested and evaluated by stakeholders. The Agile approach requires a highly skilled team that is able to work together in a collaborative and flexible manner.

On the other hand, the Waterfall methodology is best suited for projects that are well-defined and have a clear scope. It is ideal for projects with a fixed budget, timeline, and requirements. The Waterfall approach follows a linear, sequential process, with each phase of the project completed before moving on to the next. Each phase is typically completed once, with no going back to previous phases. Waterfall projects require a clear plan and a well-defined scope, as changes during the project can be difficult and costly to implement.

When deciding which methodology to use, it's important to consider the nature and scope of the project, as well as the organization's needs and preferences. If the project requires flexibility and adaptability, with changing requirements, then Agile may be the best approach. However, if the project has a clear scope and well-defined requirements, and a linear, sequential process is preferred, then Waterfall may be the best approach.

It's worth noting that in some cases, a hybrid approach that combines elements of both Agile and Waterfall may be the best choice, just like the way I often do. This approach allows for flexibility and adaptability while still following a well-defined process and timeline. Ultimately, the choice between Agile and Waterfall will depend on the specific needs and requirements of the project and the organization.

Why Some Product Launch Went Well?

A successful product launch is critical for any business, as it can determine the success of a product and impact the company's bottom line. However, launching a product can be a complex and challenging process that requires careful planning and execution. In this blog, we'll explore how to conduct a successful product launch, from pre-launch activities to post-launch analysis.

Conduct market research and identify target audience

Before you launch your product, you need to know who your target audience is and what their needs and preferences are. Conduct market research to understand your potential customers' demographics, behavior, and preferences. Use this information to create a customer persona, a detailed representation of your ideal customer. This will help you tailor your marketing efforts and product features to better meet their needs.

Set clear objectives and goals

Define your product launch objectives and goals, including what you hope to achieve with the launch, such as sales revenue, customer acquisition, or brand awareness. Your goals should be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound), so you can track your progress and adjust your strategy if necessary.

Develop a launch plan

Create a detailed launch plan that outlines the activities, timelines, and resources needed to launch your product. This should include product development milestones, marketing activities, sales goals, and logistics, such as inventory management and shipping.

Build buzz and anticipation

Create a buzz around your product before the launch by generating excitement and anticipation. This can include teaser campaigns, social media promotions, and influencer marketing. Offer exclusive pre-launch incentives, such as early access or discounts, to create a sense of urgency and encourage early adopters.

Execute a smooth launch day

Launch day is the culmination of all your hard work and planning, and it's essential to execute it smoothly. Make sure your website, e-commerce platform, and customer service channels are all prepared to handle the influx of traffic and inquiries. Monitor social media and other channels for customer feedback and address any issues quickly and professionally.

Evaluate and adjust your strategy

After the launch, evaluate your results against your goals and objectives. Analyze your sales, customer feedback, and other metrics to determine what worked and what didn't. Use this information to adjust your strategy and improve your product and marketing efforts moving forward.

In conclusion, a successful product launch requires careful planning, execution, and evaluation. By conducting market research, setting clear goals, developing a launch plan, building buzz, executing a smooth launch day, and evaluating your strategy, you can increase the chances of a successful product launch and drive business success.

Is Blogging Still Relevant in 2023?

I'm writing this in February 2023 and my take is: Yes, I think it's still relevant.

I did a quick search on Google and I found that there's a lot of people think the same way. You can read about it here on Google. I agree with most of them, people still read blogs, blogs allow us to dig deeper into a subject, blog can provide more detailed information, and so on.

I just started this blog, not long ago. I haven't put anything much on it. I haven't even decided my niche yet. Probably for now, I'd just throw anything here. I had some blogs a while ago which I abandoned.

And, English is not my primary language, so please excuse my crappy writings.

With the rise of rich social media, many people decide to turn to video. Then, why on earth am I starting a blog? Why not videos?

Well, first, I feel publishing videos would be a lot of work. I can record videos, make animations, or compile some stock videos. I know how to edit videos. I wasn't bad on this thing at all. 

But, I think, it still will have to start with writing. I may have to write the scripts for my videos first. I may have to plan my contents and then work on it. So, I thought, if I have to write anyway, I better start publishing it immediately. How? Blog it.

Then, will I make videos, when? My simple answer is, when I'm ready. Because it entails a lot of work.

But, then I question myself, do I really need to turn to videos? Well, I don't think so. I may going to stick to writing. I may stay blogging.

I believe, I won't need to make my own videos. With the progress of AI today, I believe that this thing would soon be able to help me. I believe AI will be able take care of it, soon. Check out Bard and ChatGPT and see their progress. Or, have a google search on AI Video Generators, there are quite a number of them.

We know today there are tools that will read out things for you. Be it books, news, websites, anything with text on it, we already have tools to read em for you.

I believe that soon, AI can also read and visualize streams of text on your screen. AI can automatically transform my blog, into videos.

And I also believe that AI may also be able to present unique visualizations to each audience. This will bring back the joy of reading, where we would try to visualize what we read, in our mind. Each person may have different visualizations in their heads about the same thing that they read.

With that in my mind, I strongly feel that blog is still relevant. It will continue to grow, evolve, and get even better. I think, many would even come back to blogging. For audience that prefer video, they can watch AI generated videos which will produce a unique visualizations that suit the audience. Others who prefer reading, can keep on doing what they like to do, reading.

That's just my opinion. I can be wrong. May be I'm just too lazy to make videos. Let's just wait and see.

Please share your thoughts in the comment section. 

GBU.

Mencari Nilai Baru (Value Proposition/Innovation)

Okelah kita sudah memahami menghubungkan suplai dengan kebutuhan, sudah mengetahui bahwa memulai bisnis bisa dengan mencari fungsi baru dari produk yang sudah ada, atau menggabungkan beberapa produk. Ada cara lain lagi ga sih? Ya, pasti ada dong 😏

Favorit saya adalah Value Innovation dari Blue Ocean Strategy. Di buku lain ada pula value proposition. Silakan mencari referensi lengkap untuk memahami keduanya. Kurang lebih intinya sama, yaitu mencari sebuah nilai dari suatu produk yang memenuhi kebutuhan konsumen.

Di sini saya hanya akan sedikit mencontohkan Value Innovation. Pilihan ini karena saya anggap lebih simpel. Dan saya sangat menyukai materi Blue Ocean Strategy.

Awalnya kita memang harus memilih lebih dahulu secara spesifik bahwa kita ingin mengarah ke bisnis apa, atau produk apa. Bisa jadi produk lama yang sudah ada, atau kombinasi dari beberapa produk beserta modifikasinya. Marilah kita ambil contoh bahwa kita ingin berbisnis kuliner. Dan berdasarkan pengamatan, kita memutuskan bahwa bisnis ayam goreng memberi peluang yang sangat besar. Berdasarkan survey ke 2 gerai KFC, kita mendapatkan kesimpulan bahwa makanan paling laris se Indonesia adalah ayam goreng. Ga percaya? Silakan tanya ke KFC mana saja, menu apa yang paling laris. ✌😀👍

Mari kita menerapkan teori Value Innovation kepada ayam goreng. Dengan cara ini kita melihat nilai apa saja di ayam goreng, yang bisa kita kurangi atau tambahkan. Biasanya yang komponen biayanya lebih tinggi akan dikurangi, sementara yang komponen biayanya lebih rendah akan ditingkatkan. Juga yang diyakini akan disukai target konsumen perlu ditingkatkan, sementara yang kurang disukai akan diturunkan. Menariknya, metode ini tidak selalu memaksa kita mencari produk yang lebih baik untuk dijual dengan lebih murah. Terkadang hasil dari metode ini, kita menemukan produk yang lebih bernilai, biayanya lebih murah, tapi harga jualnya bisa lebih mahal. Yeeay ✌😀👍

Mari kita breakdown dulu produk ayam goreng. Ada 2 jalur utama di produk ayam goreng, versi tradisional dan versi KFC. Untuk sementara, kita abaikan jalur atau kelompok produk/bisnis lain. Kita melihat elemen-elemen dari masing-masing produk, mempertimbangkan biayanya, dan memperkirakan perceived value nya tinggi atau rendah. Perceived value adalah bagaimana seorang konsumen menilai suatu manfaat dari suatu produk, atau simpelnya kira-kira seberapa besar konsumen menyukai hal itu. Dari elemen-elemen produk tersebut, kita akan memutuskan yang mana yang dihilangkan, yamg mana akan ditingkatkan, yang mana akan dikurangi. Dari sanalah kita akan menemukan suatu produk baru atau inovasi nilai dari sebuah produk. Berikut contohnya:

• Ayam Goreng Tradisional:
• ❎ Bumbu rempah
• ⏫ Sambal
• ⏫ Kemasan/Penyajian
• ⏬ Lalapan
• ⏬ Variasi
• ✅ Harga
• KFC
• ✅ Tepung renyah
• ✅ Kemasan/Penyajian
• ❎ Saos
• ⏬ Harga
• ⏬ Lokasi

Kemudian kita tuangkan ke dalam grafik seperti berikut ini

Terlihat jelas dalam grafik tersebut bahwa setelah kita hilangkan, kurangi dan tambahkan elemen pada produk tersebut, kita telah menemukan inovasi produk baru yang tidak mengikuti tren produk lainnya. Dan karena yang kita telah mencermati perceived value pada saat melakukan proses ini, maka kita dapat meyakini bahwa produk tersebut adalah produk yang akan disukai oleh konsumen.

Contoh lain misalnya produk minuman beralkohol lokal. Justeru dengan mengurangi atau menghilangkan kadar alkohol pada produk tersebut, kita malah mendapatkan produk baru dengan biaya yang lebih rendah, tapi lebih diterima oleh konsumen. Apalagi ditambahkan dengan mengurangi volume per kemasan. Kita malah mendapat kan inovasi nilai dan proposisi yang lebih baik, tanpa harus menurunkan harga dan memaksakan menaikkan value di tiap elemen produk.

Semoga bermanfaat!