Methodological expertise for agile software projects

The planning, execution and implementation of software projects require comprehensive methodological expertise. In every project and development situation, we select the method and approach best suited to the task at hand.

Targeted methodological competence

The Scrum process model is used in particular in agile software development. New software releases can be produced more quickly, more agilely and more efficiently. With the help of Scrum, large requirements are broken down into several small user stories, thereby achieving a finely granular prioritisation. This ensures that the most important functions are always implemented first. The use of Scrum leads to close collaboration between development, requirements management and test management. This enables release cycles to be shortened and new software to be delivered more quickly. Materna provides coaching and consultancy support for the implementation of Scrum and applies the methodology in software development and project delivery.

Kanban is an agile method for evolutionary change management. In Kanban, all requirements for a software project are broken down into the smallest possible components and are also assigned a level of complexity. If this is too high, the requirement is broken down into smaller, more manageable parts. This makes Kanban a highly flexible method that can also respond to new requirements at short notice. Every small step contributes to value creation. The development team focuses on the areas that deliver the greatest possible value in small steps. This results in a short time-to-market for new requirements. A further advantage is the high level of transparency regarding the development progress of the business requirements, which can be viewed at any time on the Kanban board.

Materna carries out complex development and IT projects for clients in the private and public sectors. As well as Scrum and Kanban, our experts apply the PRINCE2, IPMA/GPM and PMI project management methodologies. Materna has particular expertise in programme and multi-project management. This encompasses all planning tasks involved in the overarching management, control and steering of several projects that are interlinked in terms of content. In addition, we provide support with tendering processes, take charge of project organisation and advise on the appropriate project management methodology to be applied. On request, we analyse the maturity level of our clients’ project management and carry out quality audits.

Using our Business Process Management (BPM) methods, Materna carries out a detailed assessment of existing processes in client projects and structures them within a domain-specific business architecture. Through process analysis, our experts identify opportunities for optimisation and synergies within your business and administrative processes, with a view to making them more effective. Modelling the optimised processes is the first step towards requirements management that presents requirements in a detailed and transparent manner. The clear mapping of requirements to the process flow enables a rapid and flexible response to changes. Ultimately, the use of standardised notations, such as Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) or Decision Model and Notation (DMN), plays a key role in significantly narrowing the gap between business departments and the IT organisation.

In Design Thinking workshops, we work with you in an open and collaborative atmosphere to develop ideas and use cases for creating new services and optimising existing ones. The aim is to work collaboratively and proactively on shaping and improving your own business. In a second step, the ideas developed can be refined through a Design Sprint to create a prototype as part of a hackathon.

Rapid prototyping for quick results

We help you evaluate innovative technologies and create initial technological prototypes. During one- to two-day hackathons, we use rapid prototyping to bring to life the ideas developed, for example, in design thinking workshops. Our experts guide you every step of the way – from brainstorming and providing coaches and venues to the full-scale delivery of a hackathon with Materna developers.

When are hackathons suitable?

Modernising existing processes
Generating competitive advantages based on new technologies
Tapping into new markets with innovative services
Time-saving evaluation of a new technology
A time- and cost-saving way to analyse alternative scenarios for the development and delivery of IT services
Optimising the use of existing IT resources