When developing the programs of the R20 product series (RFEM 6, RSTAB 9, RSECTION 1, and the respective add-ons), Dlubal Software is guided by the principles of agile software development, with a special focus on SCRUM [2]. The aim is to bring you innovations and bug fixes in a timely manner, and to quickly integrate users' feedback into the development process. The software should be continuously improved, with the focus on evolutionary advances in development, instead of big jumps.
To ensure high quality and keep unfinished features from users, all changes are initially made in separate branches. After completion and extensive testing, they are integrated into the main branch and are subjected to further tests, which are mostly automated.
The Git [4] tool is used for the version management, while Jenkins [5] is used for the integration and testing. Both tools represent powerful standards in agile development.
Updates to the software for users should be made in a reasonable time frame, based on stability and users' needs – typically every four to eight weeks. In case of problems or a need for new features, we recommend you to install the latest version.
The extranet [8] serves as a reliable source of information for newly implemented features or implemented bug fixes. The use of agile principles is widespread and not limited to the software industry. Companies from various industries, such as the automotive manufacturer Tesla [6], use these methods successfully. Agile methods are even applied in the areas that originally have nothing to do with software development, such as SCRUM in emergency aid, as discussed in the podcast episode [7] with the doctor Oliver Emmler.
