Agile Development is a methodology in which developers and other cross-functional teams champion efficiency, communication, short feedback loops, and quality in their software development projects. It advocates adaptive planning, evolutionary development, early delivery, and continual improvement, while encouraging rapid and flexible response to change.

Agile Development was a term coined in 2011 by American software engineer Jim Highsmith. As such, the relatively new methodology may seem like a buzzword. However, many organizations have put Agile practices into place to keep up with increasing consumer demand for higher-quality products—and more of them. Agile Development is important for learners interested in keeping up with this increasingly preferred methodology.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary of an Agile Project Manager is $92,121 per year. The benefits of learning Agile skills go beyond pay though: one report shows 88 percent of people who adopted Agile said they were better able to manage changing priorities, while 81% mentioned increased productivity—two factors indicating a lesson in Agile can better equip learners to contribute to any team.

Other rewarding roles related to Agile Development include Agile Product Owner, Business Process Analyst, Agile Coach, Business Insights Manager, Scrum Master, Developer, and others that are related.

Courses on Agile Development offered through Coursera equip students with knowledge on Agile practices and principles; applying evidence-based approaches to development; how to define what’s valuable to the user; how to write a design brief; and more.

Lessons on Agile Development are taught by instructors from major tech names and universities such as University of Virginia, Atlassian, University of Minnesota, and other organizations. Learners can enjoy exploring Agile Development with instructors specializing in Digital Innovation, Science and Engineering, and other disciplines. Course content is delivered via video lectures, readings, quizzes, hands-on projects, and other types of assignments.