Agile and Custom Development for Successful Software Projects
In a context where plastic pollution represents a major challenge, our company, Natural Solutions, has developed a custom operational platform called Wings Map in partnership with Wings of the Ocean, a maritime and coastal trash removal association. Here, we’ll present the Agile approach adopted for this project, emphasizing its benefits in custom application development.
Introduction to Wings of the Ocean
Wings of the Ocean is an association covering the French territory with a few dozen employees. The association organizes trash collection missions, primarily managed by long-term volunteers (minimum one month). These volunteers receive a week of training, including the use of the data reporting and visualization platform. The association operates through different types of missions in France, active from April to September, with each volunteer supervised by a Wings of the Ocean employee. Some missions specialize in raising awareness among businesses, while two units are linked to Wings of the Ocean's boats, Kraken and Scylla, which sail along the French coast.
The Wings Map Platform
Key Features of the Platform
Mapping: Crucial for scientific analysis, it allows precise zoning of cleanup areas, divided into multiple segments with surface area calculations. Wings of the Ocean works in partnership with research institutes like the CNRS and must adhere to strict scientific protocols.
Data Visualization: Displays data in dashboards in various formats (by cleanup, overall, or comparative). The most important data to display includes the number of cleanups, the number of participants, the number of kilos of litter collected, litter characterization, etc.
Admin Area: Easily configurable, with modifiable protocol forms to meet mission needs. Protocols can be adjusted to add types of trash, icons, tags, brands, and expiration dates.
Data Export: Allows integration of exports to waste tracking platforms like Zero Litter by Mer-Terre.org. Data can also be exported in Excel format or in QGIS-compatible format for mapping.
AGILE Development of the Platform: A Flexible and Effective Method
Development Process
The project began with only the broad outlines of the needs, and the budget estimate was done accordingly for an operational platform for field data characterization. The first UX workshops took place at the end of November, and development began in December with a single developer. The code took six months to finalize. Initially, the target users were the general public. This evolved to become a tool serving field operators.
AGILE Approach
Natural Solutions adapted the vision for the platform according to technical constraints and budget. At the beginning of the project, we commit to a vision with objectives and functionalities, rather than a precise scope. The scope is not fixed but evolves. The tool was initially supposed to include an offline mode, but this feature was deemed technically complex and costly. The decision was made to reinvest in other more critical functionalities. They do not miss the offline mode since they revisited the purpose, target, and needs of their platform.
Interaction and Collaboration
Client involvement ensures 100% success in project realization. At Natural Solutions, we operate in 2-week "sprints" to deliver project increments. Each aspect of the project is meticulously controlled. Sprint reviews allow verification of developed functionalities with the client and planning for the next two weeks. Regular collaboration with Wings of the Ocean, including one-hour meetings every Monday and one hour every other Thursday, facilitated project advancement.
Transparency and Prioritization
With Agile, a contract is signed without knowing exactly what the final project will be. Clients adjust decisions during the project, with our guidance, and we implement the changes. The project manager at Natural Solutions plays a crucial role in translating developers' technical expertise and ecologists’ professional expertise, and ensuring the project remains aligned with the decisions made.
The development of the Wings Map platform with Wings of the Ocean perfectly illustrates the advantages of Agile contracts and custom development. Flexibility, continuous collaboration, and adaptability have created an effective tool tailored to the specific needs of field operators, successfully contributing to the fight against plastic pollution.
