I wanted to know the difference between agile lifecycle and agile unified process(AUP). I do understand that AUP is a modified version of RUP using agile methodology. Can you please elaborate on the differences between the two
Agile unified process vs. agile lifecycle process
agilerational-unified-process
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I'm going to use Scrum as a concrete agile example. Scrum has three artifacts: the Product Backlog, the Sprint Backlog, and a Burndown Chart. A backlog is simply a prioritized list of things to do. The chart is for plotting your progress through the current sprint (iteration). These three tools are what you use to track and plan your project in Scrum and that is is your Scrum project plan.
RUP, on the other hand, contains a very long list of documents and artifacts for planning the project. As an example, there is the Iteration Plan, a detailed list of activities and tasks, with assigned resources and task dependencies. This document can perhaps be compared to the "sprint backlog" in Scrum, but that's stretching it.
So the major difference between these approaces is the amount of stuff (roles, artifacts, activities) they prescribe. And as you see from the image, the difference is huge:
The Unified Process is a generic name for a family of process models that meet a number of criteria, such as being iterative and incremental, driven by use cases, and focus on addressing risks early. It defines four project phases: Inception, Elaboration, Construction, and Transition.
The Rational Unified Process is a refinement of the Unified Process that was created by Rational Software (now owned by IBM). It uses a series of software tools along with a process framework to define how to carry out the activities needed to run a software project, yet still provides a framework for tailoring to meet an organization's (or team's) needs.
Other refinements on the Unified Process include Scott Ambler's Agile Unified Process and the Eclipse Foundation's Open Unified Process.
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The agile methodologies are a collection of iterative and incremental software development methodologies. The emphasis is on increasing collaboration and communication while reducing project risk and the impact of risks that do materialize. Common, but not required, characteristics include timeboxed iterations, frequent released (or possible releases), cross-functional teams, heavy interaction with the customer or customer/user representatives, and a drive toward maximizing value-added. Common implementations of agile methods include Crystal Clear, Scrum, Extreme Programming, and the Agile Unified Process.
The Agile Unified Process (AUP) is a particular process methodology framework that is modeled after IBM's Rational Unified Process (RUP). Although RUP is an iterative and incremental software development methodology, it is missing some aspects of agile development, such as frequent customer interaction and and increase in collaboration. RUP is artifact-driven, often relying on documentation, formal UML modeling, and verification and validation of the various work products. Entire suites of IBM/Rational tools are built to support this process.
AUP focuses on delivering value to the customer by moving the focus away from work products to working software. The emphasis moves away from following the process to tailoring the process and the outputs to deliver only the products in a "good enough" state to the right people. In addition, the use of the simplest tools is encouraged. In other words, it takes the heavier toolchains and workflows of RUP and makes it accessible to organizations that desire more agile approaches.