Roles

What are the defined roles in an XP team?

Extreme Programming (XP) defines several well-defined roles in a team to ensure that responsibilities are clearly distributed and that the methodology is implemented effectively. The main roles in an XP team include:

Developer (Programmer): Developers are the team members responsible for writing code and implementing software functionalities. They work in pairs (Pair Programming) to ensure high-quality code, review each other’s code, and maintain a high standard of development.

Customer: The customer represents the interests of the software's users and stakeholders. They play an active role in defining and prioritizing requirements, providing constant feedback, and making critical decisions for the project.

Technical Consultant (Coach): The technical consultant, also known as a "coach," provides guidance and technical assistance to the team. They help the team adopt best development practices and overcome technical obstacles.

Tester: Testers are responsible for planning and executing tests on the software to ensure quality and correctness. In XP, the practice of Test-Driven Development (TDD) is common, where tests are written before the code to ensure that functionalities are automatically tested.

Cleaner: Responsible for enforcing good development practices and ensuring that the team maintains quality in their work.

Project Manager (Tracker): The project manager, sometimes called a "tracker" or "iteration manager," is responsible for tracking the project's progress, keeping control of iterations, and helping the team stay within scope and schedule.

There are various other roles, but the ones listed above are the main ones. It is important to note that, in an XP team, collaboration and role-switching are encouraged, meaning that team members can take on multiple roles as needed. The focus is on effective communication, shared responsibility, and collaboration among all team members to achieve the project's goals successfully.