When to Use Extreme Programming

Extreme Programming is useful in the following situations:

• When the customer does not have a clear understanding of the details of the new system. The developers interact continuously with the customer, delivering small pieces of the application to the customer for feedback, and taking corrective action as necessary.
• When the technology used to develop the system is new compared to other technologies. Frequent test cycles in Extreme Programming mitigate the risk of incompatibility with other existing systems.
• When you can afford to create automated unit and functional tests. In some situations, you may need to change the system design so that each module can be tested in isolation using automated unit tests.
• When the team size is not very large (usually 2 to 12 people). Extreme Programming is successful in part because it requires close team interaction and working in pairs. A large team would have difficulty in communicating efficiently at a fast pace. However, large teams have used Extreme Programming successfully.