"Compiling Java code and deploying it every two weeks is boring for the people involved and much better done by a machine than a human, so automate that," he said. "You need to repetitively run automated tests [as it is] much cheaper to fix a bug earlier in process than later."

Macquarie uses Cruisecontrol to detect changes and run the automated build process. "The green light is a good talking point when the CIO comes around," Gardner said. "It's the measure everyone sees [so] you do need to be very disciplined."

Despite the inherent risks in the cycles, Gardner said the key business outcomes resulting from agile development are lower production defect rates and improved usability.