XP customer practices: A grounded theory

The Customer is a critical role in XP, but almost all XP practices are presented for developers by developers. While XP calls for Real Customer Involvement, it does not explain what XP Customers should do, nor how they should do it. Using Grounded Theory, we discovered eight customer practices used by successful XP teams: Customer Boot Camp, Customer’s Apprentice, Customer Pairing, and Programmer’s Holiday support the well-being and effectiveness of customers; Programmer On-site and Road shows support team and organization interactions; and Big Picture Up Front and Re-calibration support Customers steering the whole project. By adopting these processes, XP Customers and teams can work faster and more sustainably

Complementing Measurements and Real Options Concepts to Support Inter-iteration Decision-Making in Agile Projects

Agile software projects are characterized by iterative and incremental development, accommodation of changes and active customer participation. The process is driven by creating business value for the client, assuming that the client (i) is aware of it, and (ii) is capable to estimate the business value, associated with the separate features of the system to be implemented. This paper is focused on the complementary use of measurement techniques and concepts of real-option-analysis to assist clients in assessing and comparing alternative sets of requirements. Our overall objective is to provide systematic support to clients for the decision-making process on what to implement in each iteration. The design of our approach is justified by using empirical data, published earlier by other authors

Design project: A client-designer communication failure improved through agile methodology

Communication: a vital factor when it comes to design projects. Despite the importance of communication, design projects on delivery aren't meeting the initial requirements. That happens because of different factors since bad briefings, lack of knowledge, and assumptions from both designers and clients alike. The current study has the objective of proving that poor communication is a problem, and how it's happening. And to show that agile methodology is a valid and viable solution to this problem, because of its characteristics of flexibility, regular deliveries of work, and constant communication between the designers and the clients. To prove that, interviews were done on both sides, to designers and clients who defined/commissioned design projects. The results show that both sides identified communication as a major issue. The agile methodology due to its characteristics is a good option to help improve/solve this issue. And that despite being a methodology created for IT projects, it can be applied to other fields of work and business.Comunicação: fator vital em projetos de design. Apesar da importância da comunicação, os projetos de design na entrega não atendem aos requisitos iniciais. Isso acontece por causa de diversos fatores, desde maus briefings, falta de conhecimento e suposições dos designers e clientes. O presente estudo tem como objetivo provar que a falha na comunicação é um problema e como este esta a ocorrer. E mostrar a metodologia ágil como uma solução válida e viável para este problema, pelas suas características de flexibilidade, entregas regulares de trabalho e comunicação constante entre os designers e os clientes. Para provar isso, foram feitas entrevistas com as duas partes, isto é, com os designers e com os clientes que definem/encomendam projetos de design. Os resultados mostram, que ambos os lados identificam a comunicação como uma questão pertinente. A metodologia ágil pelas suas características, é uma boa opção para ajudar a melhorar/solucionar este problema. E que apesar de ser uma metodologia criada para projetos de IT, pode ser aplicada a outras áreas de trabalho e negócios

Video Game Development in a Rush: A Survey of the Global Game Jam Participants

Video game development is a complex endeavor, often involving complex software, large organizations, and aggressive release deadlines. Several studies have reported that periods of "crunch time" are prevalent in the video game industry, but there are few studies on the effects of time pressure. We conducted a survey with participants of the Global Game Jam (GGJ), a 48-hour hackathon. Based on 198 responses, the results suggest that: (1) iterative brainstorming is the most popular method for conceptualizing initial requirements; (2) continuous integration, minimum viable product, scope management, version control, and stand-up meetings are frequently applied development practices; (3) regular communication, internal playtesting, and dynamic and proactive planning are the most common quality assurance activities; and (4) familiarity with agile development has a weak correlation with perception of success in GGJ. We conclude that GGJ teams rely on ad hoc approaches to development and face-to-face communication, and recommend some complementary practices with limited overhead. Furthermore, as our findings are similar to recommendations for software startups, we posit that game jams and the startup scene share contextual similarities. Finally, we discuss the drawbacks of systemic "crunch time" and argue that game jam organizers are in a good position to problematize the phenomenon.Comment: Accepted for publication in IEEE Transactions on Game

Software as an art. The aesthetic influence in software development

This thesis uses literature and quantitative interviews to look closer at how aesthetics and software development is connected. The thesis springs of from Warren Sacks claim, in “The Software Arts”, that at the centre of computing is the liberal arts. In this book Sack only focused on language and programming something that this thesis found lacking. Since aesthetics is a large part of humanities and the liberal arts, it can therefore be argued that aesthetics is also a part of the centre of computing. Because of this this thesis is investigating not just at programming but software management and software design as well, to see where aesthetics can be seen and how it has affected software development. The thesis therefore gives definition and explanation to what aesthetics is in the three topics just mentioned, programming, software management and software design. Before using these definitions to create a fourth definition around the aesthetics of software development. The thesis is trying to show the aesthetic beauty of software development and argues that there are more to software development then coding and mathematics. It also takes a closer look at outside forces that has helped change what developers have found aesthetic through the last few decades. The method this thesis used allowed the arguments to build on scientific articles and check these up towards what developers in businesses thought about aesthetics. The findings were that the developers in the businesses showed a great interest in some aesthetic attributes, specifically working to create a good product for the user gave them positive feelings.Denne master oppgava bruker litteratur og intervjuer til å se nærmere på hvordan estetikk og system utvikling hengersammen og påvirker hverandre. Oppgava tar utgangspunkt i Warren Sack sin bok "The Software Arts". Sack argumentere i denne boka at de liberal arts er kjerna i databehandling. Måten Sack argumentere for dette er ved å se på historie og språk (programmering). Denne oppgava argumentere at de liberal arts er et for stort tema til å kunne argumentere imot og at man må se nærmere på hver enkel bit innad i det. Derfor omhandler denne oppgava estetikk i systemutvikling, systemhåndtering, programmering og programvare design. Målet er å finne ut hva de som jobber med dette tenker og føler for å kunne se hvordan de påvirker produktet som blir lagd. Oppgava gir også overblikk over hvordan dette har endret seg i tritt med samfunnet, fra et produktfokus mot et brukerfokus, på rundt 2000 tallet. Oppgava viser til at det finnes noe estetisk vakkert med systemutvikling og emnene funnet i det. Det blir også argumentert for at det er mer til systemutvikling enn programmering, noe som gjør at andre utdanninger som ikke er innenfor data har en plass i utviklingen av programvare. Metodene som oppgava brukte, gjorde at argumenter kunne begrunnes seg i forsker artikler med kommentarer ifra utviklere rundt hva de mente er estetisk med systemutvikling. Funnene som ble gjort viser at det er estetiske attributter med systemutvikling. Ett eksempel er utvikleres positive følelser rundt å lage et produkt som brukarene trenger og får nytte av.Mastergradsoppgave i digital kulturDIKULT350MAHF-DIKU