2 research outputs found
Analyzing the concept of technical debt in the context of agile software development: A systematic literature review
Technical debt (TD) is a metaphor that is used to communicate the
consequences of poor software development practices to non-technical
stakeholders. In recent years, it has gained significant attention in agile
software development (ASD). The purpose of this study is to analyze and
synthesize the state of the art of TD, and its causes, consequences, and
management strategies in the context of ASD. Using a systematic literature
review (SLR), 38 primary studies, out of 346 studies, were identified and
analyzed. We found five research areas of interest related to the literature of
TD in ASD. Among those areas, managing TD in ASD received the highest
attention, followed by architecture in ASD and its relationship with TD. In
addition, eight categories regarding the causes and five categories regarding
the consequences of incurring TD in ASD were identified. Focus on quick
delivery and architectural and design issues were the most popular causes of
incurring TD in ASD. Reduced productivity, system degradation and increased
maintenance cost were identified as significant consequences of incurring TD in
ASD. Additionally, we found 12 strategies for managing TD in the context of
ASD, out of which refactoring and enhancing the visibility of TD were the most
significant. The results of this study provide a structured synthesis of TD and
its management in the context of ASD as well as potential research areas for
further investigation