Agile Processes in Software Engineering and Extreme Programming

This open access book constitutes the proceedings of the 21st International Conference on Agile Software Development, XP 2020, which was planned to be held during June 8-12, 2020, at the IT University of Copenhagen, Denmark. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic the conference was postponed until an undetermined date. XP is the premier agile software development conference combining research and practice. It is a hybrid forum where agile researchers, academics, practitioners, thought leaders, coaches, and trainers get together to present and discuss their most recent innovations, research results, experiences, concerns, challenges, and trends. Following this history, for both researchers and seasoned practitioners XP 2020 provided an informal environment to network, share, and discover trends in Agile for the next 20 years. The 14 full and 2 short papers presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 37 submissions. They were organized in topical sections named: agile adoption; agile practices; large-scale agile; the business of agile; and agile and testing

Scrum: An Agile Software Development Process and Metrics

In a traditional software development process such as the Waterfall Model, works best in a stable environment. But, it is not flexible when it comes to change. There is a gap in the interaction between the users and the development team which leads to incomplete and misunderstood specification. Because of this, the end product is sometimes a surprise to users and this gap accelerates incorrect development of the software product. Once requirements are frozen there is no scope of accepting changes. There is a need for a framework which holds the solution for all these situations. With this premise, the agile development methodology came into existence. Scrum, an agile approach supports continuous collaboration among the customer, team members, and other stakeholders. Its time-boxed approach and continuous feedback from the product owner ensures the development of working product with essential features at all the time. This paper explains the agile software development approach, its proclamation and different frameworks of agile approach. Further illustrate most widely used framework: Scrum. This research paper covers the implementation and application of Scrum. It focuses on why Scrum is preferred over the Waterfall Model with the help of some survey results and later a discussion on some Scrum Metrics which will be helpful and accounting for the best Scrum Practices in achieving goals set by the software development team, the product owner and the customers. The outcome of this study shows that Scrum Metrics is critical and highly valuable for successful product development. The quantitative insight that these metrics provide for the Scrum Team, Product Owner and Stakeholders is necessary for achieving strong project dynamics and optimal results

An overview of Agile Organizations, with a focus on Agile Leadership and Organizational Change.

Questo scritto offre una panoramica sulle organizzazioni Agili, analizzandone nel primo capitolo le caratteristiche chiave, la storia, e la sua diffusione attuale. Sono presentati i vantaggi e svantaggi di questo approccio, sempre più comune oggi giorno. Nel secondo capitolo l’attenzione è spostata su una delle figure principali di queste organizzazioni: l’Agile Leader. Se ne studiano le qualità principali, con particolare enfasi sulla consapevolezza del sé. Come nel primo capitolo, anche in questo caso è riportato lo stato attuale delle cose. A differenza del metodo Agile, in continua crescita, gli studi sulla diffusione e padronanza dell’Agile Leadership forniscono risultati non particolarmente brillanti. Nel corso del capitolo vari stili di leadership vengono toccati, e nell’ultimo paragrafo si espongono le due metodologie Agile più usate, ovverosia Scrum e Kanban. Il terzo capitolo si concentra sui passi necessari per portare a termine con successo una trasformazione Agile, evidenziando l’importanza della cultura aziendale e il ruolo chiave del dipartimento di Risorse Umane, nell’alimentarla e promovuerla. Alcuni modelli vengono discussi, sia in merito all’individuazione e classificazione della cultura aziendale, sia in merito al suo cambiamento, e agli ostacoli che sono soliti sorgere in risposta al cambio. Chiude questa Prova Finale un breve elenco di tecniche che incarnano la mentalità Agile, la cui adozione non richiede investimenti economici né cambiamenti strutturali. Si prestano quindi ad essere usate come il primo passo per diffondere il metodo Agile all’interno della propria impresa

The Digital Transformation of Marketer Identities in Figured Worlds

The digital transformation of marketing has been ongoing for more than three decades but the breadth and depth of change in the last five years has been unprecedented. We know from extensive research on identities in organisations that change in work practices can prompt identity work, yet there has been relatively little prior research about marketer identities. Moreover, there has been even less research about marketer identities relating to digital transformation. This thesis addresses these gaps; however, it does so by looking at the intersection of marketer identities and digital transformation via a Pragmatist reading of Holland et al.’s (1998) concept of Figured Worlds, a social practice theory of identity with roots in Vygotsky, Bakhtin, Mead, and Bourdieu. This approach enabled the study of processes of transformation in relation to the various artefacts which make up figured worlds, such as vocabularies, practices, and materialities which come together to construct understandings about ‘how things work’ or what is considered ‘normal’ by the people who inhabit them. The main body of the thesis centres on an ethnographically-oriented case study of the marketing department of a large Canadian NGO (Canango) in the process of shifting from a traditional ‘NGO helper’ culture to a so-called ‘Agile marketing’ culture based on project management practices originating in software development that have been growing in popularity among practitioners. The thesis identifies a number of ‘classes’ of marketer identities: managerially supplied ; technologically afforded ; socially afforded ; emergent ; and, performed along with what each type enables one to do. Using ideas from Figured Worlds theory and multimodal discourse analysis, a heuristic framework is then developed made of the elements ‘ matter ’ (phenomena), ‘ meaning ’, mediators , ‘ me ’ (identity) and ‘ motion ’ (action) to study how these identities are used to accomplish contextual goals. This framework is then applied to study the way that three people variously appropriated or resisted a particular supplied identity: the ‘Agile organiser’. Finally the ideas developed through the first three phases of the thesis are applied in a final phase in which Canango begins using a new digital collaborative work platform. The study looks at the identity implications of this move, evidencing the ways in which the work platform serves as a ‘bridge’ between worlds and how such bridges may be used to change worlds and make new ones

The Impact of User Involvement on Information System Projects

Information systems (IS) development has been studied from many perspectives. Information systems are being viewed as a service as the economy shifts from being industrial-based to service-based. This shift is motivating the business user to become more involved with the development of the system. The once clear roles of user-as-specifier and IT professional-as-developer are blurring. This research addresses three objectives. First, we survey the actual business users themselves for their perception of activities and satisfaction with the completed system. Second, we analyze the separation of business requirements into two constructs representing the functional and presentation dimensions of these requirements to advance our understanding of user involvement on information system projects. Third, we explore the combinations of user characteristics and their activities that can improve IS project performance. A new comprehensive model is proposed to represent the business user as an active participant in system development. A survey instrument is developed from a widespread literature review of IS project performance, user involvement and project management. The instrument was tested to ensure its ease of completion and its comprehensibility. The revised instrument was sent to 3,419 U.S. business users in multiple industries from which 205 valid surveys were received. Structural Equation Modeling was used to validate the measurements and analyze the hypotheses and the overall model. The results confirm some previous findings and document new discoveries regarding the users, their activities and the impact on user satisfactio

The Impact of User Involvement on Information System Projects

Information systems (IS) development has been studied from many perspectives. Information systems are being viewed as a service as the economy shifts from being industrial-based to service-based. This shift is motivating the business user to become more involved with the development of the system. The once clear roles of user-as-specifier and IT professional-as-developer are blurring. This research addresses three objectives. First, we survey the actual business users themselves for their perception of activities and satisfaction with the completed system. Second, we analyze the separation of business requirements into two constructs representing the functional and presentation dimensions of these requirements to advance our understanding of user involvement on information system projects. Third, we explore the combinations of user characteristics and their activities that can improve IS project performance. A new comprehensive model is proposed to represent the business user as an active participant in system development. A survey instrument is developed from a widespread literature review of IS project performance, user involvement and project management. The instrument was tested to ensure its ease of completion and its comprehensibility. The revised instrument was sent to 3,419 U.S. business users in multiple industries from which 205 valid surveys were received. Structural Equation Modeling was used to validate the measurements and analyze the hypotheses and the overall model. The results confirm some previous findings and document new discoveries regarding the users, their activities and the impact on user satisfactio

The Impact of User Involvement on Information System Projects

Information systems (IS) development has been studied from many perspectives. Information systems are being viewed as a service as the economy shifts from being industrial-based to service-based. This shift is motivating the business user to become more involved with the development of the system. The once clear roles of user-as-specifier and IT professional-as-developer are blurring. This research addresses three objectives. First, we survey the actual business users themselves for their perception of activities and satisfaction with the completed system. Second, we analyze the separation of business requirements into two constructs representing the functional and presentation dimensions of these requirements to advance our understanding of user involvement on information system projects. Third, we explore the combinations of user characteristics and their activities that can improve IS project performance. A new comprehensive model is proposed to represent the business user as an active participant in system development. A survey instrument is developed from a widespread literature review of IS project performance, user involvement and project management. The instrument was tested to ensure its ease of completion and its comprehensibility. The revised instrument was sent to 3,419 U.S. business users in multiple industries from which 205 valid surveys were received. Structural Equation Modeling was used to validate the measurements and analyze the hypotheses and the overall model. The results confirm some previous findings and document new discoveries regarding the users, their activities and the impact on user satisfactio

A Manual for Project Governance and Asset Management

Students, practitioners, and businesses will all benefit from this free eBook, which focuses on project governance and asset management. Documenting best practices from design to implementation, including a review of existing frameworks, this eBook provides direction in the field of governance and asset management. Here, the ideas of assets and governance are brought together, and an agile governance framework is introduced. We hope to examine how these ideas may be used in project management in order to discover beneficial methodologies and approaches. If you’re looking to build trust and transparency in decision-making processes, this eBook is a must-read. It is intended for individuals who wish to create an atmosphere that accelerates strategy execution and the attainment of organisational objectives while offering good advice. Everyone in the organisation, including project managers and stakeholders from outside the company, can have an influence on the governance framework of projects and the management of the business’s assets to capture value and strengthen the strategic direction. By providing the necessary leadership, direction, and protocols, an organisation’s asset management and project governance frameworks may assist to guarantee that its strategy and execution are in sync

Examining the Critical Success Factors of Rapid Acquisition: A Human Capital Perspective

Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition programs continue to encounter schedule delays and cost overruns despite past reforms. Global threat uncertainties and high-velocity technological advances are also prevailing. Given the current rate at which program offices are fielding weapon systems, the United States (US) may be fighting with obsolete weapons and technology. Gaining superiority demands a new approach – to expedite the rate of capability delivery through rapid acquisition programs who have demonstrated success in delivering capabilities with speed. This research examines whether the attributes in the people dimension of an expedited framework contribute to success of rapid defense acquisition programs. Through standard statistical techniques, this research finds the following nine attributes--autonomy and empowerment, customizable team, SME in traditional acquisition process, retention of good talent, customer involvement, tangible connection, motivated culture, debrief culture, and government technical competence--are critical to success of rapid programs. Out of those factors, retention of good talent, debrief culture, and autonomy and empowerment emerge as the best predictors for rapid programs. This research also finds that the attributes autonomy and empowerment, retention of good talent, and motivated culture are embodied by rapid programs but not by traditional (non-rapid) programs