AGILE TRANSFORMATION: A MULTI-DIMENSIONAL PROCESS

Authors

  • Taghi Javdani Gandomani Department of Computer Engineering, Boroujen Branch, Islamic Azad University, Boroujen, Iran
  • Hazura Zulzalil Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
  • Mina Ziaei Nafchi Department of Computer Engineering, Boroujen Branch, Islamic Azad University, Boroujen, Iran

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11113/jt.v77.6188

Keywords:

Agile software development, agile transformation, agile transition, agile methods, grounded theory

Abstract

Software companies are widely interested to use Agile methodologies instead of traditional methods, mainly because of achieving the values offered by Agile approach. However, literature review implies that the alteration process is subject to various serious challenges that make Agile transformation more difficult than expected. Most of the companies are facing these challenges mainly because of the lack of knowledge and understanding of the transformation process. We have conducted a large-scale empirical research study discover various aspects of Agile transformation. Applying a Grounded Theory study identified the general outline of Agile transformation Process. The main aim of this paper is to illustrate the most important concepts that need to be considered when adopting Agile methodologies. This study showed that Agile transformation comprises many concepts, activities, and steps including transformation prerequisites, facilitators, framework, assessment, coaching, and so on. Software companies and organizations need to be familiar with these concepts before inception of Agile transformation process.

References

Cockburn, A. and L. Williams. 2003. Agile Software Development: It's About Feedback and Change, Computer. 36(6): 0039-43.

Boehm, B. 2002. Get Ready for Agile Methods, With Care Computer. 35(1): 64-69.

Pikkarainen, M., O. Salo, R. Kuusela, and P. Abrahamsson, 2012. Strengths and Barriers Behind the Successful Agile Deployment-Insights from the Three Software Intensive Companies in Finland. Empirical Software Engineering. 17(6): 675-702.

Cohen, D., M. Lindvall, and P. Costa, 2004. An Introduction to Agile Methods. Advances in Computers. 62: 1-66.

Gandomani, T. J., H. Zulzalil, A. A. A. Ghani, A. M. Sultan, and M. Z. Nafchi. 2013. Obstacles to Moving To Agile Software Development; At a Glance. Journal of Computer Science. 9(5): 620-625.

Rohunen, A., P. Rodriguez, P. Kuvaja, L. Krzanik, and J. Markkula. 2010. Approaches to Agile Adoption in Large Settings: A Comparison of the Results from a Literature Analysis and an Industrial Inventory. Proceeding of 11th international conference on Product-Focused Software Process Improvement. 77-91.

Gandomani, T. J., H. Zulzalil, A. A. A. Ghani, A. B. M. Sultan, and R. M. Parizi, 2015. The Impact of Inadequate and Dysfunctional Training on Agile Transformation Process: A Grounded Theory Study. Information and Software Technology. 57: 295-309.

Gandomani, T. J. and M. Z. Nafchi, 2015. An Empirically-Developed Framework for Agile Transition and Adoption: a Grounded Theory Approach. The Journal of Systems and Software. 107: 204-219.

Abrahamsson, P., J. Ronkainen, and J. Warsta, 2002. Agile Software Development Methods: Review and Analysis. VTT Publications. 478: 1-112.

Beck, K., M. Beedle, A. v. Bennekum, A. Cockburn, W. Cunningham, M. Fowler, et al. 2001, June 2015. Agile Manifesto. Available: www.agilemanifesto.org.

Conboy, K., S. Coyle, X. Wang, and M. Pikkarainen, 2011. People Over Process: Key Challenges in Agile Development. IEEE Software. 28(4): 48-57.

Gandomani, T. J., H. Zulzalil, A. A. Abdul Ghani, A. B. M. Sultan, and K. Y. Sharif. 2014. How Human Aspects Impress Agile Software Development Transition and Adoption, International Journal of Software Engineering and its Applications. 8(1): 129-148.

Nerur, S., R. Mahapatra, and G. Mangalaraj, 2005. Challenges of Migrating to Agile Methodologies. Communications of the ACM. 48(5): 72-78.

Gandomani, T. J., H. Zulzalil, A. A. A. Ghani, and A. B. M. Sultan. 2013. Important Considerations for Agile Software Development Methods Governance. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Information Technology. 55(3): 345-351.

Gandomani, T. J., H. Zulzalil, A. A. Abdul Ghani, A. B. M. Sultan, and K. Y. Sharif. 2013. Exploring Key Factors of Pilot Projects in Agile Transformation Process Using a Grounded Theory Study. In T. Skersys, R. Butleris, and R. Butkiene, (Eds.). ICIST 2013, CCIS. Springer-Verlag: Berlin Heidelberg.

Misra, S. C., V. Kumar, and U. Kumar, 2009. Identifying Some Important Success Factors in Adopting Agile Software Development Practices. Journal of Systems and Software. 82(11): 1869-1890.

De Souza Mariz, L. M. R., A. C. C. França, and F. Q. B. Da Silva. 2010. An Empirical Study on the Relationship Between the Use of Agile Practices and the Success of Software Projects That Use Scrum. Proceeding of. 110-117.

Glaser, B. G. 1978. Theoretical Sensitivity: Advances in the Methodology of Grounded Theory. Mill Valley, CA: The Sociology Press.

Glaser, B. 1998. Doing Grounded Theory: Issues and Discussions. Mill Valley, CA: Sociology Press.

Gandomani, T. J., h. Zulzalil, A. A. A. Ghani, A. B. M. Sultan, and K. Y. Sharif. 2013. How Grounded Theory Can Facilitate Research Studies in Context of Agile Software Development. Science International-Lahore. 25(4): 1131-1136.

Hoda, R. 2011. Self-Organizing Agile Teams: A Grounded Theory. PHD thesis, Victoria University of Wellington. New Zealand.

Gandomani, T. J., H. Zulzalil, A. A. A. Ghani, and A. B. M. Sultan. 2013. Towards Comprehensive and Disciplined Change Management Strategy in Agile Transformation Process, Research. Journal of Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology. 6(13): 2345-2351.

Gandomani, T. J., H. Zulzalil, A. A. A. Ghani, A. B. M. Sultan, and K. Y. Sharif. 2014. An Exploratory Study on Managing Agile Transition and Adoption. in S. Boonkrong, H. Unger, and P. Meesad, (Eds.). Recent Advances in Information and Communication Technology. Springer International Pub.: Switzerland.

Gandomani, T. J., h. Zulzalil, A. Javanmardi, A. A. A. Ghani, A. B. M. Sultan, and M. Z. Nafchi. 2013. How Pre-Start Up Assessment Helps Software Companies in Agile Transition. Science International-Lahore. 25(4): 1125-1130.

Glaser, B. 1992. Basics of Grounded Theory Analysis: Emergence Vs. Forcing. Mill Valley, CA: Sociology Press.

Gandomani, T. J., H. Zulzalil, A. A. Abd Ghani, A. B. M. Sultan, and K. Y. Sharif. 2014. Exploring Facilitators of Transition and Adoption to Agile Methods: a Grounded Theory Study. Journal of Software. 7(9): 1666-1678.

Augustine, S. 2005. Managing Agile Projects. New Jersey, USA: Prentice Hall.

Lingard, R. and S. Barkataki. 2011. Teaching Teamwork in Engineering and Computer Science. Proceeding of 1st Annual Frontiers in Education Conference: Celebrating 41 Years of Monumental Innovations from Around the World, FIE 2011. F1C-1 - F1C-5.

Srinivasan, J. and K. Lundqvist. 2010. Agile in India: Challenges and Lessons Learned. Proceeding of 3rd India Software Engineering Conference, ISEC'10. 125-130.

Lynch, T. D., M. Herold, J. Bolinger, S. Deshpande, T. Bihari, J. Ramanathan, et al. 2011. An Agile Boot Camp: Using A LEGO®-Based Active Game to Ground Agile Development Principles. Proceeding of 1st Annual Frontiers in Education Conference: Celebrating 41 Years of Monumental Innovations from Around the World, FIE 2011. F1H-1 - F1H-6.

Vijayasarathy, L. and D. Turk. 2012. Drivers of Agile Software Development Use: Dialectic Interplay Between Benefits and Hindrances. Information and Software Technology. 54(2): 137-148.

Martin, A., S. Fraser, R. Davies, M. Holcombe, R. Mugridge, D. Pierce, et al. 2005. XP/agile Education and Training. Proceeding of 6th International Conference on Extreme Programming and Agile Processes in Software Engineering. 3556: 263-266.

Tan, C. H. and H. H. Teo. 2007. Training Future Software Developers to Acquire Agile Development Skills. Communications of the ACM. 50(12): 97-98.

Ganesh, N. and S. Thangasamy. 2012. Lessons Learned in Transforming from Traditional to Agile Development. Journal of Computer Science. 8(3): 389-392.

Moe, N. B., A. Aurum, and T. Dybå. 2012. Challenges of Shared Decision-Making: A Multiple Case Study of Agile Software Development. Information and Software Technology. 54(8): 853-865.

Senapathi, M. and A. Srinivasan. 2012. Understanding Post-Adoptive Agile Usage: An Exploratory Cross-Case Analysis. Journal of Systems and Software. 85(6): 1255-1268.

Qumer, A. and B. Henderson-Sellers. 2008. An Evaluation of the Degree of Agility in Six Agile Methods and Its Applicability for Method Engineering. Information and Software Technology. 50(4): 280-295.

Sidky, A., J. Arthur, and S. Bohner. 2007. A Disciplined Approach to Adopting Agile Practices: The Agile Adoption Framework. Innovations in Systems and Software Engineering. 3(3): 203-216.

Esfahani, H. C. 2012. Transitioning to Agile: A Framework for Pre-Adoption Analysis using Empirical Knowledge and Strategic Modeling. PhD, Graduate Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto. Canada.

Moore, D. M., P. Crowe, and R. Cloutier, 2011. The Balance Between Methods and People. CrossTalk. 24(4): 11-14.

McCaffery, F., P. S. Taylor, and G. Coleman. 2007. Adept: A Unified Assessment Method for Small Software Companies. IEEE Software. 24(1): 24-31.

Santana, C., C. Gusmão, D. Caetano, and A. Vasconcelos. 2011. The Confidence of Agile Assessment Methods in the Context of Software Process Improvement, Proceeding of Agile Conference, Agile 2011. 135-138.

Davies, R. and J. Pullicino. 2009. What Does an Agile Coach Do?, LNBIP, P. Abrahamsson, M. Marchesi, and F. Maurer, Eds. ed. Pula, Sardinia. 31: 198-199.

Nerur, S. and V. Balijepally. 2007. Theoretical Reflections on Agile Development Methodologies. Communications of the ACM. 50(3): 79-83.

Dingsøyr, T., S. Nerur, V. Balijepally, and N. B. Moe. 2012. A Decade Of Agile Methodologies: Towards Explaining Agile Software Development. Journal of Systems and Software. 85(6): 1213-1221.

Lalsing, V., S. Kishnah, and S. Pudaruth, 2012. People Factors in Agile Software Development and Project Management. International Journal of Software Engineering & Applications (IJSEA). 3(1): 117-137.

Conboy, K. and L. Morgan. 2011. Beyond the Customer: Opening the Agile Systems Development Process. Information and Software Technology. 53(5): 535-542.

Hoda, R., J. Noble, and S. Marshall. 2011. The Impact of Inadequate Customer Collaboration on Self-Organizing Agile Teams. Information and Software Technology. 53(5): 521-534.

Heidenberg, J., M. Matinlassi, M. Pikkarainen, P. Hirkman, and J. Partanen. 2010. Systematic Piloting of Agile Methods in the Large: Two Cases in Embedded Systems Development. LNCS, ed. Limerick. 6156: 47-61.

Honious, J. and J. Clark. 2006. Something To Believe In. Proceeding of AGILE Conference. 2006: 203-210.

Iivari, J. and N. Iivari. 2011. The Relationship Between Organizational Culture And The Deployment Of Agile Methods. Information and Software Technology. 53(5): 509-520.

Soundararajan, S. and J. D. Arthur. 2011. A Structured Framework for Assessing the "Goodness" of Agile Methods. Proceeding of 18th IEEE International Conference and Workshops on Engineering of Computer-Based Systems, ECBS 2011. 14-23.

Downloads

Published

2015-11-09

Issue

Section

Science and Engineering

How to Cite

AGILE TRANSFORMATION: A MULTI-DIMENSIONAL PROCESS. (2015). Jurnal Teknologi (Sciences & Engineering), 77(9). https://doi.org/10.11113/jt.v77.6188