Promoting adoption and utilization of cloud computing services for agile software developers

Abstract

The recent past has witnessed an upsurge of cloud technology which has, undoubtedly become an indispensable basis for contemporary application deployments. Cloud computing is vital in providing efficiency and scalability, borne in its “as a service” types of delivery models. As application developers consider the move into this cloud environment, there is an increasingly need to understand key factors necessary for dealing with challenges related to the use of cloud technologies, to realise full potential and benefits of cloud computing. This research paper attempts to establish an adoption framework particularly focussing agile developers with a view to promoting adoption and utilisation of cloud computing. A blend of methodological approaches was employed in the study. A pilot study was initially used with 36 respondents who were involved in the field of software development successfully participating. Based on some results of this pilot study and objectives underpinning the research, an in-depth study involving a case study was conducted on a select group of individuals who are professional in the domain area, enabling a better description of processes, concepts and procedures in context. Guided by Technology, organisation, and environment (TOE) framework themes, and interactions between and amongst each other, five propositions were structured around the problem to create new thinking on promoting cloud computing adoption and its utilisation by agile developers. It was found that Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) using agile development methodologies can benefit from using the proposed framework when choosing to move into utilisation of cloud computing resources.