A thinking framework for the adaptation of iterative incremental development methodologies

Abstract

Methodology adoption issues in the agile world are faced with challenges such as the growing trend towards the use of a group of relevant cross-methodology practices from the agile family as opposed to the adoption of individual methodologies. While this may see agile processes precipitating towards more mature software engineering processes, the challenge is that some of the specific agile methodologies may become extinct over time. This research therefore contributes a key addition to knowledge by developing a thinking tool that will guide system developers to informatively select agile practices from the entire agile methodologies family that are relevant to the project at hand. This paper proposes a novel modeling technique for tailoring methodologies to a particular environment using the family of methodologies approach. The Agile Methodologies Generic (AMG) model considers agile methodologies as a group of methodologies with common parameters that can be used to model the entire group. Based on this model, methodology parameters can be identified that are common among the different agile methodologies making it possible to create a set of relevant agile practices that can be used in an organization. The original concepts of the model are based on two foundations: 1) the philosophy of Jim Highsmith's Adaptive Software Development (ASD) methodology. ASD focuses on the speculate, collaborate and learn cycle iteratively which is fundamental to agile development, and 2) the concept of organizational maturity levels which says that mature organizations families of repeatable and automated processes. It is from such a perspective that AMG was born. AMG considers agile methodologies at an abstract level where the four values of the Agile Manifesto are assumed to collectively constitute basic philosophy of all agile methodologies. The phases of AMG (mechanistic, organic, and synergistic adaptation) are therefore analyzed in light of the values of the project at hand. The benefits of such a technology is the provision of a thinking tool that assists software development teams to effectively tailor agile methodologies to their project environments. The tool has been applied by two software development organisations and the results are being analysed. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2005.