Being Extreme in the classroom: Experiences teaching XP

Abstract

Agile Methods propose a new way of looking at software development that questions many of the beliefs of conventional Software Engineering. Agile methods such as Extreme Programming (XP) have been very effective in producing high-quality software in real-world projects with strict time constraints. Nevertheless, most university courses and industrial training programs are still based on old-style heavyweight methods. This article, based on our experiences teaching XP in academic and industrial environments, presents effective ways of teaching students and professionals on how to develop high-quality software following the principles of agile software development. We also discuss related work in the area, describe real-world cases, and discuss open problems not yet resolved.