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Technical Dependency Challenges in Large-Scale Agile Software Development

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Agile Processes in Software Engineering and Extreme Programming (XP 2014)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing ((LNBIP,volume 179))

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Abstract

This qualitative study investigates challenges associated with technical dependencies and their communication. Such challenges frequently occur when agile practices are scaled to large-scale software development. The use of thematic analysis on semi-structured interviews revealed five challenges: planning, task prioritization, knowledge sharing, code quality, and integration. More importantly, these challenges interact with one another and can lead to a domino effect or vicious circle. If an organization struggles with one challenge, it is likely that the other challenges become problematic as well. This situation can have a significant impact on process and product quality. Our recommendations focus on improving planning and knowledge sharing (with practices such as scrum-of-scrums, continuous integration, open space technology) to break the vicious circle, and to reestablish effective communication across teams, which will then enable large-scale companies to achieve the benefits of large-scale agility.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Chalmers, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

    Nelson Sekitoleko, Felix Evbota, Eric Knauss & Michel Chaudron

  2. Ericsson AB, Sweden

    Anna Sandberg

  3. Malmö University, Sweden

    Helena Holmström Olsson

Authors
  1. Nelson Sekitoleko
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  2. Felix Evbota
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  3. Eric Knauss
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  4. Anna Sandberg
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  5. Michel Chaudron
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  6. Helena Holmström Olsson
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, Systems and Production, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy

    Giovanni Cantone

  2. Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy

    Michele Marchesi

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© 2014 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Sekitoleko, N., Evbota, F., Knauss, E., Sandberg, A., Chaudron, M., Olsson, H.H. (2014). Technical Dependency Challenges in Large-Scale Agile Software Development. In: Cantone, G., Marchesi, M. (eds) Agile Processes in Software Engineering and Extreme Programming. XP 2014. Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing, vol 179. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-06862-6_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-06862-6_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-06861-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-06862-6

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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