Skip to main content

A Metrics Model to Measure the Impact of an Agile Transformation in Large Software Development Organizations

  • Conference paper

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing ((LNBIP,volume 149))

Abstract

As the adoption of agile and lean methods continues to grow, measuring the effects of such a transformation can be valuable but challenging due to the many variables influencing the outcome of a software project. In this paper we present a metrics model developed for measuring the effects of an agile and lean transformation on software development organizations. The model was developed iteratively in cooperation with industry partners within the Cloud Software Finland research project. The resulting metrics model is applicable to projects of any size, complexity and scope, using metrics that support agile and lean values. The model can be used to measure both past and ongoing projects, regardless of whether the process model used is plan driven or agile. In order to evaluate the metrics model, the proposed model has been piloted in an industry setting.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   49.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Rodríguez, P., Markkula, J., Oivo, M., Turula, K.: Survey on agile and lean usage in finnish software industry. In: Proceedings of the ACM-IEEE, ESEM 2012, pp. 139–148. ACM, New York (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  2. VersionOne: State of agile survey (2011), http://versionone.com/pdf/2011_State_of_Agile_Development_Survey_Results.pdf

  3. Ebert, C., Abrahamsson, P., Oza, N.V.: Lean software development. IEEE Software 29(5), 22–25 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Šmite, D., Moe, N., Ågerfalk, P.: Agility Across Time and Space: Implementing Agile Methods in Global Software Projects. Springer (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Anderson, D.: Agile Management for Software Engineering: Applying the Theory of Constraints for Business Results. The Coad Series. Prentice Hall (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Leffingwell, D.: Scaling Software Agility: Best Practices for Large Enterprises. The Agile Software Development Series. Prentice Hall (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Parnell-Klabo, E.: Introducing lean principles with agile practices at a fortune 500 company. In: Proceedings of the Conference on AGILE 2006, pp. 232–242. IEEE Computer Society, Washington, DC (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Petersen, K., Wohlin, C.: The effect of moving from a plan-driven to an incremental software development approach with agile practices. Empirical Softw. Engg. 15(6), 654–693 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Royce, W.W.: Managing the development of large software systems: concepts and techniques. In: Proceedings of IEEE WESCON 26 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Dybå, T., Dingsøyr, T.: Empirical studies of agile software development: A systematic review. Inf. Softw. Technol. 50(9-10), 833–859 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Cohn, M.: Succeeding with Agile: Software Development Using Scrum. Addison-Wesley Professional (2009) ISBN 978-0321579362

    Google Scholar 

  12. Cloud Software Finland: Cloud software finland, www.cloudsoftwareprogram.org

  13. Basili, V.R., Caldiera, G., Rombach, H.D.: The goal question metric approach. In: Encyclopedia of Software Engineering. Wiley (1994)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Hartmann, D., Dymond, R.: Appropriate Agile Measurement: Using Metrics and Diagnostics to Deliver Business Value. In: AGILE 2006 Conference (Agile 2006). IEEE Computer Society (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Dubinsky, Y., Talby, D., Hazzan, O., Keren, A.: Agile Metrics at the Israeli Air Force. In: Proceedings of the Agile Development Conference, ADC 2005, pp. 12–19. IEEE Computer Society, Washington, DC (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Petersen, K., Wohlin, C.: Measuring the flow in lean software development. Software: Practice and Experience 41(9), 975–996 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Petersen, K.: An Empirical Study of Lead-Times in Incremental and Agile Software Development. In: Münch, J., Yang, Y., Schäfer, W. (eds.) ICSP 2010. LNCS, vol. 6195, pp. 345–356. Springer, Heidelberg (2010)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  18. Staron, M., Meding, W.: Monitoring bottlenecks in agile and lean software development projects – A method and its industrial use. In: Caivano, D., Oivo, M., Baldassarre, M.T., Visaggio, G. (eds.) PROFES 2011. LNCS, vol. 6759, pp. 3–16. Springer, Heidelberg (2011)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  19. Sjøberg, D.I., Johnsen, A., Solberg, J.: Quantifying the effect of using kanban versus scrum: A case study. IEEE Software 29, 47–53 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Concas, G., Marchesi, M., Destefanis, G., Tonelli, R.: An empirical study of software metrics for assessing the phases of an agile project. International Journal of Software Engineering and Knowledge Engineering 22(04), 525–548 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Agile Alliance: Agile manifesto, www.agilemanifesto.org/

  22. World Cafe: World cafe, http://www.theworldcafe.com/method.html

  23. Springer: Springer link, www.springerlink.com/

  24. IEEE: IEEEXplore, www.ieeexplore.ieee.org/

  25. ACM Digital Library: ACM Digital Library, www.dl.acm.org/

  26. Agile Journal: Agile journal, www.agilejournal.com/

  27. Hazzan, O., Dubinsky, Y.: Agile software engineering. Undergraduate topics in computer science. Springer, Berlin (2008) ISBN: 978-1-84800-199-2

    Google Scholar 

  28. Meneely, A., Smith, B., Williams, L.: Validating software metrics: A spectrum of philosophies. ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology

    Google Scholar 

  29. Reinertsen, D.G.: The Principles of Product Development Flow: Second Generation Lean Product Development. Celeritas Publishing (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  30. Cockburn, A.: What engineering has in common with manufacturing and why it matters - ac (September 2006)

    Google Scholar 

  31. Andersson, D.: Agile management for software engineering: applying the theory of constraints for business results. Pearson Education Inc. (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  32. Heidenberg, J., Weijola, M., Mikkonen, K., Porres, I.: A model for business value in large-scale agile and lean software development. In: Winkler, D., O’Connor, R.V., Messnarz, R. (eds.) EuroSPI 2012. CCIS, vol. 301, pp. 49–60. Springer, Heidelberg (2012)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Heidenberg, J., Weijola, M., Mikkonen, K., Porres, I. (2013). A Metrics Model to Measure the Impact of an Agile Transformation in Large Software Development Organizations. In: Baumeister, H., Weber, B. (eds) Agile Processes in Software Engineering and Extreme Programming. XP 2013. Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing, vol 149. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-38314-4_12

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-38314-4_12

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-38313-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-38314-4

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics