This study investigated the use of systems development methodologies in Web-based application development in South Africa. Web-based systems differ from traditional information systems by integrating different media for knowledge representation and utilizing hypertext functionality. By doing this, Web-based systems not only support creation, integration, analysis, and distribution but also storage and transfer of knowledge of business transactions within a structured information system. There are numerous methodologies available to develop Web-based systems. In this study five of these methodologies were discussed. The methodologies include Web IS Development Methodology (WISOM), Internet Commerce Development Methodology (ICOM), Web Engineering, Extreme Programming and the Relationship Management Methodology (RMM). In this study a qualitative research approach was followed. Case studies were done on three different organizations in the South African marketplace. Semi-structured interviews were used for data collection at each organization. The interviews were transcribed, and the data were analysed using content analysis and cross-case analysis. One of the main goals of this research was to determine "how" system development methodologies are used in practice to develop Web-based systems, and to what extent it is used. The research pointed out that those organizations who participated in this study in South Africa mainly use in-house developed methodologies to develop Web-based systems, and that these organizations adhere strictly to their methodology. The main reasons organizations choose to use methodologies are that methodologies aid in the delivery of a better quality Web-based system, and also act as a good project management mechanism within the organization. / Thesis (M.Com. (Computer Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007

Submitted by Lucelia Lucena (lucelia.lucena@ufpe.br) on 2015-03-06T18:19:42Z No. of bitstreams: 2 DISSERTAÇÃO Carlos Diego Cavalcanti Pereira.pdf: 4207386 bytes, checksum: 1b429f9663fd012cb9da480f02ee5391 (MD5) license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-06T18:19:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 DISSERTAÇÃO Carlos Diego Cavalcanti Pereira.pdf: 4207386 bytes, checksum: 1b429f9663fd012cb9da480f02ee5391 (MD5) license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-03-18 / As metodologias ágeis de desenvolvimento de software emergiram como alternativa para processos prescritivos, os quais são classificados como excessivamente formais. Com objetivo de viabilizar entregas frequentes, processos adaptáveis, flexíveis e focados no cliente, as metodologias ágeis se tornaram referência sobre como produzir software de forma produtiva. Contudo, com objetivo de tornar o processo mais simples, essas abordagens invariavelmente incorrem em problemas como: modelos pouco generalistas para cobrir todo o ciclo de vida da Engenharia de Software; foco em disciplinas específicas do processo de software; subestimação de aspectos relevantes em iniciativas de desenvolvimento, como esforços de arquitetura, design e documentação; e indicação para equipes e projetos de pequena escala. A proposta desta dissertação de mestrado é propor um framework de processo eficiente de desenvolvimento de software, o qual se baseia nos ideários das metodologias ágeis, porém cobre todo o ciclo de vida de projeto desde a concepção, gestão, implementação e entrega. O framework inclui ferramentas como princípios, valores, atividades, artefatos e práticas específicas, incluindo esforços como arquitetura, design e documentação, concebendo um processo ágil, eficiente e extremamente produtivo para projetos de concepção e manutenção software, independentemente da sua escala.

Context: Global software development is the emerging trend in today’s world as it provides the software companies with certain advantages like access to skill and cheap labor, low development cost etc. There are also many challenges and risks involved in globally distributed software project as compare to co-located projects like communication, coordination and control etc. due to geographical separation. There is also a recent interest in applying agile methods in offshore projects in order to minimize certain offshore challenges. Agile methods in collocated environment demands high communication, coordination and collaboration between the team members. However implementing agile methods in distributed environment is beneficial and challenging too, because of inherited GSD challenges. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully understand the benefits and challenges of applying agile methods in distributed project before actually initiating the development. Objectives: This research study aims to look at current empirical evidence regarding benefits and challenges of applying agile methods in offshore projects, in order to understand it properly. Furthermore, we have examined that which of the benefits and challenges reported in literature can be seen in practice. This helped us in finding out the similarities and differences between the benefits and challenges that are reported in literature and in practice. Methods: To fulfill our aims and objectives we have first conducted the detailed systematic review analysis of the empirical studies from year 2000-2010. The systematic review approach helped us to collect and summarize the empirical data available regarding the benefits and challenges of applying agile methods in offshore projects. The research studies were identified from the most authentic databases that are scientifically and technically peer reviewed such as Inspec and Compendex, IEEE Xplore, ACM digital library, Springer Link, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Scopus, ISI Web of Knowledge and Willey Inter Science Journal Finder. Furthermore, industrial survey was conducted in order to identify whether the benefits and challenges enlisted in literature can be confirmed by practitioners. This helped us in determining the similarities and differences between benefits and challenges that are reported in empirical literature and industrial survey. Results: From systematic review results, we have found the list of benefits and challenges of most applied agile practices such as daily scrum meetings, sprint planning meetings, sprint review meetings, retrospective meetings, pair programming, short release and on-site customer. The most common benefits related to above identified agile practices are early problem identification, project visibility, increase communication, coordination and collaboration, trust, clarification of work and requirements, early client feedback and customer satisfaction. Similarly the most common challenges associated with above identified agile practices are lack of linguistic skills, culture differences and temporal differences. From survey result, it was found that the majority of benefits and challenges identified through literature review are prevalent in software industries to some extent. We were able to identify the benefits and challenges of agile practices such as daily scrum, sprint planning meetings, sprint review, retrospective meetings and short release. The most common benefits of above identified agile practices highlighted by survey participants are project visibility, early problem identification, increase coordination, opportunity for knowledge sharing and transferring, immediate feedback from client, and opportunity for understanding the task properly. Similarly the most common challenges identified by survey participants are language problems, temporal difference and difficult to explain and understand problems or issues over communication technologies. However, there are certain challenges like trust and culture issues, which have received most attention in the empirical literature, but are not identified by majority of industry respondents. Conclusions: From the information attained so far regarding the benefits and challenges of agile methods in offshore projects, we observed that there is an emerging trend of using agile methods in offshore projects and practitioners actually found it beneficial. The benefits of agile practices does not achieve straightaway there are certain challenging factors of GSD too, which can restrict the implementation or make the methodology not useful such as communication, coordination and collaboration. These challenges are usually occurred due to geographical separation, lack of trust and linguistic skills, culture difference etc. The presented work add contribution in a sense as to the best of our knowledge no systematic review effort has been done in this area with specifically focuses on highlighting the benefits and challenges. From survey results we found that majority of benefits and challenges highlighted by survey participants are to some extent same with what we have already studied in literature. However there are certain important challenges which have received most attention in empirical literature but were less identified by the survey participants like trust issue and culture difference. The benefits and challenges identified through industrial survey do not add much information into our attention. This does not mean that all possible benefits and challenges of applying agile methods in offshore project have been explored. The responses which were received from industry practitioners were quite few to make any kind of arguments. There is a probability that we missed the important benefits and challenges related to particular agile practices during our industrial survey. Therefore we conclude that a much thorough and inclusive answers should be required to identify the benefits and challenges of applying agile methods in offshore projects.

Agile software development has gained significant importance the recent years. Software practitioners have recognized the importance of agile development due to the benefits offered. Therefore, agile software development has been identified as the replacement to traditional or plan driven style of development. There are different frameworks or methods, which follow agile principles, known as agile methodologies. SCRUM and XP are the most popular and widely used agile methods or framework. There are different types of agile methodologies, each containing a set of practices, which can be adapted and implemented in an organization. However, there is still a need for empirical studies to understand the factors like requirements/modifications, challenges and mitigation strategies/techniques, which can enable successful implementation of agile practices in software organizations. In this study, the primary objective is to provide a comprehensive model or framework to practitioners, which includes the list of important requirements/modifications, challenges and mitigation strategies/techniques while implementing agile, and also pertaining to adoption/implementation of individual agile practices specific to SCRUM and XP. This model also includes the categorization of the requirements/modifications and challenges into different levels of an organization, to which they mostly apply. This conceptual model or framework can aid the practitioners in understanding and implementing agile practices in a better way in their organizations. In this study, an industrial survey is conducted in order to identify the list of important requirements/modifications that are needed to implement agile, challenges faced during implementation, and mitigation strategies/techniques needed to address the challenges. Also, categorization of the identified lists into different levels of the organization is also performed using survey. A systematic literature review is performed in order to identify the primary lists of requirements/modifications, challenges and mitigation strategies/techniques, which are further validated and classified using survey. Also, systematic literature review is used to identify the list of requirements/modifications, challenges and mitigation strategies/techniques that are needed while implementing individual agile practices specific to SCRUM and XP. Based on the systematic literature review, 53 primary studies were identified which are relevant to the research area. Upon analyzing the primary studies, the list of requirements/modifications, challenges and solutions are identified for generic agile adoption/implementation and also pertaining to individual practices specific to SCRUM and XP. Thereupon, an industrial survey is conducted where, identified list of requirements/modifications, challenges and mitigation strategies/techniques are provided to the respondents. Respondents were asked to classify the obtained aspects based on the level of importance. Also, they were asked to categorize the obtained requirements/modifications and challenges into different levels of an organization. The survey has obtained 48 responses from different parts of the world. From the results of survey, requirements/modifications, challenges and mitigation strategies/techniques are classified based on the level of importance. Also, requirements/modifications and challenges are categorized into different levels of an organization. Using the obtained factors, a conceptual model or framework was constructed for practitioners that can enable them to understand and implement agile practices in their organizations in a better way. To conclude this research, a comprehensive model or framework was constructed using the final list of important requirements/modifications, challenges and mitigation strategies/techniques while implementing/adopting agile and also pertaining to the individual agile practices, and also based on the categorization of the requirements and challenges into levels of an organization, where they are applicable. The final list of identified lists of requirements/modifications; challenges and mitigation strategies/techniques pertaining to individual agile practices can help practitioners to understand the implementation criteria of agile practices in software organizations. It was observed from the results of survey that perception of literature and practitioners are different in terms of usage of agile practices, as some practices, which were given high focus in the literature, were not given equal priority by the respondents. Empirical findings also help to identify change in policies and procedures and change to open workspace as most important requirements/modifications, organizational resistance and lack of motivated programmers as most critical challenges and proper training and inclusion of experts as most used mitigation strategies/techniques. Moreover, it was concluded that there is also a need for further full-scale empirical works on identifying the factors that affect adoption of agile. Practitioners can identify the benefits from this research and researchers can extend this work to remaining agile methodologies. / Agile systemutveckling har fått stor betydelse de senaste åren. Programvaru utövare har insett vikten av agila utvecklings grund av de förmåner som erbjuds. Därför har agile mjukvaruutveckling identifierats som ersättare till traditionella eller planen driven stil av utveckling. Det finns olika ramar eller metoder, som följer agila principer, så kallade agila metoder. SCRUM och XP är de mest populära och mest använda agila metoder eller ramverk. Det finns olika typer av agila metoder, var och en innehåller en uppsättning metoder, som kan anpassas och genomföras i en organisation. Det finns dock fortfarande ett behov av empiriska studier för att förstå de faktorer som krav / modifieringar, utmaningar och begränsningsstrategier / tekniker, som kan göra det möjligt för ett framgångsrikt genomförande av agila metoder i mjukvaruorganisationer.  I denna studie, är det primära målet att ge en heltäckande modell eller ramverk för utövare, vilket inkluderar en lista över viktiga krav / modifieringar, utmaningar och begränsningsstrategier / tekniker samtidigt genomföra vig, och även avseende antagande / genomförande av enskilda agila metoder specifika SCRUM och XP. Denna modell innehåller även kategoriseringen av de krav / modifieringar och utmaningar i olika nivåer i en organisation, till vilken de oftast gäller. Denna konceptuella modell eller ramverk kan hjälpa utövarna att förstå och genomföra agila metoder på ett bättre sätt i sina organisationer. I denna studie är en industriell undersökning för att identifiera listan över viktiga krav / ändringar som behövs för att genomföra vig, utmaningar under genomförandet, och begränsnings strategier / tekniker som behövs för att ta itu med utmaningarna. Också, kategorisering av de identifierade listorna i olika nivåer i organisationen är också utföras med undersökningen. En systematisk litteraturöversikt görs för att identifiera de primära listor krav / modifieringar, utmaningar och begränsningsstrategier / tekniker, som är validerade längre och klassificerade med hjälp enkät. Dessutom är systematisk litteraturöversikt används för att identifiera en lista över krav / modifieringar, utmaningar och begränsningsstrategier / tekniker som behövs samtidigt genomföra enskilda agila metoder som är specifika för SCRUM och XP. / +918500053444

Detta examensarbete utfördes som ett uppdrag av Atlas Copco där målet var att utveckla en programvara som kan simulera en OU (Operator Unit) i en PC miljö. Atlas Copcos egenutvecklade radiostyrningssystem för gruvfordon består av en sändare, kallad OU, och en mottagare, kallad MU (Machine Unit). En OU är en kontroller med reglage i form av knappar, joysticks och switchar och med indikatorer i form av LEDs och display. För att säkerställa att en OU endast kan kommunicera med en specifik MU och vice versa måste enheternas radiomoduler paras ihop genom en process som kallas ”learn link”, som görs genom att ansluta en CAN-kabel mellan enheterna.   Genom att använda en OU simulator vid MU produktionstest skulle det vara lättare att utföra vissa tester, såsom internfel och varningar, och det skulle vara möjligt att inkludera tester som är omöjliga att göra med en hårdvaru-OU, som att avsiktligt sända en felberäknad checksumma, för att undersöka MU-enhetens respons. OU simulatorn skulle ha ett grafiskt gränssnitt och genom att ansluta ett radiokort till PC:n skulle den kunna skicka och ta emot data från en MU. Den skulle också kunna utföra ”learn link”. Den färdiga produkten utvecklades med hjälp av C# och en XP-inspirerad utvecklingsmetod. / This thesis was developed as an assignment from Atlas Copco where the goal was to develop software that could simulate an OU (Operator Unit) in a PC environment. Atlas Copco’s proprietary radio-control system for mining vehicles consists of a transmitter, called OU, and a receiver, called MU (Machine Unit). An OU is a controller with controls in the form of buttons, joysticks and switches and with indicators in the form of LEDs and display. To ensure that an OU only can communicate with a specific MU and vice versa the units’ radio modules must be paired together through a process called “learn link”, that is performed by connecting the units with a CAN-cable.   By using an OU simulator for MU production tests it would be easier to perform some tests, such as internal errors and warnings, and it would be possible to include tests that are impossible to do with OU hardware, such as intentionally send a miscalculated checksum, to examine the MU’s response. The OU simulator should have a graphical user interface and by connecting a radio card to the PC it should be able to send and receive data from an MU. It should also be able to perform “learn link”. The final product was developed using C# together with an XP-inspired development method.

Detta arbete är en reflektion över ett programvaruutvecklingsprojekt, WAIS, och den arbetsmetodik som användes för detta projekt. Arbetsmetodiken för utvecklings-projektet var Extreme Programming (XP) och vi ifrågasätter om detta val var lämpligt för ett projekt som WAIS. Projektet genomfördes vid Blekinge Tekniska Högskola under våren 2004. Utvecklingsprojektet WAIS var en del av ett större projekt, AIS 42, som stöds av VINNOVA. Huvudprojektets bakgrund och syfte beskrivs för att läsaren skall förstå den roll projektet hade. Studenternas uppgift har varit att utveckla en prototyp för ett system som skall sprida information relaterad till logistik och transporter. Slutanvändarna till systemet är många och de tillhör olika organisationer som är spridda både fysiskt och verksamhetsmässigt. Arbetsmetodiken XP faller in under paraplybegreppet Agile manifesto vilkas principer beskrivs i detta arbete. Paralleller dras till arbetsprocessen och dess resultat som projektgruppen har utfört. Vi reflekterar över projektarbetet och arbetsmetodiken utifrån det perspektiv som växt fram under våra år på MDA-programmet. Synsättet bygger bland annat på particpatory design och människa-datorinteraktion där användarmedverkan har en central roll vid utvecklingsprocesser. Vår slutsats visar att utvecklingsprojektet gått miste om flera av de fördelar som arbetsmetodiken XP kan ge. De orsaker som identifierades var: tidsaspekter, tillgång till aktörer och avsaknaden av en tydlig gemensam målbild. / This thesis is a reflection over a software engineering project, WAIS, and the work methodology that has been used within the project. Extreme Programming (XP) was the work methodology used during the process of development. We question if the choice of work methodology is suitable for this kind of project. The project was running by student during spring 2004 at Blekinge Institute of technology (BTH). The project WAIS was a part of a larger project named AIS 42 that runs with funds from VINNOVA. The main projects background and purpose are described in thesis so that the reader can understand the students’ part in the projects as a whole. The students’ main task was to develop a prototype for a system that disseminates information about logistics and transports. The system has many different end users and they come from various organizations that are spread out both physical and organizational. XP is treated as a methodology with in Agile manifesto, which principles are being explained in the thesis. Parallels are being drawn between the work process and the result from the work done. We reflect over the process and the work methodology from a perspective that has been brought forth from our years of education at BTH. The approach is built up upon theories from participatory design and human computer interaction where the user has an essential part of the process of development. The conclusion shows that the project has missed some of the advantages that XP brings. The reasons that we identified were; timeaspects, access to users and the lack of a joint objectiv.

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / The purpose of this thesis is to discuss the development of a web application from scratch. It serves to build a health management information system from basic principles and covers all the software engineering activities starting from the gathering of requirements, evaluating these and eventually implementing a health management information system by applying several iterations of the Agile-extreme-programming-software-engineering approach to develop a Health Management System for the Kabul University Poly-clinic located at Kabul University campus in order to computerize clerical activities at the hospital. Questionnaires were used to uncover the clerical problems experienced by the hospital sta . Attempts to address these problems by designing and im- plementing software and re ne the software after some iterations of feedback- redesign-and-implementation following the guidelines of Agile extreme pro- gramming. The previous Health management systems at the hospital were paper based. The new computerized system has eased the burdens of tracking the les of patients at the hospital, leading to easier and more e cient access to information by the health-care professionals at the hospital. An assessment of the impact this has had on the medical and clerical sta and the smoother administration of the hospital by repeated user acceptance testing by means of questionnaires con rms the success of the project.

This dissertation is original in using the contrasting ideas of two leading 20th century philosophers of science, Karl Popper and Thomas Kuhn, to provide a philosophical understanding, firstly, of the shift from traditional software methodologies to the so-called Agile methodologies, and, secondly, of the values, principles and practices underlying the most prominent of the Agile methodologies, Extreme Programming (XP). This dissertation will take a revisionist approach, following Fuller—the founder of social epistemology—in reading Popper against Kuhn's epistemological hegemony. The investigations in this dissertation relate to two main branches of philosophy— epistemology and ethics. The epistemological part of this dissertation compares both Kuhn and Popper's alternative ideas of the development of scientific knowledge to the Agile methodologists' ideas of the development of software, in order to assess the extent to which Agile software development resembles a scientific discipline. The investigations relating to ethics in this dissertation transfer concepts from social engineering—in particular, Popper's distinction between piecemeal and utopian social engineering—to software engineering, in order to assess both the democratic and authoritarian aspects of Agile software development and management. The use of Kuhn's ideas of scientific revolutions and paradigm shift by several leading figures of the Agile software methodologies—most notably, Kent Beck, the leader of the most prominent Agile software methodology, Extreme Programming (XP)—to predict a fundamental shift from traditional to Agile software methodologies, is critically assessed in this dissertation. A systematic investigation into whether Kuhn's theory as a whole, can provide an adequate account of the day-to-day practice of Agile software development is also provided. As an alternative to the use of Kuhn's ideas, the critical rationalist philosophy of Karl Popper is investigated. On the one hand, this dissertation assesses whether the epistemological aspects of Popper's philosophy—especially his notions of falsificationism, evolutionary epistemology, and three worlds metaphysics—provide a suitable framework for understanding the philosophical basis of everyday Agile software development. On the other hand, the aspects of Popper's philosophy relating to ethics, which provide an ideal for scientific practice in an open society, are investigated in order to determine whether they coincide with the avowedly democratic values of Agile software methodologies. The investigations in this dissertation led to the following conclusions. Firstly, Kuhn's ideas are useful in predicting the effects of the full-scale adoption of Agile methodologies, and they describe the way in which several leaders of the Agile methodologies promote their methodologies; they do not, however, account for the detailed methodological practice of Agile software development. Secondly, several aspects of Popper's philosophy, were found to be aligned with several aspects of Agile software development. In relation to epistemology, Popper's principle of falsificationism provides a criterion for understanding the rational and scientific basis of several Agile principles and practices, his evolutionary epistemology resembles the iterative-incremental design approach of Agile methodologies, and his three worlds metaphysical model provides an understanding of both the nature of software, and the approach advocated by the Agile methodologists' of creating and sharing knowledge. In relation to ethics, Popper's notion of an open society provides an understanding of the rational and ethical basis of the values underlying Agile software development and management, as well as the piecemeal adoption of Agile software methodologies. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Computer Science / unrestricted

Nesta tese, apresentamos nossas estratégias para desenvolver um ambiente matemático e computacional para análises em larga-escala de dados de expressão gênica obtidos pela tecnologia de microarranjos de DNA. As análises realizadas visaram principalmente à identificação de marcadores moleculares de diagnóstico e prognóstico de cânceres humanos. Apresentamos o resultado de diversas análises implementadas através do ambiente desenvolvido, as quais conduziram a implementação de uma ferramenta computacional para a anotação automática de plataformas de microarranjos de DNA e de outra ferramenta destinada ao rastreamento da análise de dados realizada em ambiente R. Programação eXtrema (eXtreme Programming, XP) foi utilizada como técnica de planejamento e gerenciamento dos projetos de análise dados de expressão gênica. Todos os conjuntos de dados foram obtidos por nossos colaboradores, utilizando-se duas diferentes plataformas de microarranjos de DNA: a primeira enriquecida em regiões não-codificantes do genoma humano, em particular regiões intrônicas, e a segunda representando regiões exônicas de genes humanos. A primeira plataforma foi utilizada para avaliação do perfil de expressão gênica em tumores de próstata e rim humanos, sendo que análises utilizando SAM (Significance Analysis of Microarrays) permitiram a proposição de um conjunto de 49 sequências como potenciais biomarcadores de prognóstico de tumores de próstata. A segunda plataforma foi utilizada para avaliação do perfil de transcritos expressos em sarcomas, carcinomas epidermóide e carcinomas epidermóides de cabeça e pescoço. As análises com sarcomas permitiram a identificação de um conjunto de 12 genes relacionados à agressividade local e metástase. As análises com carcinomas epidermóides de cabeça e pescoço permitiram a identificação de 7 genes relacionados à metástase linfonodal. / In this PhD Thesis, we present our strategies to the development of a mathematical and computational environment aiming the analysis of large-scale microarray datasets. The analyses focused mainly on the identification of molecular markers for diagnosis and prognosis of human cancers. Here we show the results of several analyses implemented using this environment, which led to the development of a computational tool for automatic annotation of DNA microarray platforms and a tool for tracking the analysis within R environment. We also applied eXtreme Programming (XP) as a tool for planning and management of gene expression analyses projects. All data sets were obtained by our collaborators using two different microarray platforms. The first is enriched in non-coding human sequences, particularly intronic sequences. The second one represents exonic regions of human genes. Using the first platform, we evaluated gene expression profiles of prostate and kidney human tumors. Applying SAM to prostate tumor data revealed 49 potential molecular markers for prognosis of this disease. Gene expression in samples of sarcomas, epidermoid carcinomas and head and neck epidermoid carcinomas was investigated using the second platform. A set of 12 genes were identified as potential biomarkers for local aggressiveness and metastasis in sarcoma. In addition, the analyses of data obtained from head and neck epidermoid carcinomas allowed the identification of 7 potential biomarkers for lymph-nodal metastases.

The thesis deals with basic principles of agile software development and describes their advantages compared to the traditional approach. Siemens, s.r.o in Brno uses combination of Scrum and Kanaban as part of organizational processes, therefore the thesis focuses mainly on the method Scrum, Kanban, Scrum-ban and compares these methods with each other. The thesis also analyzes the existing project and results were consulted with the representative of the Siemens company together with the proposals for improvement. JIRA plugin was designed and implemented base on our mutual agreement. This module extends the current tool for analyzing agile projects, this leads to better support of decision making in the context of agile processes. Benefits and further upgrades are consulted at the end of the thesis.