Denis Dennehy

Software Startups - A Research Agenda

Software startup companies develop innovative, software-intensive products within limited timeframes and with few resources, searching for sustainable and scalable business models. Software startup ...

Going with the flow: An activity theory analysis of flow techniques in software development

Abstract Managing flow is fundamental to continuous development, particularly in knowledge intensive work activities such as software development. However, while numerous articles describe flow tools and practice there is little research on their application in context. This is a significant limitation given that software development is a highly complex and socially embedded activity. This research applies activity theory (AT) to examine the adoption of flow techniques by using the multiple-case method in two companies. AT is particularly pertinent in this study as it identifies contradictions, which manifest themselves as problems such as errors or a breakdown of communication in the organisation and congruencies between flow techniques and the development context and indeed contradictions between components of flow techniques themselves. Rather than view contradictions as a threat to flow or as an argument to abandon, a theoretical contribution of this study is that it shows how contradictions and congruencies can be used to reflect, learn, and identify new ways of structuring and enacting the flow activity. It also provides an immediate practical contribution by identifying a set of lessons drawn from the cases studied that may be applicable in future implementations of flow techniques.

Kanban in Software Engineering: A Systematic Mapping Study

Abstract Following a well-established track record of success in other domains such as manufacturing, Kanban is increasingly used to achieve continuous development and delivery of value in the software industry. However, while research on Kanban in software is growing, these articles are largely descriptive, and there is limited rigorous research on its application and with little cohesive building of cumulative knowledge. As a result, it is extremely difficult to determine the true value of Kanban in software engineering. This study investigates the scientific evidence to date regarding Kanban by conducting a systematic mapping of Kanban literature in software engineering between 2006 and 2016. The search strategy resulted in 382 studies, of which 23 were identified as primary papers relevant to this research. This study is unique as it compares the findings of these primary papers with insights from a review of 23 Kanban experience reports during the same period. This study makes four important contributions, (i) a state-of-the-art of Kanban research is provided, (ii) the reported benefits and challenges are identified in both the primary papers and experience reports, (iii) recommended practices from both the primary papers and experience reports are listed and (iv) opportunities for future Kanban research are identified.

Identifying Challenges and a Research Agenda for Flow in Software Project Management

Flow and its associated tools and metrics are increasingly being reported as an approach used to achieve continuous deployment of software and delivery of value in software development projects. Yet, the extant literature on flow tools to date is rather limited. Also, what does exist tends to largely focus on the generic version of flow, rather than any rigorous examination of its use in the turbulent and constantly changing ‘real world’ environment within which it is applied. This study draws on a longitudinal case to identify the challenges of implementing flow and to provide a research agenda for flow project management.

Adopting flow analytics in software development projects

Anecdotal evidence suggests that use and effectiveness of flow tools and analytics is rapidly increasing across the software community. The differentiating feature of flow methods is their speed, epitomised by terms such as lead-time, cycle time, and cost of delay. Yet, existing research tends to largely focuses on the textbook version of flow, rather than any rigorous examination of its use in the turbulent and constantly changing real world environment within which it is applied. This is a significant limitation given that software development is a highly metric oriented, complex and socially embedded activity. This study draws on a single case with four software development teams to identify the benefits realized when flow practices and analytics are integrated with a contemporary business intelligence and analytical software. It also provides an immediate practical contribution by identifying a set of lessons drawn from the case studied that may be applicable in future implementations of flow tools and analytics and the lessons learned can then be tailored and applied to other software development contexts.