Jeffry Stephen Babb

Embedding Reflection and Learning into Agile Software Development

The theoretical underpinnings of agile methods emphasize regular reflection as a means to sustainable development pace and continuous learning, but in practice, high iteration pressure can diminish reflection opportunities. The Reflective Agile Learning Model (REALM) combines insights and results from studies of agile development practices in India, New Zealand, and the US with Schöns theory of reflective practice to embed reflection in everyday agile practices.

XP in a Small Software Development Business: Adapting to Local Constraints

While small software development shops have trended towards the adoption of Agile methods, local conditions and high iteration pressure typically cause adaptations and appropriations of Agile methods. This paper shares evidence from a study concerning how a small software development company adopts and adapts, XP to suit their business. Based on a Dialogical Action Research project, the study reflects on the conditions leading to Agile process adaptation, and why ad hoc and “a la carte” approaches may be problematic. Limitations and drawbacks to aspects of XP are also discussed. The Agile practices most sustainable for small shop teams, with process maintenance and viability as a goal, are highlighted.

Financial reporting comparability: toward an XBRL ontology of the FASB/IFRS conceptual framework

As a mechanism for the exchange, transmission, and reporting of accounting and financial data, eXtensible Business Reporting Language XBRL makes great strides toward standardisation. However, given the global nature of contemporary financial markets, XBRL reporting must transcend or accommodate differences in reporting standards. Presently, the two standards for XBRL reporting, the US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles US GAAP or International Financial Reporting Standards IFRS, make reconciling meanings between these standards a laborious and error-prone affair. As the audience for this reporting often spans countries and cultures, many have a stake in digesting XBRL-formatted financial reports. This paper addresses the question of how cross-cultural and transnational consumers of XBRL statements can derive meaning from these reports. We present an ontological approach toward solving this problem which includes a financial reporting ontology and associated architecture for comparing concepts across XBRL taxonomies. The architecture is explained, evaluation criteria offered, and future research approaches toward realising artefacts using this architecture are proffered.

Measuring Privacy Concern and the Right to Be Forgotten

The ‘right to be forgotten’ (RTBF) is an emerging concept that refers to an individual’s ability to have data collected about themselves permanently deleted or “destroyed”—the final stage of the information life cycle. However, we do not yet understand where RTBF fits into existing theory and models of privacy concerns. This is due, at least in part, to the lack of validated instruments to assess RTBF. Therefore, following the methodology detailed by MacKenzie et al. [1], this paper develops scales to measure individuals’ concerns about the RTBF. We validate the scale and show that the RTBF represents a separate dimension of privacy concerns that is not reflected in existing privacy concerns instruments.