Agile methods in European embedded software development organisations: a survey on the actual use and usefulness of Extreme Programming and Scrum

TLDR

Agile software development methods are rapidly adopted worldwide, yet their usefulness in the complex embedded software industry remains poorly understood, despite embedded devices being ubiquitous in households. The survey aims to provide first‑hand knowledge of the adoption and experience of Extreme Programming and Scrum in European embedded software organisations. The study surveyed 13 organisations across eight European countries, covering 35 projects, using a questionnaire that assessed the extent of use and perceived usefulness of Extreme Programming and Scrum and their practices. Results show that the embedded industry can apply agile methods, and that appreciation of these methods and their practices grows after adoption.

Abstract

Press releases, scientific publications and anecdotal evidence demonstrate that organisations worldwide are adopting agile software development methods at increasing speed. Little is still known about the current usefulness of agile methods in the complex environment of the embedded software development industry. Embedded devices are already commonplace in regular households. The goal of this survey is to provide first-hand knowledge of the adoption and experience of two of the most known agile methods, namely Extreme Programming and Scrum, in a number of European organisations of embedded software known to be interested and active in experimenting with agile software development methods. The survey involved 13 industrial organisations in eight European countries and 35 individual software development projects. The focus of the questionnaire was to enquire into the level of use as well as the experienced usefulness – or expected usefulness if there was no experience available – of the two agile methods and their individual practices. The results show that the embedded industry has been able to apply agile methods in its development processes. The results also indicate that the appreciation of the agile methods and their individual practices appears to increase once adopted and applied in practice.