Agile vs. Structured Distributed Software Development: A Case Study

TLDR

Distributed software development involves near‑shore versus offshore deployment, preferred communication patterns, and common critical aspects. This case study examines whether agile or structured processes affect success, economic savings, customer importance, team motivation, and communication in globally distributed projects. The study compares agile (Scrum, XP, etc.) and structured (RUP, waterfall) processes across 66 projects in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Results indicate no significant difference in outcomes between agile and structured processes, implying both can be equally effective for globally distributed development.

Abstract

This paper presents a case study on the impact of development processes on the success of globally distributed software projects. The study compares agile (Scrum, XP, etc.) vs. structured (RUP, waterfall) processes to determine if the choice of process impacts: the overall success and economic savings of distributed projects; the importance customers attribute to projects; the motivation of the development teams; and the amount of real-time or asynchronous communication required during project development. The case study includes data from 66 projects developed in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. The results show no significant difference between the outcome of projects following agile processes and structured processes, suggesting that agile and structured processes can be equally effective for globally distributed development. The paper also discusses several qualitative aspects of distributed software development such as the advantages of near shore vs. offshore, the preferred communication patterns, and some common critical aspects.