Development of an agile development method based on Kanban for distributed part-time teams and an introduction framework

TLDR

Industry 4.0 demands that learning factories develop maintainable, modular IT and hardware solutions, yet they struggle with part‑time staff lacking experience in large IT projects, web technology, PLC programming, and agile methods. The paper proposes a step‑by‑step model for introducing agile methods to teams confronting new projects, technologies, and development methodologies without overloading them. The model defines maturity levels, associated tools and processes, and readiness criteria for progressing to the next level. The adapted teaching concept was applied to the Learning Factory Global Production team, demonstrating its feasibility and effectiveness.

Abstract

In the context of Industry 4.0, the development of maintainable and scalable applications becomes a core activity to master for industrial companies. To offer convincing trainings, learning factories have to coordinate the development of IT and hardware solutions with training concepts. The development of maintainable, modular and stable IT solutions in coherence with the hardware is the basis for good trainings. Especially learning factories face the challenge to work with part-time staff that is unfamiliar with large IT and hardware projects, web technology or PLC programming and development methods. In this paper we present a model how to introduce agile methods step-by-step to teams that have to cope with the challenge of a new project paired with a new technology and development methodology without overloading the team. An adapted teaching concept to introduce these development methods has been developed. For each of the maturity levels, tools and processes are presented as well as criteria to indicate when the team is ready to pass to the next level. The paper also presents the results of an application of the model to the development team at the Learning Factory Global Production at wbk.