New directions on agile methods: a comparative analysis

TLDR

Agile software development methods have attracted worldwide attention, yet scientific research on them remains scarce. The study aims to organize, analyze, and synthesize the dispersed field of agile software development methods. The comparative analysis uses life‑cycle coverage, project‑management support, practical guidance type, fitness‑for‑use, and empirical evidence as analytical lenses. The analysis reveals that agile methods vary in life‑cycle coverage and generally lack adequate project‑management support; many pursue universal solutions despite limited empirical evidence, leading the authors to recommend prioritizing methodological quality over quantity.

Abstract

Agile software development methods have caught the attention of software engineers and researchers worldwide. Scientific research is yet scarce. This paper reports results from a study, which aims to organize, analyze and make sense out of the dispersed field of agile software development methods. The comparative analysis is performed using the method's life-cycle coverage, project management support, type of practical guidance, fitness-for-use and empirical evidence as the analytical lenses. The results show that agile software development methods, without rationalization, cover certain/different phases of the software development life-cycle and most of them do not offer adequate support for project management. Yet, many methods still attempt to strive for universal solutions (as opposed to situation appropriate) and the empirical evidence is still very limited. Based on the results, new directions are suggested In principal, it is suggested to place emphasis on methodological quality - not method quantity.