DefinePK

Research Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness and impact of agile methodologies in achieving the quality of complex systems by identifying required quality attributes, commonly used agile methods, and how these methodologies ensure product quality.

Methodology

Systematic Literature Review (SLR) following the standards set by Kitchenham and Charters. The process involved formulating research questions, defining and validating review protocols, searching digital libraries (IEEExplore, ACM, Science Direct) using keywords like "Agile" and "Complex software Product," screening papers based on inclusion/exclusion criteria, data extraction, and synthesis of findings using a Meta-ethnography approach.

Methodology Flowchart

                        graph TD
    A[Formulate Research Questions] --> B[Define Review Protocol];
    B --> C[Search Literature];
    C --> D[Screen Papers];
    D --> E[Data Extraction];
    E --> F[Synthesize Findings];
    F --> G[Answer Research Questions];                    

Discussion

The study highlights that while complex systems have diverse quality attribute needs depending on their domain, common attributes like reliability, correctness, security, response time, and performance are frequently emphasized. Agile methodologies, particularly Scrum and XP, are well-suited for complex systems because their principles and values directly address the challenges of uncertainty and evolving requirements, leading to improved product quality. The research suggests that agile practices contribute to better quality management by incorporating best practices and providing flexibility.

Key Findings

Complex systems require various quality attributes, with common ones including correctness, consistency, security, extensibility/responsiveness to change, response time, maintenance, reliability, accuracy, and performance. These attributes can be categorized into SAFETY, PERFORMANCE, CHANGEABILITY, and RELIABILITY. Scrum and Extreme Programming (XP) are the most commonly used agile methodologies for developing complex systems due to their problem-solving capabilities and ability to handle changing requirements. Agile methodologies ensure quality through practices like test-driven development, pair programming, sprints, and customer feedback, overcoming limitations of traditional methods.

Conclusion

Agile methodologies play a crucial role in ensuring quality in complex software systems. Scrum and Extreme Programming are the predominant agile approaches used for this purpose, offering features, principles, and values that are key success factors for achieving desired quality attributes. The study identifies common quality attributes for complex systems and confirms the effectiveness of agile methods in meeting these requirements.

Fact Check

1. Number of papers selected: 39 papers were selected for the SLR.
2. Publication years for inclusion criteria: Papers published between 2008 and 2021 were included.
3. Commonly used agile methods: Scrum and Extreme Programming (XP) are identified as the most common agile methodologies for complex systems.

Mind Map