The development of a hybrid agile project management methodology

353 Pages·2011·4.09 MB·English

The development of a hybrid agile project management
methodology

J. Grey

Thesis submitted for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science at the
Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University

Promoter: Prof. H.M. Huisman

June 2011

ABSTRACT
KEYWORDS: System development methodology (SDM); agile system development methodology
(ASDM); project management methodology (PMM); PRoject IN Controlled Environment
(PRINCE2); Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK); Agile Project Management
Methodology (APMM).

The aim of this study is to investigate whether a combination of agile system development
methodologies (ASDMs) and project management methodologies (PMMs) can be used to develop
a hybrid APMM that will have the ability to deliver information technology (IT) projects successfully
in a constantly changing business and project environment.

To achieve this objective, a literature review was conducted on the relatively well-established
ASDMs by firstly defining a SDM and an ASDM. Each ASDM and its effectiveness are described,
after which ASDMs in general are evaluated by considering their area of application, advantages
and disadvantages. A comparison is then done of the seven different ASDMs using the four
elements of an SDM (Huisman & Iivari, 2006:32) to emphasise some of the main similarities and
differences amongst the different ASDMs. The seven ASDMs investigated in this study are
Dynamic System Development Methodology, Scrum, Extreme Programming, Feature Driven
Development, Crystal ASDMs – Crystal Clear and Crystal Orange in particular, Adaptive Software
Development and Lean Development.

A literature review was also conducted on two structured and relatively well-established PMMs,
PMBOK and PRINCE2, and a relatively new PMM called Agile Project Management. Each PMM is
evaluated by considering their area of application, advantages, disadvantages and integration with
other methodologies, after which a comparison is made of the different PMMs.

The research was conducted by following a mixed methods research plan, which included the
mixed methods research paradigm (combination of the interpretive research paradigm and the
positivistic research paradigm), research methods (design science, case study and survey),
quantitative and qualitative data-collection techniques (interviews and questionnaires), and data-
analysis techniques (cross-case and statistical).

The reasons that projects fail and critical project success factors were studied and summarised to
form the critical project success criteria, which were used to create the agile project success
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criteria. The ASDM best practice and PMM best practice frameworks were created by identifying
whether a certain ASDM or PMM would satisfy a specific agile project success factor (APSF) of the
agile project success criteria. The findings of each APSF in the respective frameworks were used
as a foundation to develop a hybrid APMM (ver. 0) that would address the agile project success
criteria. The hybrid APMM (ver. 0) was developed interpretively using design science (research
approach) and constructivism by combining the strengths, addressing the weaknesses and bridging
the gaps identified in the frameworks.

The hybrid APMM (ver. 0) was then evaluated and improved by conducting an interpretive case
study, which entailed interviewing participants from large and small organisations. Once the
qualitative data collected had been analysed using cross-case analysis, the findings were
incorporated in order to create an improved hybrid APMM (ver. 1).

The hybrid APMM (ver. 1) too was evaluated and improved by conducting a survey, which entailed
administering questionnaires to various respondents in order to collect quantitative and qualitative
data. The findings of the statistical analysis of the data were also used to improve the hybrid APMM
(ver. 1), resulting in the final hybrid APMM (ver. 2).

This study demonstrates that a combination of ASDMs and PMMs can be used to develop a hybrid
APMM with the ability to deliver IT projects in a constantly changing project and business
environment.

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OPSOMMING
SLEUTELWOORDE: Stelselontwikkelingsmetodologie (SDM); vinnig aanpasbare
stelselontwikkelingsmetodologie (ASDM); projekbestuursmetodologie (PMM); vinnig aanpasbare
projekbestuursmetodologie (APMM); projek in ʼn gekontroleerde omgewing (PRINCE2);
projekbestuurkundigheidsliggaam (PMBOK); aanpasbare projekbestuur (APM); aanpasbare
projekbestuursmetodologie (APMM); vinnig aanpasbare projek suksesfaktor (APSF).

Die doel van hierdie studie was om te bepaal of ʼn kombinasie van ASDM’e (vinnig aanpasbare
stelselontwikkelingsmetodologieë) en PMM’e (projekbestuursmetodologieë) gebruik kan word om ʼn
hibried APMM (vinnig aanpasbare projekbestuursmetodologie) te ontwikkel wat die vermoë sal hê
om informasie tegnologie (IT) projekte suksesvol in ʼn voortdurend veranderende projek- en
besigheidsomgewing te voltooi.

Om hierdie doel te bereik, is ʼn literatuurstudie gedoen oor die relatief goed gevestigde ASDM’e.
Eerstens is ʼn definisie van ʼn SDM (stelselontwikkelingsmetodologie) en ʼn ASDM (vinnig
aanpasbare stelselontwikkelingsmetodologie) gegee. Hierna is elke ASDM en sy effektiwiteit
beskryf, waarna ASDM’e in die algemeen geëvalueer is deur die area van toepassing, voordele, en
nadele, in ag te neem. Die sewe ASDM’e is vergelyk deur die elemente van ʼn SDM (Huisman &
Iivari, 2006:32) te gebruik om die hoofooreenkomste en -verskille tussen die verskillende ASDM’e
uit te lig. Die volgende sewe ASDM’e is in hierdie studie ondersoek: Dinamiese
Stelselontwikkelingsmetodologie (DSDM), Skrum, Ekstreme Programmering (XP), Kenmerk
Gedrewe Ontwikkeling (FDD), Kristal Vinnig Aanpasbare Stelselontwikkelingsmetodologie (Crystal
ASDM) – veral Kristal Helder (CC) en Kristal Oranje (CO), Aanpasbare
Stelselontwikkelingsmetodologie (ASD) en Eenvoudige en Aanpasbare Ontwikkeling (LD).

ʼn Literatuurstudie is ook gedoen oor twee gestruktureerde en relatief goed gevestigde PMM’e;
PMBOK (projekbestuurkundigheidsliggaam) en PRINCE2 (projek in ʼn gekontroleerde omgewing),
en ʼn relatief nuwe PMM wat APM (aanpasbare projekbestuur) genoem word. Elke PMM is
geëvalueer deur die area van toepassing, voordele, nadele, en die vermoë om met ander
metodologieë geïntegreer te word te verduidelik. Hierna is ʼn vergelyking tussen die verskillende
PMM’e getref.

Die navorsing is gedoen deur ʼn gemengde metode navorsingsplan te volg wat die gemengde
metode navorsingsparadigma (kombinasie van die interpretatiewe navorsingsparadigma en die
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positivistiese navorsingsparadigma), navorsingsmetodes (ontwerpwetenskap, gevallestudie en
opname), kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe dataversameling tegnieke (onderhoude en vraelyste), en
data-analise tegnieke (kruisgevalle en statisties), insluit.

Die kritiese projek suksesfaktore asook die redes waarom projekte misluk, is bestudeer en
saamgevat om die kritiese projek sukseskriteria te vorm wat gebruik was om die vinnig aanpasbare
projek sukseskriteria daar te stel. Die ASDM algemeen toepaslike en PMM algemeen toepaslike
raamwerke is ontwerp deur te bepaal of ʼn sekere ASDM of PMM aan ʼn spesifieke vinnig
aanpasbare projek suksesfaktor (APSF) in die vinnig aanpasbare projek sukseskriteria voldoen.
Die bevindinge van elke APSF in die onderskeidelike raamwerke is gebruik as ʼn fondasie waarop
die hibried APMM (weergawe 0) ontwikkel is wat die vinnig aanpasbare projek sukseskriteria
aanspreek. Die hibried APMM (weergawe 0) is interpretatief ontwikkel deur gebruik te maak van
ontwerpwetenskap (navorsings metode) en konstruktivisme deur die sterk punte te kombineer, die
swak punte te adresseer, en die gapings wat in die raamwerke geïdentifiseer is, te oorbrug.

Die hibried APMM (weergawe 0) is geëvalueer en verbeter deur ʼn interpretatiewe gevallestudie te
voltooi. Onderhoude is met deelnemers gevoer ten einde ’n verbeterde hibried APMM (weergawe
1) te ontwikkel deur die bevindinge te inkorporeer, nadat die kwalitatiewe data wat versamel is,
geanaliseer is deur middel van oorkruis analise.

Die hibried APMM (weergawe 1) is verder geëvalueer en verbeter deur ʼn ondersoek te doen waar
vraelyste aan verskillende deelnemers gestuur is om kwalitatiewe- en kwantitatiewe data in te
samel wat dan statisties geanaliseer is sodat die bevindinge by die finale verbeterde hibried APMM
(weergawe 2) geïnkorporeer kon word.

Hierdie studie het suksesvol aangetoon dat ʼn kombinasie van ASDM’e en PMM’e gebruik kan word
om ʼn hibried APMM te ontwikkel wat die vermoë het om IT projekte in ʼn voortdurend veranderende
projek en besigheidsomgewing te voltooi.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

“Any giant will fall if you use the stones God give you correctly”

I specially thank my beautiful wife for her encouraging words, prayers and ongoing support during
the past few years. Another thank-you goes out to my parents for the support and prayers since I
was young.

A special thank-you goes out to Prof. Magda Huisman, for her insight and guidance in the work that
I have been doing, and for always assuring me that I have done good work.

I would also like to thank the Statistical Consultation Service at the Potchefstroom Campus of the
North-West University, for the review and approval of the statistical results of this study. Another
thank-you goes out to the editor for revising grammar and spelling.

Most importantly, all the praise, glory and honour go to Jesus Christ alone who gave me the
perseverance and the opportunity to kill this giant with the stones He gave me.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................................... I
OPSOMMING ..................................................................................................................... III
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................... V
TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................... VII
LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... XIII
LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................................................. XV
LIST OF ACRONYMS ..................................................................................................... XVII

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 1
1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT AND SUBSTANTIATION ..................................................... 1
1.3 RESEARCH QUESTION ............................................................................................... 3
1.4 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES ........................................................................................... 3
1.5 METHOD OF INVESTIGATION .................................................................................... 3
1.6 STRUCTURE OF THE THESIS ..................................................................................... 4
1.7 SUMMARY .................................................................................................................... 6

CHAPTER 2
AGILE SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT METHODOLOGIES
2.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 7
2.2 DEFINITION OF “SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT METHODOLOGY” ................................ 7
2.3 THE AGILE SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT METHODOLOGY .......................................... 9
2.3.1 Agile Software Development Manifesto ............................................................................ 9
2.3.2 Definition of “agile system development methodology” ............................................... 10
2.3.3 Characteristics of an agile system development methodology .................................... 11
2.4 THE SEVEN AGILE SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT METHODOLOGIES ........................ 12
2.4.1 Dynamic System Development Methodology ................................................................. 13
2.4.2 Scrum ................................................................................................................................ 19
2.4.3 Extreme Programming ..................................................................................................... 23
2.4.4 Feature Driven Development ........................................................................................... 32
2.4.5 Crystal agile system development methodologies ........................................................ 37
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2.4.6 Adaptive Software Development ..................................................................................... 43
2.4.7 Lean Development ............................................................................................................ 49
2.5 THE EFFECTIVENESS AND ACCEPTANCE OF AGILE SYSTEM
DEVELOPMENT METHODOLOGIES IN PRACTICE ................................................. 56
2.6 COMPARISON OF THE SEVEN AGILE SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
METHODOLOGIES ..................................................................................................... 64
2.7 SUMMARY .................................................................................................................. 65

CHAPTER 3
PROJECT MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGIES
3.1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 69
3.2 DEFINITION OF “PROJECT MANAGEMENT” .......................................................... 69
3.3 PROJECT MANAGEMENT BODY OF KNOWLEDGE ............................................... 74
3.3.1 PMBOK process groups .................................................................................................. 74
3.3.1.1 Initiation process ...................................................................................................................... 75
3.3.1.2 Planning process ...................................................................................................................... 76
3.3.1.3 Execution process .................................................................................................................... 77
3.3.1.4 Monitoring and controlling process ........................................................................................... 77
3.3.1.5 Closing process........................................................................................................................ 78
3.3.2 PMBOK’s nine knowledge areas ..................................................................................... 78
3.3.2.1 Project integration management ............................................................................................... 80
3.3.2.2 Project scope management ...................................................................................................... 81
3.3.2.3 Project time management ......................................................................................................... 82
3.3.2.4 Project cost management ......................................................................................................... 84
3.3.2.5 Project quality management ..................................................................................................... 84
3.3.2.6 Project human resource management ...................................................................................... 85
3.3.2.7 Project communications management ...................................................................................... 86
3.3.2.8 Project risk management .......................................................................................................... 87
3.3.2.9 Project procurement management ............................................................................................ 88
3.3.3 Evaluation of PMBOK ....................................................................................................... 89
3.4 PROJECT IN CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT .......................................................... 94
3.4.1 PRINCE2 structure ........................................................................................................... 99
3.4.1.1 PRINCE2 project environment ................................................................................................ 100
3.4.1.2 PRINCE2 principles ................................................................................................................ 101
3.4.1.3 PRINCE2 themes ................................................................................................................... 102
3.4.2 PRINCE2 process model ................................................................................................ 104
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