A hybrid software paradigm - the extended agile process with lean integration

Abstract

The role of Information Technology and associated software applications are becoming more significant in organizations as information becomes one of the Key Success Factors for any activity. Hence Software Lifecyc1e management becomes a vital research area and due to the nature of the software, software researchers and practitioners are focused on improving the software processes which are used to develop software.[2] The underline assumption is that there is a direct correlation between the quality of the process and the quality of the developed software. The Agile software practice is one of the newly emerged paradigms to cater the rapid changing business requirements quickly.[l] By the nature of this paradigm it also provides some other benefits such as, flexible project management, cost effective adaptability, increase communication and ultimately increased customer satisfaction. LEAN practice was developed in Japanese automobile production companies and now becoming standard operating procedure in many industries. When implemented with a good performance management system; LEAN principles have a proven track record of operational and strategic success, which ultimately translates into increased value to the end customer. Specify value, identify all the steps in the value stream, flow smoothly, pull value, and pursue perfection are the five principles in LEAN practice. [5] The identified problem for this research is that the both practices have unaddressed weaknesses on their own. The Agile practice heavily relies on the expertise knowledge in a project team. Although it focuses and highlights the outcome of the project to the best form, it does not provide necessary well defined activity framework to get that achieved. Situational approach of the Agile paradigm makes it harder for any rational optimization. On the other hand LEAN practices, cannot be taken as a complete process model as it is, for the software development. Because, it only provides the behavioral approach for a project success and, it focuses on waste minimization and quality improvements, which may not cover the entire software process with both technical parts and managerial parts. [3]