SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT METHODOLOGIES

[Software Development Methodologies: A Comparative Study Agile Methodology and the Traditional System Development Life Cycle (SDLC)]

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Acknowledgement

I would take this opportunity to thank my research supervisor, family and friends for their support and guidance without which this research would not have been possible (Bangladesh, 2004).

DECLARATION

I, [type your full first names and surname here], declare that the contents of this dissertation/thesis represent my own unaided work, and that the dissertation/thesis has not previously been submitted for academic examination towards any qualification. Furthermore, it represents my own opinions and not necessarily those of the University (Bangladesh, 2004).

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Abstract

In this study, we try to explore the concept of “Topic” in a holistic context. The focus of the research is on “Topic” and its relation with “Subtopic”. The research also analyzes many aspects of “topic” and tries to gauge its effect on “subtopic”. Finally, the research describes various factors, which are responsible for “topic”, and tries to describe the overall effect of “Topic” on “Subtopic” (Government, 2004).

Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT2

DECLARATION3

ABSTRACT4

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW6

Theoretical framework6

Complex Adaptive Systems8

Complex Adaptive System Characteristics9

Complex Adaptive Systems and Organizations11

Relationship to New Product Development and Project Management12

New Product Development13

New Product Development Processes14

Rational plan14

Communication web15

Disciplined problem solving15

Controlling Uncertainty16

Traditional Project Management17

History17

Controlling Uncertainty19

Agile Project Management History20

Controlling Uncertainty21

Scrum Methodology Changes to the Project Management Role22

Decision Uncertainty24

Project Manager Role Change24

Loss of Control and Increased Stress25

Coping with Decision Uncertainty26

Importance Of Software Development Methodologies In The Professional Fields27

An overview of agile methods28

Lenses for the analysis32

Comparative analysis of the existing agile methods34

Project management35

Software development life-cycle36

Abstract principles vs. concrete guidance37

Universally predefined vs. situation appropriate38

Empirical evidence41

Conclusion42

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

Theoretical framework

This chapter addresses literature relevant to the study research question, specifically: "How do project managers experience and describe decision uncertainty associated with the agile software development methodology?" Since this study used a qualitative research approach, the purpose was to discover new information based on the participant's experiences of a specific phenomenon rather than to validate previous knowledge or theories (Creswell, 2007; Patton, 2002). The literature review provides a thematic framework to explore and understand the experiences of agile software development project managers, something not currently addressed in the scholarly literature. This study is important in a larger context of Industrial/Organizational

Psychology because, as Hartman (2008, p. 267) stated, "A project manager's primary tool is their mind. Finding new ways to prepare the mind for effective project management is needed if we want to advance the profession." Literature for this review was selected based on relevance to the research topic of managing projects under uncertainty. This included data collection from multiple domains such as manufacturing, software development, mathematics, business management, and psychology. Literature from each of these domain areas included scholarly sources, most of which were published in the last five years, as well as primary non-scholarly sources such as those from agile software development thought leaders.

This collection of sources was reviewed and analyzed to build an integrated framework for the data collection and analysis aspects of this study. The researcher's point of view during the review was as a project ...