Determining Context Factors for Hybrid Development Methods with Trained Models

Abstract

Selecting a suitable development method for a specific project context is one of the most challenging activities in process design. Every project is unique and, thus, many context factors have to be considered. Recent research took some initial steps towards statistically constructing hybrid development methods, yet, paid little attention to the peculiarities of context factors influencing method and practice selection. In this paper, we utilize exploratory factor analysis and logistic regression analysis to learn such context factors and to identify methods that are correlated with these factors. Our analysis is based on 829 data points from the HELENA dataset. We provide five base clusters of methods consisting of up to 10 methods that lay the foundation for devising hybrid development methods. The analysis of the five clusters using trained models reveals only a few context factors, e.g., project/product size and target application domain, that seem to significantly influence the selection of methods. An extended descriptive analysis of these practices in the context of the identified method clusters also suggests a consolidation of the relevant practice sets used in specific project contexts.

Goals and challenges in hybrid software development approaches

“…They show how often these practices are combined with the base methods also found by Klünder et al 10 . In a deeper factor analysis, Klünder et al 12 . investigated the influence of factors, for example, company size or business area, on the choice of methods.…”

“…Because the practices have to be adapted to solve the conflicts in APH approaches, we further state that it additionally depends on how the practices are performed. Klünder et al 12 tried to find coherences between different context factors and the choice of practices but found only a few dependencies. We state that this result is because they do not take into account how the practices are performed but only if they are applied or not.…”

“…Klünder et al 10 found out that most development approaches are created by an evolutionary process where experience is the driver of process change. However, experience is only useful if a process that already exists is improved whereas the creation of a new development approach is difficult 12 . This applies particularly to the creation of APH approaches where companies can choose from a variety of methods and practices 13 and agile and plan‐based approaches with their often opposite principles clash 3 .…”

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“…Recent research provides evidence on the use of hybrid methods in industry, i.e., methods that are combinations of multiple development methods and practices [4, [8][9][10]. Kuhrmann et.…”

“…While the research literature contains several surveys and some case studies on hybrid approaches adoption [13,9,10,8], a systematic overview, and synthesis of how the hybrids practices are being adopted in GSD projects is lacking. In this paper, we start filling in this gap by presenting a systematic literature review of hybrid practices in the GSD context.…”