Enacted Software Development Routines Based on Waterfall and Agile Software Methods: Socio-Technical Event Sequence Study

Abstract

Abstract. In recent decades, "agile" software development methodologies have been put forth as an alternative to traditional "waterfall" methodologies. These agile methods advance a fundamentally different approach to software development. Empirical evidence indicates differences between the two with respect to outcomes and development experience. Yet little is known to what extent the actual development practices based on either agile or traditional life cycle methodologies differ. In the current study we examine the variation in performative routines during software development by contrasting agile and traditional lifecycle process models using event sequencing method for detecting activity variations among recorded performative processes in the selected projects. Our analysis shows that performative enactment of waterfall and agile ostensive routines do differ in terms of activity types carried out in the early requirements steps. However, performative routines did show conformance to ostensive specifications in iterations, affordance types, and design objects used.

“We Use Scrum, but …”: Agile Modifications and Project Success

“…The Agile Manifesto [1], published in 2001 by a group of experienced software practitioners, brought increasing popularity and interest for agile methodologies and drove unprecedented changes to the field of software development [17,18]. This approach was developed to address many of the weaknesses of traditional, cascade planning methods [19,20]. The Agile Manifesto is based on four core values and 12 principles, rather than specific guidelines, which emphasize short development cycles, customer involvement and programmer empowerment [1,17].…”