The scrum framework for software development projects in financial services organisations in South Africa

Kona, Craig Thamsanqa L.

The scrum framework for software development projects in financial services organisations in South Africa

Date

2015

Authors

Kona, Craig Thamsanqa L.

Abstract

Scrum is a structured project management framework that utilises iterations for agile software development to release software in usable increments. Scrum has grown in popularity since the agile manifesto was declared in 2001. Scrum adoptions have proceeded with a certain degree of success with some practitioners being successful in their implementation of Scrum in their organisations. It is therefore pertinent to find out what factors lead to success in a Scrum adoption and what advice can be given to anyone wishing to adopt Scrum in their organisation. The research undertaken set about interviewing people that are part of Scrum teams or had a role to play in a Scrum adoption process. The interviews were unstructured and posed open-ended questions regarding their experience in their organisation’s Scrum adoption process. The questions specifically asked what challenges they faced as well as asked their views regarding what they believed to be success factors. The findings centred around success factors that were organisational, people, process, project or technical in nature. Inasmuch as the findings agreed with the categories or themes in the literature, the findings arising out of the interviews were more practical in nature in some cases, with a number of respondents giving practical advice about where to start and how to proceed with a Scrum adoption process based upon their experience at organisations they had worked for. A number of respondents were able to also contrast their experience at more than one organisation which gave a less biased perspective of their views. This enabled the comparison of differing approaches to a Scrum adoption. What stands out strongly from this research, based on the information conveyed by the respondents, is that all organisations are unique and therefore each organisation should approach its Scrum adoption according to the dynamics found ii at that organisation. A Scrum adoption strategy that suits the organisation should be formulated since each organisation requires a unique strategy for a Scrum adoption.

Keywords

Management information systems -- South Africa. Project management -- Computer programs.Agile software development -- Management.Computer software -- Development -- Management.