Extent of Large-Scale Agile Transformation within Momentum Investments Software Delivery Teams

Abstract

Large-scale Agile transformations expand on Agile principles of flexible, speedy, incremental and iterative development by applying these principles on an enterprise level framework. Momentum Investments has been on a multi-year Agile transformation process within its software delivery teams implemented with Scaled Agile Framework for Enterprise (SAFeÒ) as their large-scale Agile framework of choice.

For Momentum Investments, it therefore becomes imperative to take stock as to what degree its multiple software delivery teams have benefited from this process. Specifically, from a software quality and software value standpoint to help define the company’s future strategies.

A longitudinal quantitative study was performed on multiple years of team project data collected through Momentum Investments internal project management tool. Key metrics investigated were feature and defect density levels, task resolutions times and task priority.

Key findings showed that Momentum Investments has realised benefits in terms of task resolution times as well as a marginal improvement in the overall levels of features and defects resolved. However, concerns regarding improvement and refinement of quality assurance processes, task prioritisation and task metrics completeness were revealed.

The findings recommend that Momentums Investments should take a more wholistic refinement and improvement approach to quality assurance and testing practices based on the Agile testing matrix. Additionally, economic views and systems thinking should play a more pivotal role in task prioritisation activities. Furthermore, teams should be more accurate and diligent in better recording task metrics for future analysis