Title: An agile, measurable and scalable approach to deliver software applications in a large enterprise

Authors: Pasqualino Grimaldi; Leo Perrotta; Vincenzo Corvello; Saverino Verteramo

Addresses: Vodafone, The Connection, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2FN, UK ' Vodafone, The Connection, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2FN, UK ' Department of Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering, University of Calabria, Via Bucci, Cubo 46c, 87036, Rende (CS), Italy ' Department of Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering, University of Calabria, Via Bucci, Cubo 46c, 87036, Rende (CS), Italy

Abstract: This paper deals with a real-life scenario, an implementation of SAFe3.0 framework in a large enterprise, enriched with metrics of efficiency, effectiveness and productivity, which impact delivery times of product and cost savings. A real and complex case study, in a telecommunication business, is documented and analysed, in a scenario of outsourcing and offshoring, involving many actors. This research is relevant today, given that we continue to witness offshoring for software development. Moreover, the paper provides practical answers to a number of key challenges about the implementation of a scalable agile methodology, in the context of a large enterprise, when the software is developed in partnership with suppliers and internal/external dependencies have to be factored. The results of our case study show an increase of the work efficiency overall 8% cost saving throughout the observation period.

Keywords: scrum teams; agile software development; scalability; outsourcing; offshoring; delivery process; capacity-based model; SAFe3.0; large firms; case study; efficiency measurement; effectiveness measurement; productivity measurement; telecommunications industry; telecoms; cost savings.

DOI: 10.1504/IJASM.2016.081561

International Journal of Agile Systems and Management, 2016 Vol.9 No.4, pp.326 - 339

Received: 12 Oct 2015
Accepted: 21 Jun 2016

Published online: 13 Jan 2017 *

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