Using agile methods for product software development

Abstract

Recommendations on the usage of agile methods in companies creating and implementing complex software applications are given. Peculiarities of product software development in comparison with be-spoke projects are disclosed. These peculiarities arise from the necessity to take into account the needs of several different stakeholders' groups simultaneously. It is shown that Scrum is possible to use for the whole product development including maintenance and support. Practices specific for application development and deviations from the standard Scrum practices are given, which increases the Scrum efficiency. The use of those practices allowed increasing the velocity measured in product backlog items by 30–40% and significantly improved motivation of the personnel participating in development.