LeAgile Measurement and Metrics : A Systematic Literature Review and Case Study

Abstract: Context. Software engineers have been endeavouring to quantify software to obtain quantitative insights into its properties and quality since its inception. As of late, the use of Lean and Agile (LeAgile) methodologies is turning out to be progressively mainstream in the software industries. Managing software life-cycle tasks including planning, controlling and monitoring is primarily done by measurements. This is particularly valid in LeAgile organizations where these are day-to-day activities. On other words, dealing with agile development process like in any process, requires the collection of appropriate metrics to ensure visibility, inspection and adaptation as it is vital to know the effect of these methods and how product development and projects are performing. Are the goals being met? Are there any wastes? Is value being created? All of this is dependent on the ability to measure as correct and as objective as possible. Getting good metrics and interpreting them correctly is central in any product development organization. In agile approaches, the use of any metric needs to be clearly justified to decrease the amount of inefficient work done. This draws the need to discover metrics that are relevant to LeAgile methods to entail the benefits of measurement. Objectives. The main objective of this paper is to understand the current state-of-the-art and state-of-the-practice on the metrics usage in LeAgile methods. Additionally, to identify metrics that are suitable and have a high strength of evidence for their usage in the industries. Likewise, to construct a LeAgile measurement model based on the application of the metric’s context. Methods. This paper presents a two-step study; Firstly, a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) is conducted to present the state-of-the-art on using metrics in LeAgile Software Development. Second, to allow a better understanding of what measures are currently being used in collaboration between industry and academia, we have performed a case study at Telenor. Results. We found that metrics was mainly used to have an efficient flow of software development; to assess, track and improve product quality; for project planning and estimations; for project progress and tracking; to measure the teams and others. Additionally, we present the metrics that have compelling use and are worthy to be used in the industries. Conclusions. We conclude that traditional metrics or besides any metric can be used in an LeAgile context, provided they do not harm the agility of the process. This study identified 4 new metrics namely Business Value, Number of disturbance hours, Team Health check survey and Number of hours spent on IT divisions that are not present in the state-of-the-art. The gaps identified in the LeAgile measurement model built in this study can provide a roadmap for further research pertaining to the measurement model. Any of the topics identified as a means of completing the LeAgile measurement model developed in our study can be a fruitful area for future research.