Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 213-227 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | Journal of Systems and Software |
| Volume | 111 |
| Early online date | 22 Oct 2015 |
| Publication status | Published - Jan 2016 |
Abstract
Value stream mapping (VSM) has been successfully applied in the context of software process improvement. However, its current adaptations from Lean manufacturing focus mostly on the flow of artifacts and have taken no account of the essential information flows in software development. A solution specifically targeted toward information flow elicitation and modeling is FLOW. This paper aims to propose and evaluate the combination of VSM and FLOW to identify and alleviate information and communication related challenges in large-scale software development. Using case study research, FLOW-assisted VSM was used for a large product at Ericsson AB, Sweden. Both the process and the outcome of FLOW-assisted VSM have been evaluated from the practitioners' perspective. It was noted that FLOW helped to systematically identify challenges and improvements related to information flow. Practitioners responded favorably to the use of VSM and FLOW, acknowledged the realistic nature and impact on the improvement on software quality, and found the overview of the entire process using the FLOW notation very useful. The combination of FLOW and VSM presented in this study was successful in systematically uncovering issues and characterizing their solutions, indicating their practical usefulness for waste removal with a focus on information flow related issues.
Keywords
- Case study research, Lean software development, Value stream mapping
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Computer Science(all)
- Software
- Computer Science(all)
- Information Systems
- Computer Science(all)
- Hardware and Architecture
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In: Journal of Systems and Software, Vol. 111, 01.2016, p. 213-227.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - FLOW-assisted value stream mapping in the early phases of large-scale software development
AU - Ali, Nauman Bin
AU - Petersen, Kai
AU - Schneider, Kurt
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
PY - 2016/1
Y1 - 2016/1
N2 - Value stream mapping (VSM) has been successfully applied in the context of software process improvement. However, its current adaptations from Lean manufacturing focus mostly on the flow of artifacts and have taken no account of the essential information flows in software development. A solution specifically targeted toward information flow elicitation and modeling is FLOW. This paper aims to propose and evaluate the combination of VSM and FLOW to identify and alleviate information and communication related challenges in large-scale software development. Using case study research, FLOW-assisted VSM was used for a large product at Ericsson AB, Sweden. Both the process and the outcome of FLOW-assisted VSM have been evaluated from the practitioners' perspective. It was noted that FLOW helped to systematically identify challenges and improvements related to information flow. Practitioners responded favorably to the use of VSM and FLOW, acknowledged the realistic nature and impact on the improvement on software quality, and found the overview of the entire process using the FLOW notation very useful. The combination of FLOW and VSM presented in this study was successful in systematically uncovering issues and characterizing their solutions, indicating their practical usefulness for waste removal with a focus on information flow related issues.
AB - Value stream mapping (VSM) has been successfully applied in the context of software process improvement. However, its current adaptations from Lean manufacturing focus mostly on the flow of artifacts and have taken no account of the essential information flows in software development. A solution specifically targeted toward information flow elicitation and modeling is FLOW. This paper aims to propose and evaluate the combination of VSM and FLOW to identify and alleviate information and communication related challenges in large-scale software development. Using case study research, FLOW-assisted VSM was used for a large product at Ericsson AB, Sweden. Both the process and the outcome of FLOW-assisted VSM have been evaluated from the practitioners' perspective. It was noted that FLOW helped to systematically identify challenges and improvements related to information flow. Practitioners responded favorably to the use of VSM and FLOW, acknowledged the realistic nature and impact on the improvement on software quality, and found the overview of the entire process using the FLOW notation very useful. The combination of FLOW and VSM presented in this study was successful in systematically uncovering issues and characterizing their solutions, indicating their practical usefulness for waste removal with a focus on information flow related issues.
KW - Case study research
KW - Lean software development
KW - Value stream mapping
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84949799650&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jss.2015.10.013
DO - 10.1016/j.jss.2015.10.013
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84949799650
VL - 111
SP - 213
EP - 227
JO - Journal of Systems and Software
JF - Journal of Systems and Software
SN - 0164-1212
ER -