AgileCritPath: identificando tarefas críticas em ambientes ágeis

Abstract

Planning and monitoring the execution of software development activities in agile environments are not trivial procedures. One of the main flaws of agile planning is not considering the dependencies that exist between project tasks. Dependencies between tasks found in software development project plans may lead to the emergence of critical paths, where tasks need to be handled in a strict sequence because the completion of some tasks depends on the completion of others. Not managing such critical paths may reduce team performance and delay product delivery. The dissertation is divided into four main parts: (1) study of Systematic Mapping about task dependencies in agile environments, (2) an exploratory study conducted in industry, (3) development of a tool, AgileCritPath, as a way to support teams to identify critical project tasks; and (4) an evaluation of the AgileCritPath tool based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). In the study of Systematic Mapping (1) we tried to identify in the literature works related to the management and identification of dependencies in agile environments. Through the exploratory study (2) we have identified empirical evidences that there is a need to identify and control dependencies between tasks in the development of software in agile environments. (3) The use of the AgileCritPath tool allowed us to introduce the concepts of the Critical Path Method into a software development organization. Finally, (4) through the in vivo study we consolidate the observed results of the use of the tool in a company where we evaluate the benefits of identifying the dependencies between tasks in an agile environment.