Issues and Challenges in Integration of Agile Processes to Traditional Software Process Models

Agile software development is finding a new dimension in software development process models. As tools and techniques used to develop software has been changed drastically. Software development processes need to keep pace with changing technologies and new demands from clients. Today’s changing business needs have given rise to adaption of structures, strategies, and policies to suit the new environment by the organizations. These organizations need to upgrade their information systems to meet their changing requirements but the traditional and plan-driven software development methodologies lack the flexibility to adjust the development process as the process runs in the defined or standardized manner. Agile development method has the ability of overcoming the limitations of traditional approach. A number of software development methods such as extreme programming (XP), feature-driven development, scrum and adaptive software development are part of agile development method [3,7]. We cannot neglect traditional methods as they are the base of software development but they need to be altered with respect to the demands of agile software development process thus making software industry move towards agility. *Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Thapar University, Patiala, Punjab. **Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Thapar University, Patiala, Punjab. IJREAS Volume 2, Issue 2 (February 2012) ISSN: 2249-3905 International Journal of Research in Engineering & Applied Sciences 1104 http://www.euroasiapub.org INTRODUCTION Traditional methodologies such as waterfall, prototype continue to dominate the development process, numerous surveys clearly demonstrate the growing popularity of agile development process. Thus creating a lot of confusion about the methodology to be used for software development in the organization. According to Boehm, “organizations must carefully evolve toward the best balance of agile and plan-driven methods that fits their situation”[2].Organizations cannot ignore the agile process but for those using traditional development methodologies, adoption of agile methodologies will pose several challenges, since the two software development methodologies use completely different approach for software development. Barriers in merging agile with traditional development of software Participants at the 2004 USC-CSE Annual Research Review have identified three categories of real and perceived barriers to implementing agile processes in traditional one[6] as:1. Nonproblem Nonproblem indicates that either the perception about integrating agile development method with traditional methods is an illusion or that organizations can easily remove the issue without major changes to either the agile or traditional ways of software development. Some of them are:a. Quality assurance system. b. Agile is inadequate for managing defects. c. Quantitative management d. Agile process is unmanaged. 2. Problems only in size & scope a. Configuration management. b. Asymmetry in focuses of both the processes as agile focuses on business value while traditional one on activities to be followed. c. Documentation planning in agile. d. Training the developer and tester in agile. e. Risk management difficulties due to lack of proper documentation in agile. 3. Significant issues a. Capital evaluation. b. Non functional requirements. c. Milestone review in agile. IJREAS Volume 2, Issue 2 (February 2012) ISSN: 2249-3905 International Journal of Research in Engineering & Applied Sciences 1105 http://www.euroasiapub.org d. Integration with other methods. e. Roles and responsibilities. f. Problem of agile in legacy systems. g. Cost estimation. h. Maturity assessment. Another view of problems in integrating agile with traditional methods Development process problems Problem while developing software is how to merge agile processes with standard industrial processes without either killing agility or ignoring the traditional approach. Some of such problems are:-