Agile and Lean: Organizations, Products and Development

Agile development methods and their associated practices have become well-accepted within industry, and the success of projects using these methods is higher than traditional methods [1]. However, the optimal environmental parameters that suggest a fit between a project’s requirements and needed outcomes, and the use of agile methods is still a matter requiring further research. This is due to the fact that software projects contribute broadly to the human condition, and their success or failure can have significant impacts on individuals, organizations, and society at large. The impact extends beyond software; agile manufacturing [2] and agile organizational strategy [3] share many fundamentals with agile software. As such, we see the continued research into agile methods of software development and other management areas to be a critical area with wide ranging impacts.