The document analyzes communication efforts within various agile development processes including Scrum, Kanban, XP, and a unique Banana method, focusing on synchronous and asynchronous communication dynamics among developers and customers. Research questions investigate which process requires more communication time and overhead, using a case study involving Android and web applications developed by multiple teams. Findings indicate that while Scrum and Kanban processes delivered projects with less effort, the communication overhead is not significantly influenced by the choice of development process, suggesting communication should be viewed positively in learning environments.

1. Comparing Communication Effort within the Scrum,
Scrum with Kanban, XP, and Banana Development
Processes
D.Taibi, V. Lenarduzzi
Free University of Bolzano-Bozen
K. Liukkunen, M.O. Ahmad
University of Oulu
21th International Conference on Evaluation and Assessment in Software Engineering
(EASE2017), Karlskrona (Sweden), 2017 June 15-16

2. Communication in ASD
Communication plays an important role in SW development
Internal Communication
Communication between developers
External Communication
Development Team – Customers
Compar. Communication Effort within the Scrum, Scrum with Kanban, XP, and Banana Development ProcessesEASE2017 - 2 -

3. Communication in ASD
The Three-levels of the communication [Bhalerao et al 2009]
Primary communication
Requirement gathering and understanding (customers / dev. team)
Mid-iteration
Reduce requirements ambiguity (customers / dev. Team)
End iteration
instant feedback / add requirements details (dev. Team)
Compar. Communication Effort within the Scrum, Scrum with Kanban, XP, and Banana Development ProcessesEASE2017 - 3 -
1. Bhalerao, S., Puntambekar, D. and Ingle, M., Generalized agile software development life cycle. International Journal of Computer Science and
Engineering. Vol I(3), 2009.

4. Communication in ASD
Synchronous
Face-to-face
Face-to-face at whiteboard
Online chat
Videoconference
Telephone call
…
Asynchronous
Email
Documentation (reading and writing)
Compar. Communication Effort within the Scrum, Scrum with Kanban, XP, and Banana Development ProcessesEASE2017 - 4 -

5. Goal and Reseach Questions
Analyze the communication process
For the purpose of comparing
With respect to its effort
From the point of view of software developers
In the context of agile and unstructured development processes
Compar. Communication Effort within the Scrum, Scrum with Kanban, XP, and Banana Development ProcessesEASE 2017 - 5 -

6. Goal and Reseach Questions
RQ1: Which development process requires more
communication time?
M1.1 Synchronous communication time
group meetings (retrospectives, stand-up meetings...) (hours)
Face-to-face (hours)
Online (hours)
M1.2 Asynchronous communication time
Time spent for writing emails or GitHub issues to ask for
technical support to other team members
Compar. Communication Effort within the Scrum, Scrum with Kanban, XP, and Banana Development ProcessesEASE 2017 - 6 -

7. Goal and Reseach Questions
RQ2 : Which development process has the
communication overhead?
M2.1 Development effort (hours)
M2.2 Total effort. (development and communication effort)
M2.3 Communication overhead.
development time / communication time
Compar. Communication Effort within the Scrum, Scrum with Kanban, XP, and Banana Development ProcessesEASE 2017 - 7 -

8. A Multiple Case-Study
Compar. Communication Effort within the Scrum, Scrum with Kanban, XP, and Banana Development ProcessesEASE2017 - 8 -

9. Study Design
Context
Same Project Developed by the 4 teams
Android application and web application
Execution
Requirements elicited from the same entrepreneur
Last year Master students as developers
Min effort required = 250 hours in 3 months per developer
Meeting every 2 weeks
Compar. Communication Effort within the Scrum, Scrum with Kanban, XP, and Banana Development ProcessesEASE2017 - 9 -

10. Data Collection
Effort (hours)
Total Effort (development and communication)
Development effort
Communication effort
Synchronous
– Group Meetingd
– Face to face (one on one)
– Chat
Asynchronous
– Email/GitHub
Compar. Communication Effort within the Scrum, Scrum with Kanban, XP, and Banana Development ProcessesEASE2017 - 10 -

11. Results – RQ1 Comm. Time
Compar. Communication Effort within the Scrum, Scrum with Kanban, XP, and Banana Development ProcessesEASE2017 - 11 -

12. Results – RQ2 Comm. Overhead
Compar. Communication Effort within the Scrum, Scrum with Kanban, XP, and Banana Development ProcessesEASE2017 - 12 -

13. Results - Discussion
Results Delivery
Agile teams: after two sprints
Banana team: three weeks before the end
Effort
Scrum + Kanban delivered the project with less effort
Banana process spent 3.5 times more effort
Process Compliance
XP team – TDD
Scrum teams (Scrum and Scrum+Kanban) test cases during the process
No test cases developed by Banana.
Compar. Communication Effort within the Scrum, Scrum with Kanban, XP, and Banana Development ProcessesEASE2017 - 13 -

14. Conclusion
Communication overhead is not influenced by the development
processes.
unexpected
The communication may not be considered as negative
Specially in a learning environment.
Communication practices need to be addressed by the community
Compar. Communication Effort within the Scrum, Scrum with Kanban, XP, and Banana Development ProcessesEASE2017 - 14 -

15. Questions?
D.Taibi, V. Lenarduzzi
Free University of Bolzano-Bozen
K. Liukkunen, M.O. Ahmad
University of Oulu