A cross-disciplinary systematic literature review on Kanban
The issue of changes in requirements in software development due to fast and ever changing business condition attracts various software development processes. These development processes includes Agile, Lean software development and the recent addition of Kanban. Kanban method uses visual display (K...
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| Format: | Dissertation |
| Language: | English |
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University of Oulu
2015
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| Online Access: | http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:oulu-201502111073 http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:fi:oulu-201502111073 |
| Summary: | The issue of changes in requirements in software development due to fast and ever changing business condition attracts various software development processes. These development processes includes Agile, Lean software development and the recent addition of Kanban. Kanban method uses visual display (Kanban-board) to enhance software development by displaying various phases of the development process. Using explicit principles, Kanban method pulls tasks across different software development stages. This method is increasingly important, due to its many advantages, such as, reducing lead time, improving software quality, improving team communication, and increasing employee motivation. However, the knowledge of Kanban in software development is still limited.
This study used a systematic literature review method, to analyze relevant literature within the field of industrial engineering; taking into consideration that Kanban originates from the field of industrial engineering. The studies reviewed were published within 1997 and 2013. The search strategy identified 1552 papers, of which 53 were identified as relevant. These studies were then grouped into five themes— description, principles, benefits, performance and types. Based on these themes, the outcomes were then analyzed using existing knowledge of Kanban as related to software development.
The focus of this thesis was to uncover knowledge that can be useful in the application of Kanban methods to software development processes. The findings show the Kanban practiced in software development is somewhat the original Kanban in industrial engineering. Nevertheless, the review reveals several variants of Kanban method, driven by various production process environments. The findings also revealed that, the application of Kanban can reduce waste that exists in the form of extra-features. One of the implications of the research is the need to consider impact of context in the application of Kanban in software development process. |
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