Agile transformation process at u-blox

Abstract

Software development has grown complex over time. This phenomenon has created a need for new processes to manage the software development process itself. Growing complexity has led to the creation of agile techniques in software development. Recently the usage of agile methodologies like Scrum has increased. The ideas of the original Scrum guide were tailored for team-sized units. However, these principles have recently been adapted to larger organizations. Scrum for larger organizations is called Scaled Scrum. There are multiple different Scaled Scrum frameworks like Scrum of Scrums, Scrumconix, and LeSS have different principles and rules. Each organization has unique needs when it comes to the agile process, so there isn’t an out-of-box solution available. This thesis examines u-blox, a Swiss semiconductor company that has lately created its agile model based on the Scrum of Scrums. Adaptation of this agile model has been a challenging process. This thesis aims to research the issues in service request processes towards the DevOps Value Unit. Additionally, this thesis focuses on issues of agile and communication. The main research methods of this thesis are literature review and conducting interviews with employees from the DevOps Value Unit. The review of literature provides insights into general agile topics, while the interviews are conducted to uncover similar themes within the target organization. During the interviews, some key issues came up. The Scrum Master roles at the DevOps Value Unit were not well functioning due to a lack of proper training, the positions are also handled in addition to other duties. Some other difficulties that came up were related to communication tools and their usage in the target organization. The data gathered from the interviews was compared with literature reviews. A few observations were made afterward: The scrum masters at the DevOps Value Unit needed proper Scrum Master training. It would also be useful to have training on how to use the communication tools in a similar manner with co-workers. Additionally, it would benefit the team to have discussions about agile and the reasons behind the process.