Speeding up Development Activities in Student Projects with Time Boxing and Scrum
Year: 2011
Editor: Kovacevic, Ahmed, Ion, William, McMahon, Chris, Buck, Lyndon and Hogarth, Peter
Author: Ovesen, Nis; Eriksen, Kaare; Tollestrup, Christian
Series: E&PDE
Section: Design Methodology and Education 3
Page(s): 559-564
Abstract
This research project investigates how procedures from agile software development can be of benefit to development activities in projects of design engineering students. The agile methods 'Scrum' and 'Time boxing' are evaluated through a student workshop focusing on near-future concepts for design competitions. Scrum meetings within the student design teams are conducted and video documented each hour throughout the workshop activities as a structured process evaluation tool. Based on a subsequent student survey it is argued that scrum and time boxing are strengthening the focus, communication and awareness of methodical efficiency of the student teams. It is therefore further argued that these methods are both applicable and useful to none-software projects, and that they may correspond to a general tendency of a faster pace in product development within the markets of lifestyle products.
Keywords: Agile development, time boxing, scrum, teaching methods