Improving Code Quality in Agile Software Development

120 Pages·2017·2.36 MB·English

Improving Code Quality in Agile
Software Development
Version of October 20, 2018
Lars Krombeen

Improving Code Quality in Agile
Software Development
THESIS
submittedinpartialfulfillmentofthe
requirementsforthedegreeof
MASTEROFSCIENCE
in
COMPUTERSCIENCE
by
LarsKrombeen
borninDelft,theNetherlands
SoftwareEngineeringResearchGroup
DepartmentofSoftwareTechnology Capgemini
FacultyEEMCS,DelftUniversityofTechnology Reykjavikplein1,3543KA
Delft,theNetherlands Utrecht,theNetherlands
www.ewi.tudelft.nl https://www.capgemini.com/
(cid:13)c 2018 LarsKrombeen.
“Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it
is the task of the sculptor to discover it.“
- Michelangelo

Improving Code Quality in Agile
Software Development
Author : LarsKrombeen
Studentid : 4280709
Email : [e-mail]
Abstract
Agile software development is a popular approach for developing software. Another
importanttopicofresearchinsoftwareengineeringiscodequality. Unfortunately,amini-
malamountofextensiveresearchhasbeendoneonhowthesetwoinfluenceeachother.The
goalofthisstudyisthereforetoexploretheconnectionbetweenthesetwousingaqualita-
tiveapproach. TounderstandthisconnectionwewilluseGroundedTheoryasaqualitative
methodologytointerview20participantsacrosstwoorganisations. Indoingsowepresent
adetaileddescriptionofGroundedTheoryimplementationandtheresultsweobtainfrom
it. Theresultsareusedtoexploretherelationbetweencodequalityandagilesoftwarede-
velopment. The results show that team empowerment is the core relation between them.
Theresultsarestructuredinatheorywhichestablishesfourcorevaluesforachievingteam
empowerment,conditionsthatapplytothesevaluesandwhichpracticescanbeappliedto
stimulate the conditions. The outcomes of the study are further verified using an online
questionnaire across multiple countries. The theory will be expanded further to establish
theoreticallinksbetweenAgilebestpracticesandcodequalitymetricstogiveteamscon-
cretesolutionstoimprovetheircodequalityscores.
Keywords: Empirical research, Software engineering, Grounded Theory, Code quality,
Agilesoftwaredevelopment,Teamempowerment
ThesisCommittee:
Chair : Prof. Dr. A.vanDeursen,FacultyEEMCS,TUDelft
Universitysupervisor : Dr. Ir. F.F.J.Hermans,FacultyEEMCS,TUDelft
Companysupervisor : D.Fraser,Capgemini
CommitteeMember : Dr. W.P.Brinkman,FacultyEEMCS,TUDelft

Preface
BeforeyouliestheresultingreportofaprojectthatlastedfromMarch2018toOctober2018for
obtaining the degree of Master of Science in Computer Science. Even though this work might
not be that typical for a Computer Science student, it made me learn a lot about conducting
rigorous and structured research. Moreover, I was able to improve social skills such as taking
interviews,whichislessfocusedonattheuniversity’sdepartmentofComputerScience. There
areacoupleofpeopleIwouldliketothankformakingthisresearchpossible.
First of all, I want to thank Felienne Hermans for her constant supervision and 24/7 avail-
ability. Findingatopicformythesiswasdifficultandbeingabletobrainstormwithyougreatly
helped. Furthermore, I would like to thank you for your counselling and supervision during
the project. It aided my capabilities as a researcher and provided insights I would have possi-
bly overlooked. Secondly, I want to thank Arie van Deursen because, in the meetings we had,
you gave me insights into directions the research could go. Next, I would like to thank Sohon
Roy. Asaninexperiencedresearcherwhoneverconductedinterviewsyouhelpedmeingetting
started. Thetipsaboutinterviewingandthefeedbackyougaveonmyinitialquestionshelpedin
improvingthequalityoftheinterviews.
NoneofthisprojectwouldhavebeenpossibleifFrankSingendonkwouldnothavereached
outtome,soIwouldliketothankhimforthisgreatopportunity. Furthermore,Iwanttothank
Desiree for giving me supervision during the internship. With the full freedom you offered me
andthegreatopportunitiesyougaveme,thisresearchcouldbeexecutedsmoothly.
Iwanttothankeveryonethatparticipatedintheinterviews. Withoutyou,theresearchwould
nothavebeenpossible. Inaddition,Iwouldliketothanktherespondentsofthequestionnaires
and those who helped in refining the draft. Without your responses, the research would lack
someseriousgrounds.
Last but not least, I want to thank my family and friends for their support. Being able to
explain my problems and difficulties I faced during my thesis solved most of them. Thank you
for listening to my endless dialogues about my study. But know that you have done so in the
nameofscience.
Enjoyreading!
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PREFACE
LarsKrombeen
Delft,theNetherlands
October20,2018
iv