XP In A Research Lab: The Hunt For Strategic Value

We describe our experience of using XP to develop ex- perimental software in a research setting. We focus on the ways that a research project is different from a com- mercial project. Our experience leads us to conclude that XP practices can be extended to allow a new under- standing of value in a software project. We draw a dis- tinction between strategic and tactical value and explore how different settings affect the type of value a project seeks to develop. We suggest ways that research projects might benefit from the use of XP.