18 Qualitative Studies of XP in a Medium Sized Business

Qualitative Research Methods (5) are used to discover the effects of applying eXtreme Programming (XP) in a software development business environment. Problems dominating staff development, productivity and efficiency are parts of a complex human dimension uncovered in this approach. The interpretation and development of XP's 'Rules and Practices' are reported, as well as the interlaced communication and human issues affecting the implementation of XP in a medium sized business. The paper considers the difficulties of applying XP in a changing software requirements environment, and reports on early deployment successes, failures and discoveries, and describes how management and staff adapted during this period of change. The paper examines the benefits of a flexible management approach to XP methodology, and records the experiences of both management and staff, as initial practices matured and new practices emerged.