Evaluating and Automating a Scaled Agile Framework Maturity Model

Sammanfattning: While agile development is becoming ever more popular, studies have shown that few organisations successfully transition from traditional to agile practices. One such study showed that large organisations can benefit greatly from agile methods, but evaluating agile maturity and tailoring the method to the organisation’s needs is crucial. An agile maturity model is a tool with which an organisation’s practices and their conformance to agile development is evaluated. The purpose of this study is to discover the best suited agile maturity model for large organisations and to minimise costs, resources and the subjectivity of the model’s evaluation. In this study we take a closer look at four agile maturity models, the Scaled Agile Framework Maturity Model (SAFeMM) by Turetken, Stojanov and Trienekens (2017), the Scaled Agile Maturity Model (SAMM) by Chandrasekaran (2016), the Agile Adoption Framework (AAF) by Sidky, Arthur and Bohner (2007) and the Scaled Agile Framework Business Agility Assessment (SAFeBAA) by the Scaled Agile Incorporation. By evaluating each model on their scalability, completeness, generality, precision, simplicity, usability and meaningfulness, consistency, minimum overlapping, balance and proportion of automatable measurements, the best model is chosen. Based on the evaluation criteria for the maturity models, the SAFeMM is deemed the most suitable model. It proves to be a comprehensive, well-rounded tool with persistent high scores in all criteria. In order to improve the model’s objectivity and resource needs, it is also applied in a case study at the Swedish Tax Agency, where the possibilities to automate the model are investigated. The results show that the SAFeMM can be automated to roughly 50%, with the use of process mining and software system querying. Process mining uses event logs to extract and analyse information, while software querying extracts information directly from the software systems used in an organisation. The study suggests primary sources for querying and process mining techniques and perspectives to enable and encourage future research in the area of process mining within agile development.