A Perspective of Leadership Requirement in Scrum Based Software Development - A Case Study

Sammanfattning: Context. Software Development has been witnessing great innovations over past few years with good number of technologies, tools and practices invading the industry. Client demands and collaboration in the development process are also seen increasing. So many new practices and methodologies are coming up and Agile is one of prominent practices adopted by many. Even in Agile, Scrum methodology is picking up more demand presently. As Software Development process and practices are changing so are the leadership styles in the same. Leadership is critical for success of any team. This study intended to explore this model and requirement of leadership in Scrum based Software Development in a practical scenario. Objectives. Leadership, which is essential in any Software project, differs from Traditional Methodology to Scrum Methodology of Agile practices in Software Development. Through a case study, the author attempted to investigate and explore the perspective of Leadership requirement in Scrum based Software Development in a practical scenario. The study aimed to gather and analyze the Leadership model implemented in two domestic projects in an Indian company, involved in two distinctive domains, and sum up the impressions gained in the same. The study aimed to assess whether the gathered knowledge adds up to the existing body of knowledge on the phenomenon or on the contrary whether any suggestions for improvement can be given to the case units. Methods. Case Study method was chosen for undertaking this explorative study. A literature review was conducted prior to the case study to gain knowledge on the phenomenon, which also answered one of the Research Questions and helped partially the other. A multiple case study was conducted through semi structured personal interviews, tools analysis and direct observation in the case units. Qualitative data analysis was made using Grounded Theory on this three orders of collected data. The results were compared with the Literature and conformity or variance analyzed. This comparative analysis is used for making recommendations to the case units for improvement or for additions to the existing body of knowledge. Results. Through the results of Literature Review, Leadership models in Software Development including Agile Scrum were summed up. And through the results of the case study, the leadership models and features implemented in the case units have been identified. These results are further validated and contrasted with the results of the literature review. How the literature models and the case unit models of leadership differed is studied. The justification for the implemented leadership model in the practical situation is also analyzed. Following, a review of the models employed at the case environments, the perspective of leadership in the two Scrum based Software Development projects is summed up. At the end, it is assessed what effect the case study would have on the existing body of knowledge on the phenomenon and modifications that can be proposed to the case units based on the results and analysis. Conclusion. It is concluded that the Case Units are implementing Situational Leadership and Transformational Leadership in a mixed way. Telling and Selling models in Situational Leadership are prominent while Participating and Delegating are ranking less. Some of the important features of Transformational Leadership like Self Management, Organizational Consciousness, Adaptability and Proactive are in implementation but not all features of the model are assumed. Even Scrum is implemented in a modified way, extending only controlled autonomy with higher monitoring and it had a direct effect on the leadership. On the whole it is directive leadership that is in play with co-existence of collaborative one situationally.