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Many organizations have adopted agile values and principles in their products and services to provide increasing value to their customers. Although agile started with software development, it has been applicable and used in different industries and disciplines, including the space industry. This article presents the practical implications of teams transitioning to be agile teams using a general inductive analysis of 33 individuals from different NASA agile teams. The findings and recommendations are part of a larger effort performed as part of the development of a model for agile leadership. Some organizations may see agile as very risky and costly, and this article provides some guidance derived from the data to help support planning for agile transformation efforts. • Agile transformations of NASA Agile teams. • Being Agile with a continuous learning mindset. • Ability to create sustainable value to the customer in a technology-driven organization. • Recommendations to becoming Agile organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium-ion cells (LIC) are emerging as the critical energy source in space applications for spacecraft. The analysis of the failure of small satellites reveals that 41.3% have either suffered partial or total failures in the space environment around Earth, resulting in the accumulation of debris. The defects in batteries caused more failures than thrusters. The present paper details a framework for ensuring the durability of LIC systems in space applications. It is discussed in three verticals viz. a) Durability through Design' that gives prominence to best practices in cell chemistry selection, processing and, design through parametric modelling; b) 'Durability through quality control and testing by the manufacturer and by identifying relevant reliability models; c)'On-orbit management' through the State of Health (SOH) assessment by Random Forest algorithm and a well-equipped intelligent Battery Management System (BMS). Lacuna in standards for cell development process is brought out. Importance of quantitative approach for design, reliability and asset management during space application is highlighted. Use of agile, contemporary techniques of artificial intelligence in this quantitative approach is also discussed. The framework tries to bring out a systematized protocol to be followed during the development and operational life cycle of LIC for ensuring highly reliable systems for space application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effort estimation is fundamental for the development of software projects and critical to their success. The objective of this paper is to understand how Colombian agile practitioners perform effort estimates and to identify opportunities for improvement based on these results. For this purpose, we conducted an exploratory survey study using as instrument an on-line questionnaire answered by agile practitioners with experience in effort estimation. Data was collected from 60 agile practitioners and the main findings are: (1) Agile practitioners prefer non-algorithmic estimation techniques, mainly those based on Expert Judgment. (2) Most of the respondents perceive that their estimates have a medium accuracy level; however, in most cases, no formal analysis of the accuracy level is carried out. (3) The determining effort predictors/cost drivers are characteristics of the project team (size, experience, and skills) and attributes of the software to be built (complexity, type, and domain). (4) The use of datasets for estimation is not common; proprietary datasets predominate and are used for productivity comparisons within the company. (5) Most of the results of related studies are comparable with ours; however, there are significant differences in terms of the roles involved and the techniques used in the effort estimation process. Based on the results and findings of the survey, we identified key opportunities to improve estimation accuracy through (1) software measurement standardization, (2) use of effort datasets, (3) implementation of techniques for measuring accuracy levels, and (4) knowledge management in effort estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effort estimation based on user stories plays a pivotal role in agile software development, where accurate predictions of project efforts are vital for success. While various supervised ML tools attempt to estimate effort, the prevalence of estimation errors presents significant challenges, as evidenced by the CHAOS report by the Standish Group, which highlights incorrect estimations contributing to a substantial percentage of failed agile projects. This research delves into the domain of user story-based effort estimation in agile software development, aiming to explore the issues arising from inaccurate estimations. The primary goal is to uncover these issues comprehensively and propose potential solutions, thus enhancing the efficacy of the user story-based estimation method. To achieve the research objectives, a systematic literature review (SLR) is conducted, surveying a wide range of sources to gather insights into issues surrounding user story-based effort estimation. The review encompasses diverse estimation methods, user story attributes, and the array of challenges that can result from inaccurate estimations. The SLR reveals a spectrum of issues undermining the accuracy of user story-based effort estimation. It identifies internal factors like communication, team expertise, and composition as crucial determinants of estimation reliability. Consistency in user stories, technical complexities, and task engineering practices also emerge as significant contributors to estimation inaccuracies. The study underscores the interconnectedness of these issues, emphasizing the need for a standardized protocol to minimize inaccuracies and enhance estimation precision. In light of the findings, it becomes evident that addressing the multi-dimensional factors influencing user story-based effort estimation is imperative for successful agile software development. The study underscores the interplay of various aspects, such as team dynamics, task complexity, and requirement engineering, in achieving accurate estimations. By recognizing these challenges and implementing recommended solutions, software development processes can avoid failures and enhance their prospects of success in the agile paradigm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the data-centric era, interconnected devices must be able to communicate efficiently and securely with their hosts even over untrusted networks. This led to the adoption of several end-to-end security protocols that employ various efficient and elegant encryption algorithms, such as Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), often implemented with hardware modules since there is usually no good solution to install security software on the device itself. State-of-the-art AES hardware implementations typically focus on optimizing a single metric, e.g. throughput or area, and are tedious to adapt to a wider set of design constraints. Applying an agile approach to hardware development is increasingly important, and this is especially critical for hardware security primitives that need to be consumed in various systems. In this work, we develop Agile-AES, an open-source, flexible, parameterizable, hardware implementation of AES, combining many best-known practices. The agile and feature-rich implementation was based on the Chisel framework, through which flexibility is instrumented to support various key length, topology, mode of operation, local memory type, S-box fabric, side-channel attack defense techniques, and interfaces. Despite covering a larger design space, our proposed implementation has 50% fewer lines of code compared to existing Verilog versions — a crucial advantage in terms of maintainability and development productivity. To evaluate the QoR out of this implementation approach, we pick representative configurations and evaluate utilization, power and throughput on both entry level and server-grade FPGAs and compare against the Verilog and HLS counterpart implementations. It shows very comparable results to the Verilog implementation and better QoR compared to the HLS-based implementation. • Hardware security module design calls the urgency of agile design approaches. • Agile-AES is able to ease the design effort for adapting to various design constraints. • Open-source Agile-AES is developed with Chisel and combines the best-known AES practices. • Agile-AES requires less design effort with comparable QoR to Verilog counterpart. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current competitive and dynamic environment, libraries must remain agile and flexible, as well as open to new ideas and ways of working. Based on a comparative case study of two academic libraries in Belgium, this research study investigates the opportunities of using Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing (TDABC) to benchmark library processes. To this end, two major research questions are addressed: 1) Can TDABC be used to enhance process benchmarking in libraries? 2) Do results at activity level provide additional insights compared to macro results in a process benchmarking? We first start by describing the TDABC implementation. Then, we discuss and compare the workflow of 10 library processes covering the four principal library functions: acquisition, cataloging, circulation and document delivery. Next, based on the benchmarking exercise, we report and discuss potential processes and performance improvements that can be realized from using library time and costs information, in particular concerning the two libraries analyzed. We conclude this article by discussing the advantages of using TDABC as a tool to enhance process benchmarking in libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To overcome the singularity problem of control moment gyros (CMGs) and simultaneously provide a lightweight, agile, and simple dynamical system, a CMG system called a double-gimbal scissored-pair control moment gyro (DGSPCMG) was recently proposed. The DGSPCMG is a hybrid mechanism that combines scissored-pair CMGs and a double-gimbal mechanism; further, the outer singularities in this system (saturation singularities) can be escaped by steering the scissored-pair gimbals. This system generates less perturbation torque and has almost no inner singularities except at the origin and the line along the outer gimbal axis. This paper proposes model predictive control (MPC) based steering laws for the mentioned CMG system. The proposed MPC based steering laws can directly provide the optimal gimbal rate under the nonlinear constraints in real time without using the inverse of the CMG Jacobian matrix, and hence, the singularities do not have to be considered when determining the gimbal steering rate of this system. Three objective functions are considered in the steering law design: fast maneuver-weighted type, minimum control energy type, and a hybrid of these two types. The control performances of these three MPC-based steering laws are compared via numerical simulations. Results demonstrate that the hybrid type can achieve both a short rise time of the angular velocity at the initial stage of control, and smooth stabilization to the target attitude; moreover, its settling time and control effort is between those of the other two types. • Double-gimbal scissored-pair control-moment gyros (DGSPCMG) is considered. • Model-predictive control (MPC) based steering laws are designed for this system. • Fast maneuver, minimum control energy types, and hybrid of these two are considered. • Hybrid type achieved a short rise time of angular velocity and smooth stabilization. • As setting a long receding horizon length, the settling time was shortened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environments (VUCA) complicate and condition project management. With the emergence of agile project management, it is proposed to co-construct it with the client's active participation. Two used agile methodologies are Scrum and Kanban. Scrum is based on executing fast, interactive cycles (Sprints) for the incremental construction of products. Kanban promotes the balance of the continuous workflow through synchronizing tasks and seeking perfection. The combined use of Scrum-Kanban facilitates the integration of the best of both approaches. The Theory of Constraints (TOC) proposes a method for managing constraints in a system (Constraint Management). The Drum-Buffer-Rope (DBR) method and Buffer Management are practical applications of this theory. This study seeks to maximize the continuous flow of value (Throughput) in agile project management by synergistically integrating the DBR method with Scrum-Kanban. The five-step process is implemented for the planning, executing, and controlling the Kanban board in a Scrum Sprint cycle. Four scenarios are evaluated: (1) Balanced Line; (2) Unbalanced Line; (3) Unbalanced Line Modification 1 - Stable, Robust and Fast; and (4) Unbalanced Line Modification 2 - Focusing and Elevation. Measurement of completed work (Kanban cards in the "Done" column) and final inventory for the Sprint cycle reveals that Simulation 4 is the optimal scenario, achieving the highest average "output" ("Done" cards) with reduced inventory ("Doing" cards). The integration of DBR with Scrum-Kanban maximizes the completed work (Throughput) and minimizes the final inventory of the Sprint cycle, which is corroborated by the principle of Little's Law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization and time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) technology has revolutionized the field of microbiology by facilitating precise and rapid species identification. Recently, machine learning techniques have been leveraged to maximally exploit the information contained in MALDI-TOF MS, with the ultimate goal to refine species identification and streamline antimicrobial resistance determination. The aim was to systematically review and evaluate studies employing machine learning for the analysis of MALDI-TOF mass spectra. Using PubMed/Medline, Scopus and Web of Science, we searched the existing literature for machine learning-supported applications of MALDI-TOF mass spectra for microbial species and antimicrobial susceptibility identification. Original research studies using machine learning to exploit MALDI-TOF mass spectra for microbial specie and antimicrobial susceptibility identification were included. Studies focusing on single proteins and peptides, case studies and review articles were excluded. A systematic review according to the PRISMA guidelines was performed and a quality assessment of the machine learning models conducted. From the 36 studies that met our inclusion criteria, 27 employed machine learning for species identification and nine for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Support Vector Machines, Genetic Algorithms, Artificial Neural Networks and Quick Classifiers were the most frequently used machine learning algorithms. The quality of the studies ranged between poor and very good. The majority of the studies reported how to interpret the predictors (88.89%) and suggested possible clinical applications of the developed algorithm (100%), but only four studies (11.11%) validated machine learning algorithms on external datasets. A growing number of studies utilize machine learning to optimize the analysis of MALDI-TOF mass spectra. This review, however, demonstrates that there are certain shortcomings of current machine learning-supported approaches that have to be addressed to make them widely available and incorporated them in the clinical routine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fault distance estimation (FDE) in transmission lines with a thyristor controlled series compensator (TCSC) is a challenging task since the performance of FDE techniques gets affected by the variations in measured terminal voltages and line currents caused by the operation of TCSC during faults in the lines. Therefore, a robust FDE technique is utmost required for quicker power system restoration in the event of lines experiencing faults. Consequently, a matching pursuits algorithm (MPA) based traveling wave detection technique is presented in this work. The method is further utilized for FDE in lines with TCSC. The aerial-mode terminal bus voltage of the line is considered. The proposed technique first reconstructs the aerial-mode signals using MPA followed by determination of residuals from the difference of original and reconstructed signals. The next step determines time of arrival waves from respective peaks of the Teager energy of residual signals. Finally, the obtained ATWs are utilized for FDE. For simulation, a 3-machine 9-bus test system with one of its line compensated with TCSC is modeled in PSCAD/EMTDC platform. Different case studies are undertaken to validate the effective performance of the proposed technique. Further, comparative assessment is carried out to test the superiority of presented technique. • Fault distance estimator (FDE) for TCSC compensated transmission lines is proposed. • The proposed estimator utilizes the information of traveling waves terminating at two terminals. • Matching pursuits algorithm (MPA) is used detect traveling waves by decomposing modal voltage signals. • The peak of Teager energy of decomposed signal estimates arrival time of wave at the terminal of the line. • For simulation, WSCC 9 bus test system with TCSC compensation is used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Software development projects are becoming increasingly important to achieve successful results in the global digitalization trend that has spread throughout the world at the time of the pandemic. The main software development methodologies (SDM) are waterfall and agile. This study investigates the achievement of success methodology through the evaluation of software development projects, personnel under the scope of SDM's. Software projects require strong human resources to be successful in terms of on-time completion and success. For software projects that include the human component, it is important to make project team SDM assignments more meaningful and accurate. The power of linguistic variables and the use of expert ratings in such assignments have been the focus of this paper. The reason for the strong representativeness is the conversion of linguistic variables to mathematical fuzzification, Interval Valued Neutrosophic Z-Numbers (NZN) are used to determine which SDM should be used first in projects. The results of the NZN are then incorporated into the NZN-Area model. This replaces the distance measurement equation used to rank alternatives with an area calculation. The NZN-Area Model is the new proposed form of the model. The NZN-Area model produced 22% better results in terms of defect numbers and 25% better results in terms of defect resolution time compared to the NZN method. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis was performed by comparing the NZN method and NZN-Area method with real data. The proposed NZN-Area method was found to be more consistent under variable conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pharmaceutical continuous manufacturing provides the appropriate tools (e.g. the understanding of process dynamics and appropriate and adaptable control strategy) in order to deal with Quality-by-Design expectations and even to the future smart manufacturing described by Quality-by-Control. Those tools form part of the given framework of the regulatory agencies led by an effective quality risk management. Soft sensors and control algorithms such as model predictive control are stepping stones for more agile processes and increased robustness by keeping the quality attributes of the final drug product in their acceptable ranges and by mitigating undesired events. The implementation of a model predictive control (MPC) system on a pharmaceutical continuous manufacturing plant for the wet granulation process is described. The control objectives and strategy are presented as well as the selected variables, the process dynamics identification, the MPC performance and its specific tuning where a commercial software has been used, setting the framework of this study. MPCs have been applied successfully on two pharmaceutical drug products (Diclofenac and Paracetamol): an accurate control of the API content and of the LOD was achieved in order to produce a constant quality of tablets on both drug products. In addition, some of the process parameters have been identified as mandatory to be step tested for each change of drug product, leading to a simplified MPC implementation. [Display omitted] • Advanced automation and process control applied on a continuous wet granulation line with model predictive controller (MPC). • Process Analytical Technology (e.g. API content by NIR spectroscopy) as key enabler of advanced process automation. • High level of process understanding and MPC calibration via process step tests. • Real time regulation of water content of the granules and API content of the blends, granules and tablets. • Implementation of the developed MPC on a real process plant used for GMP clinical supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) in heterogeneous computing have been attracting more and more attention. Development of acceleration systems based on FPGAs involves the cooperation of both hardware and software developers. However, although most hardware acceleration systems are motivated by software developers, software developers are difficult to participant in the system building because of the steep learning curve of the hardware concept and design tools. Moreover, due to the complexity of hardware-software integration in traditional ways, end-to-end performance is hard to evaluate before trivial engineering effort. To address these concerns, we propose an open-source Domain-Specific Language (DSL) based framework called VeriScala 1 1 https://www.github.com/VeriScala/VeriScala. to support hardware defining in a high-level language, programmatical testing, and rapid acceleration system deploying. By adopting DSL embedded in Scala language, we introduce modern software development concepts into hardware design and provide a familiar environment to software developers. And by building a stack of middle layers from hardware to software, we provide reduced hardware abstraction and communication interface to facilitate both software and hardware development and system deployment. Through the evaluation of some basic components and real-world demos, we show that VeriScala provides a practical approach to rapid prototyping of hardware acceleration systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Potential of a drone-borne lidar system to assess the outcomes of a mixed-species restoration plantation experiment. • Brazil's Atlantic Forest, with 20 native tree species, combining two levels of planting density and two management levels. • We elaborate an AGB equation to use the drone-borne lidar for monitoring other restoration plantations in the region. • Leaf area density profile (lidar-derived) also differed among silvicultural treatments. • Drone-borne lidar system can effectively monitor forest restoration plantations. We are in an unprecedented moment for promoting forest restoration globally, with international and regional pledges to restore at least 350 million hectares by 2030. To achieve these ambitious goals, it is necessary to go beyond traditional plot-scale assessments and develop cost-effective technologies that can monitor the structure and function of restored forests at much broader scales. Lidar remote sensing in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platforms can be an agile and autonomous method for monitoring forest restoration projects, especially under conditions when information updates are frequently needed in relatively small areas or, when using an airplane-borne lidar system may be not financially viable. Here, we explored the potential of an UAV-borne lidar system to assess the outcomes of a mixed-species restoration plantation experiment, designed to maximize aboveground biomass (AGB) accumulation. The experiment was established in Brazil's Atlantic Forest, with 20 native tree species, by combining two levels of planting density and two management levels, totaling four treatment combinations and one control (plots left over for natural regeneration). We analyzed three structural variables from lidar data (canopy height, gap fraction and leaf area index) and one from field inventory data (AGB). Structural differences between the treatments and the control plots were reliably distinguished by the UAV-borne lidar system. AGB was strongly correlated with canopy height, allowing us to elaborate a predictive equation to use the UAV-borne lidar system for monitoring structural features in other restoration plantations in the region. UAV-borne lidar systems showed enormous potential for monitoring relatively broad-scale (thousands of hectares) forest restoration projects, providing an important tool to aid decision making and accountability in forest landscape restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During agile requirements engineering, developers need to assimilate and transform the original requirements information into system functions in the form of user stories. Obviously, this is a challenging cognition-based process, in which developers' cognition plays a key role. However, prior research has not explored developers' cognition during the process. The purpose of this study is to investigate and understand developers' cognitive representation styles and interaction patterns in agile requirements. A classification of developers' cognitive representation styles and interaction patterns was first proposed based on literature review. Then, an empirical research was conducted in a capstone software engineering course. Students were playing the role of developers and engaging in agile software development during this course, so their conversation about splitting and defining user stories was recorded and analyzed to examine developers' cognition via a content analysis method. The results show that, even when facing requirements analysis, developers tend to exhibit a technology-oriented cognitive representation style. Additionally, developers have more cognitive difficulty in determining activity and granularity than the role and business value of a user story. Developers also exhibit a preference for cognitive interaction pattern; assertion, comment, and two question-patterns are the major four patterns in our paper rather than information sharing, which was considered a major pattern in previous research. This paper contributes to our understanding of developers' cognition, further predicting and guiding developers' behaviors toward achieving good quality requirements analysis. • We propose developers' cognitive representation styles and interaction patterns in agile requirements. • We examine developers' cognition by their utterances of splitting user stories. • Developers prefer to technology-oriented cognitive representation style even in requirements stage. • Developers have more cognitive difficulty in user stories activity and granularity. • Developers have a preference for four major cognitive interaction patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper presents a general and systematic approach to automating a variety of agile maneuvers with a small fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle. The methodology begins by numerically solving optimal control problems off-line to generate a small set of reference trajectories and feedforward control inputs for maneuvers. A dynamic time warping-based interpolation process parametrizes these solutions, adding robustness to the maneuver, whilst allowing the on-board library of state and control time histories to remain compact. To handle errors, inaccuracies, noise, and disturbances that are not accounted for by feedforward control, feedback control laws stabilize about the reference trajectories. The work focuses mainly on one agile maneuver: an aggressive turn-around, in which the aircraft undergoes a rapid 180 degree heading reversal, beginning and ending in straight and level flight. To establish the generality of the methodology, it is also applied to transition maneuvers between straight and level flight, and a nose-up hover. The proposed automation scheme is computationally light during flight, consisting of a simple feedforward/feedback controller coupled to a compact library of maneuvers that are optimized over the full flight envelope. The methodology is validated in simulations and flight tests. The automation scheme is implemented successfully on a small fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle. Highlights • A general approach to automating agile maneuvers with a fixed-wing UAV is proposed. • Dynamically feasible maneuvers are optimized over the aircraft's flight envelope. • Trajectories are parametrized using a novel application of dynamic time warping. • Parametrization is computationally light. • Agile maneuvers are demonstrated in flight using only on-board sensing and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The effective scheduling of multiple agile earth observation satellites plays a key role in improving the efficiency of the agile satellite observation system. Due to the complex constraints and large solution space (increases exponentially with the problem size), it has been a big challenge to effectively solve the multiple agile satellites scheduling problem. In this study, an edge computing framework is proposed in order to solve this problem in a flexible manner. In this framework, a central node and several edge nodes are included. The central node corresponds to the operation center of the satellite observation system while each edge node corresponds to an agile satellite. The central node filters tasks for edge nodes according to the time of scheduling period and visible time windows. Tasks in each edge node are scheduled according to the order of scheduling periods by a constructive heuristic algorithm based on the density of residual tasks (HADRT). The efficiency of this algorithm is proved. The time and space complexity are analyzed in detail. The proposed method is compared with other three advanced methods, and the experimental results show that HADRT could achieve higher task completion rate and reward rate than other algorithms with acceptable computing time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • New technologies considerably reduce the costs of sensors and automated vehicles. • Low investment in sensors, vehicles or pipelines present trade-offs with labor costs. • Plant/plot handling and labor costs represent the major proportion of costs in phenotyping experiments. • The costs of high-throughput experiments in the field and in automated platforms is similar regardless of vehicles. • The development of software applications (e.g. imaging, analyses, models, information system) is a major part of costs. Abstract Progress in remote sensing and robotic technologies decreases the hardware costs of phenotyping. Here, we first review cost-effective imaging devices and environmental sensors, and present a trade-off between investment and manpower costs. We then discuss the structure of costs in various real-world scenarios. Hand-held low-cost sensors are suitable for quick and infrequent plant diagnostic measurements. In experiments for genetic or agronomic analyses, (i) major costs arise from plant handling and manpower; (ii) the total costs per plant/microplot are similar in robotized platform or field experiments with drones, hand-held or robotized ground vehicles; (iii) the cost of vehicles carrying sensors represents only 5–26% of the total costs. These conclusions depend on the context, in particular for labor cost, the quantitative demand of phenotyping and the number of days available for phenotypic measurements due to climatic constraints. Data analysis represents 10–20% of total cost if pipelines have already been developed. A trade-off exists between the initial high cost of pipeline development and labor cost of manual operations. Overall, depending on the context and objsectives, "cost-effective" phenotyping may involve either low investment ("affordable phenotyping"), or initial high investments in sensors, vehicles and pipelines that result in higher quality and lower operational costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Mostly of the selected studies analyzed neglected the quality criteria and have difficulties to use methods to synthetize the research results. • The integration of usability with agile software development is possible and is strongly aligned with user-centered design. • Most studies are interested in investigating this relation and the viability of this integration, but there is no consensus established about how to integrate them. Abstract In the last years the interest in developing research on integration of usability and agile software development has been increasing. The number of systematic literature reviews, systematic mapping studies and non-systematic reviews, related to this thematic has also increased. Nevertheless, there is no analysis on the quality of these published secondary studies, nor is there a consolidated research that brings the answer of how to integrate these two areas. The goal of this paper is to categorize secondary studies related to the integration of usability and agile software development and present a critical analysis on the quality of the selected studies. To accomplish this goal a tertiary study was performed to categorize the related studies selected. Initially 3,065 papers were identified and further narrowed to 14 by applying exclusion criteria and analysis. We classified the selected studies as systematic literature reviews, systematic mapping studies and non-systematic literature reviews to report the data analysis. As a result of this study different forms to integrate usability and agile software development were detected as well as the various challenges that must be overcome for the integration success. Six main categories were identified to represent ways of integrating usability into agile development: processes, techniques, practices, recommendations, principles and different approaches. Regarding to the challenges for the integration seven main categories were also identified: issues related to tests, time, work balance, modularization, feedback, prioritization, and documentation. Although the interest in researching the integration of usability and agile software development has increased in the last years, mostly of the analyzed studies neglected the quality criteria and presented difficulties to use methods to synthetize the research results. Despite this, it has been realized that the integration of usability with agile software development is possible and is strongly aligned with user-centered design. The initial studies indicated a separation of activities and roles into specific tracks with parallel work to treat usability in agile software development, but the trend is no longer to manage and control these activities in separate ways, so new challenges are becoming to appear. Although we have identified several points of tension, the integration does not become unfeasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Introduction of agile team formation as an optimization problem. • Proposing expert finding models to retrieve candidates for agile teams. • Introduction of coverage, communication and optimality as quality measures of teams. • Proposing retrieval models to rank generalizing specialist (i.e. T-shaped) members. • Evaluation of proposed models on real datasets gathered from StackOverflow. Abstract Agile team formation is an important requirement of software companies. Since the members of an agile team should be generalizing specialists (i.e. T-shaped experts), we need members who are specialist in a specific topic and have general knowledge in other topics of the team. Selecting such members results in an ideal team which is flexible, high-performing and low-cost. In this paper, we define the problem of agile team formation in which given a set of required skills of an agile team, the ideal output is a set of low-cost candidates who can collectively cover the required skills while they can effectively communicate with each other. We propose two retrieval models to address this problem and then we introduce three evaluation measures for assessment. These measures are coverage, communication and optimality. Our experiments on two test collections extracted from StackOverflow demonstrate the efficiency of our proposed models in comparison with several strong baselines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Misinterpretation of the agile values/principles and adoption of partial solutions limit obtaining benefits of agile methods. • Agility assessment is an important step to guide agile adoption in software projects when performed with specific models. • Balancing predictive and adaptive work, and making continuous improvement a part of daily work are key principles for agility. Abstract Adoption of agile values and principles and transformation of organizations towards agility are not easy and straightforward. Misinterpretation of agile principles and values, and adoption of partial solutions with few agile practices instead of holistic approaches prevent organizations to obtain full benefits of agile methods. We developed the Software Agility Assessment Reference Model (AgilityMod) for the appraisal of software projects from agility perspective and to provide guidance on specifying gaps on the road towards agility (agile maturity). The meta-model of AgilityMod was defined in relation with the ISO/IEC 15504-Process Assessment Model. AgilityMod was developed in an iterative and incremental manner by running successive case studies and getting opinions of experts for the evaluation and improvement of the Model. The multiple case study that we present here in detail included the implementation of the Model in eight software development companies. The results of this case study were evaluated by the case study participants. According to the significant majority of the case study participants, AgilityMod achieves its purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • FLAC with ubiquitous-joint (UBI) model and the Burger-creep viscoplastic (CVISC) model. • The new hybrid UBI/BUR model was implemented as a UDM program for FLAC analyses. • The hybrid model can be used for simulation of tunnelling in anisotropic time-dependent formations. Abstract Slate is a metamorphic rock often contains a dense foliated texture called slaty cleavages or schistosities. The ease of split along the schistosities weakens the slate and its resistance to weathering and erosion. For the tunnel excavation in slate formations, it is common to observe anisotropic deformation; in addition, the deformation caused by stress release also shows time-dependent behavior. Hence, anisotropic and time-dependent behaviors must be taken into account to more properly estimate the deformation of tunnel excavation in slate formation. In this paper, the computer software FLAC with the ubiquitous-joint (UBI) model and the Burger-creep viscoplastic (CVISC) model was adopted for the analysis. To more efficiently obtain relevant parameters of those models, back calculations were performed by the automatic iterative tool Quick Macro. Coupling these two models, the new hybrid UBI/BUR model was developed and implemented as a UDM program, which can be applied for the FLAC analyses. The new model was calibrated by the monitoring data from a slate tunnel excavation project, i.e., the Wanta-Sunglin Project in Taiwan, then applied for detailed analyses. The results indicate that the hybrid model developed in this study is better than the conventional models, and can be used for the simulation of tunnel excavation in anisotropic time-dependent slate formations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • We study the problem of agile satellite scheduling with real-time cloud coverage. • A hierarchical scheduling model is established. • A hierarchical scheduling algorithm based on the ant colony algorithm is proposed. • The influence of environmental changes is well-mitigated by the proposed method. • The proposed method can greatly reduce the CPU time and increase the total profit. Abstract The imaging processes of optical satellites can be easily affected by unexpected environmental changes, such as changes in cloud coverage. Given the difficulty to predict environmental uncertainties, traditional offline scheduling methods need a follow-up re-scheduling process that responds to real-time environmental information. This repetitive scheduling processes make the offline fine scheduling process a waste of computational resources. Additionally, the offline scheduling method is quite complex owing to its lack of a hierarchy mechanism. To solve these problems, we propose a hierarchical scheduling method for the real-time scheduling problem. This method divides the scheduling process into three steps: pre-assignment, rough scheduling, and fine scheduling. A hierarchical scheduling algorithm based on ant colony algorithm is proposed. Tests with 36 scenarios show that the calculation time is efficiently reduced with this new mechanism. With this consideration of the dynamic environment, the re-scheduling process becomes unnecessary, meaning the wasting of computational resources is avoided and the solution profit is improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data visualization and decision-making are critical aspects of infrastructure inspections. Numerous research efforts have been made to develop practical remote inspection systems that overcome the limitations of conventional inspection methods. Although the integration of Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) into remote inspection is currently being addressed, most IVR frameworks have focused on data accuracy and there has been a lack of research on developing human-centered IVR frameworks through usability evaluation. This paper addresses this limitation by proposing a new IVR development framework utilizing agile User Experience (UX) design techniques, which can be implemented in remote infrastructure inspections for data visualization and decision-making. Usability tests were conducted through a case study with 22 participants, using an IVR prototype developed in accordance with this framework. Following its implementation, the framework demonstrated its ability to identify damage via remote bridge inspection and achieved acceptable usability. Future research can build on the framework for semantic enrichment tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The hierarchical expression of conflict is applied to accurately identify conflict. • Agility attribute is involved in the calculation of the conflict solution tendency. • Ant colony optimization is applied to identify the multi-conflicts solution path. • The scientific and effectiveness of the method are verified by a case. An agile solution strategy is proposed to solve the multi-conflicts problem and low efficiency in the innovation process of product development. A hierarchical representation of the conflicts is formed using a layered conflict resolution diagram based on the current reality tree (CRT) for the problem identification. The conflict solution tendency is searched using a conflict solution tendency network (CSTN). An ant colony optimization algorithm is introduced to analyze the CSTN model for the global optimal solution. The multi-conflict agile solution path is obtained based on the mutually exclusive relationship between conflicts. The TRIZ tool is used to search the agile solution of the multi-conflicts problem. A case study of the innovative design of the multi-functional nursing bed verifies the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Within the realms of software development, customers must specify the requirements of their new software before the start of the project. Today, this leads to considerable delays with respect to the start of the project. In addition, the integration of new requirements into a system already developed in parts is becoming increasingly time-consuming and cost-intensive. Yet the specifically necessitated functions of a software are often only revealed through the process of development. By means of agile programming, changes in the requirements of a software product can be handled flexibly in shorter development cycles. In the following, the framework of agile software development projects as it applies under German law is described and current legal problems of such projects – in particular, the issue of contract type and the new building contract law – are considered. The unplanned project design appears contrary to the legal approach. The article shows, however, that agile software products development provides customers with dynamic and quickly scalable products and that customers can leave the project after individual project steps. The new development of building contract law, which focuses on subunits and approvals, is also very much in line with the above-mentioned programming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local Process Models (LPM) describe structured fragments of process behavior occurring in the context of less structured business processes. Traditional LPM discovery aims to generate a collection of process models that describe highly frequent behavior, but these models do not always provide useful answers to questions posed by process analysts aiming at business process improvement. We propose a framework for goal-driven LPM discovery , based on utility functions and constraints. We describe four scopes on which these utility functions and constraints can be defined, and show that utility functions and constraints on different scopes can be combined to form composite utility functions/constraints. Finally, we demonstrate the applicability of our approach by presenting several actionable business insights discovered with LPM discovery on three real-life data sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most profound conflict in software engineering is not between positivist and interpretivist research approaches or Agile and Heavyweight software development methods, but between the Rational and Empirical Design Paradigms . The Rational and Empirical Paradigms are disparate constellations of beliefs about how software is and should be created. The Rational Paradigm remains dominant in software engineering research, standards and curricula despite being contradicted by decades of empirical research. The Rational Paradigm views analysis, design and programming as separate activities despite empirical research showing that they are simultaneous and inextricably interconnected. The Rational Paradigm views developers as executing plans despite empirical research showing that plans are a weak resource for informing situated action. The Rational Paradigm views success in terms of the Project Triangle (scope, time, cost and quality) despite empirical researching showing that the Project Triangle omits critical dimensions of success. The Rational Paradigm assumes that analysts elicit requirements despite empirical research showing that analysts and stakeholders co-construct preferences. The Rational Paradigm views professionals as using software development methods despite empirical research showing that methods are rarely used, very rarely used as intended, and typically weak resources for informing situated action. This article therefore elucidates the Empirical Design Paradigm, an alternative view of software development more consistent with empirical evidence. Embracing the Empirical Paradigm is crucial for retaining scientific legitimacy, solving numerous practical problems and improving software engineering education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unsatisfactory prior experiences in collaborative learning influence students' predisposition towards team-based learning activities. Incorporating strategies for helping teams to effectively regulate group work and enhance planning processes may result in an increase in students' engagement with learning activities and collaborative processes. Taking into account the benefits of the agile method for teamwork organisation, this study sought to analyse the usefulness of agile strategies for team regulation and project management in online higher education. An iterative process of course redesign was conducted in the context of an undergraduate project-based learning course during two consecutive semesters. The new design was piloted and evaluated based on the students' and teacher's views and the learning outcomes. A total of 114 students were surveyed about their satisfaction with the course and their perception of the usefulness of the method. Two interviews were conducted to collect the teacher's opinions. The results of the study indicate that agile strategies are useful for improving students' online project management and collaboration. Nevertheless, no significant impact has been observed in students' satisfaction nor in the overall learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agile software development methods are mostly built as a set of managerial guidelines and development concepts on how to handle a software development but are not bounded to software development paradigms like object or agent orientation. Some methods, like eXtreme Programming and SCRUM are driven by operational requirements representation models called User Stories. These User Stories can be used as an anchoring point to agile methods; this means that we could take a User Stories set to drive a software transformation approach embedded in a particular development paradigm. This paper presents a process fragment for Multi-Agent Systems development with agile methods based on User Stories sets. The process fragment indeed takes advantage of an initial set of User Stories to build a reasoning model (called the Rationale Tree; typically several of these are built for a single project) that documents decompositions and means-end alternatives in scenarios for requirements realization. A Rationale Tree can then be aligned with a Multi-Agent design and implemented in an agent-oriented development language. In this paper the transformation is targeted to the JAVA Agent DEvelopment (JADE) framework. The process fragment (at least partially) covers the Requirements Analysis, Multi-Agent System Design and Multi-Agent System Implementation phases. Transformation from one phase to the other is overseen and illustrated on an example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Control Moment Gyro (CMG) and Reaction Wheel (RW) generally serve in different spacecraft control tasks due to their unique characteristics, such as large output torque and control accuracy, respectively. The major concerns in using of CMG and RW are singularity and saturation, which could make spacecraft uncontrollable. RW as singularity escape equipment is adopted to construct hybrid actuator system named CMG & RW (CMGRW) to enhance and improve the spacecraft attitude performance as well as the CMG's. First, the attitude dynamic model of the spacecraft equipped with hybrid actuators is established and the corresponding singularity is analyzed thoroughly. Then null motion in CMGRW is further argued and proved feasible for both elliptical and hyperbolic singularities escape. A new performance index in terms of CMG and RW state is proposed, followed by a steering logic using gradient method with a feasible null motion vector to drive the hybrid actuator system to feasible states. Numerical simulations with initial conditions considering CMG singularity and RW saturation are selected to demonstrate the excellent performance of the hybrid actuators during the entire large angle agile maneuvering process, resulting in a group of feasible final states of the CMGRW that serves as great initial conditions for the next agile maneuvering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Product Configuration System (PCS) is a software system that facilitates the sales and production processes of defined customizable products. PCS are specific software developments in the sense that they are knowledge-intensive so that they require models to formalize the complex knowledge inherent to product configurations also leading to dependencies between software functionalities. Scrum is a widely used agile method, but its training has been the subject of little research. Model-driven development implicitly impacts the way development is conducted especially when adopting an agile method as Scrum. This paper, as exploratory research, evaluates Scrum training for PCS projects through a qualitative case study. The goal is to identify the elements that should be focused on within Scrum background training. This research first studies and assesses the training experiences at the case company. Then, it reports on respondents' opinions about the strengths and challenges of applying Scrum in the mentioned context. The latter is based on multiple data sources: documentation, interviews, participant observations, and workshops. Issues in applicability lead to enhanced training support for learning how to (i) combine Scrum with the model-driven approach inherently required within PCS development, (ii) manage time and effort estimation on the basis of accurate artifacts and (iii) access key employees possessing domain or specific technical knowledge indispensable for pursuing the development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Proposing the defuzzification relations of equality constraints with Nec measure. • Offering a new fuzzy network slack based model on the basis of necessity measure. • The proposed relations combine the Nec equality constraints and network SBM. • Using agile supply chain theory to validate the proposed approach. With respect to the necessity (Nec) measure, suggesting by Dubois and Prade, there is a dearth of any procedure or formula to deal with equality chance constraints. Therefore, this study attempted to introduce (Nec) and possibility (Pos) equality constraints in a real-case network non-oriented slack based model problem via agile supply chain (ASC) theory. The efficiency of different levels of agility of a dairy supply chain (SC), using a new fuzzy network Date Envelopment Analysis slack based model (FNDEA-SBM) on the basis of (Pos)/(Nec) measures, has been measured in this paper. The measurement took place in a multi-stage process. Since the agility features were rather qualitative in nature, the measures were likely to be delineated subjectively using linguistic expressions and fuzzy data. The application of (Pos)/(Nec) measures and different confidence levels made decision makers capable of getting information of all efficiency and sub efficiency scores through optimistic-pessimistic lenses and taking appropriate decisions on the basis of different optimistic-pessimistic points of view and confidence levels. The validity of the suggested approach was demonstrated through a real-life case study related to Iranian top twenty dairy firms. The results indicated the success of the suggested approach and computations were straightforward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers have proposed that generating conceptual models automatically from user stories might be useful for agile software development. It is, however, unclear from the state-of-the-art what a consistent and complementary set of models to generate is, how these models can be generated such that relationships and dependencies in a set of related user stories are unveiled, and why these models are useful in agile software development projects. In this paper, we address these questions through a Design Science research study. First, we define four stylized versions of Unified Modeling Language (UML) diagrams (i.e., use case diagram, class diagram, activity diagram, state machine diagram) that will be the target of the model generation. Although these stylized UML diagrams have a reduced abstract syntax, they offer different perspectives on the software system in focus with potential usefulness for requirements and software engineering. Second, we develop an automated model generation approach based on different design artifacts including a Natural Language Processing (NLP) tool that implements our approach. Key to our solution is the use of the Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) scenario template to document user stories. Using an example set of BDD scenarios as source of the model generation, we demonstrate the feasibility of our approach via the NLP tool that implements our approach. Third, we conduct an empirical study with experts in agile software development involving the researcher-guided interactive use of our tool to explore the use of the generated models. This study shows the perceived usefulness of the models that our tool can generate and identifies different uses and benefits of the models for requirements analysis, system design, software implementation, and testing in projects that employ agile methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An ultrasensitive double-layers CF-based piezoresistive sensor has been proposed. • The CF@A-CNTs/APP exhibits outstanding flame retardancy. • The CF@A-CNTs/APP triggers the fire-alarming system in just 2 s. • The CF@A-CNTs/APP could monitor the behavioral actions of firefighters. With the high frequency of fires, multifunctional cotton fabrics with high flame retardancy and agile fire-warning ability are urgently needed. Herein, a newly cotton fabric-based piezoresistive sensor (denoted as CF@A-CNTs/APP) with intelligent fire protection and high sensitivity is proposed, which is composed of amino-functionalized carbon nanotubes (A-CNTs) and ammonium polyphosphate (APP) wrapped on cotton fabric (CF) using layer-by-layer self-assembly. The CF@A-CNTs/APP demonstrated excellent flame retardancy due to the synergistic formation of a dense flame retardant layer on the CF surface by A-CNTs and APP. The char residue of CF@A-CNTs/APP reached 44.0 wt% at 700 °C (nitrogen atmosphere), and the limiting oxygen index of CF@A-CNTs/APP was as high as 37.6%. More importantly, the CF@A-CNTs/APP triggered the fire-alarming system within 2 s. Benefiting from the pattern microstructures of double-layers CF and the high conductivity of A-CNTs, the CF@A-CNTs/APP has exhibited a high sensitivity of 3.8 kPa−1 (0 kPa-16.62 kPa). In view of outstanding flame retardancy, high sensitivity and robustness, the CF@A-CNTs/APPs could be integrated into firefighting suits or electronic skins to monitor the behavioral actions and equipment operating conditions. This work provides a novel strategy for a new generation of CF-based sensors with fire resistance and high sensitivity, and offers new insights into the preparation and application of smart fire-resistant materials in the field of the internet of things. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, Agile Software Development (ASD) is used to cope with increasing complexity in system development. Hybrid development models, with the integration of User-Centered Design (UCD), are applied with the aim to deliver competitive products with a suitable User Experience (UX). Therefore, stakeholder and user involvement during Requirements Engineering (RE) are essential in order to establish a collaborative environment with constant feedback loops. The aim of this study is to capture the current state of the art of the literature related to Agile RE with focus on stakeholder and user involvement. In particular, we investigate what approaches exist to involve stakeholder in the process, which methodologies are commonly used to present the user perspective and how requirements management is been carried out. We conduct a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) with an extensive quality assessment of the included studies. We identified 27 relevant papers. After analyzing them in detail, we derive deep insights to the following aspects of Agile RE: stakeholder and user involvement, data gathering, user perspective, integrated methodologies, shared understanding, artifacts, documentation and Non-Functional Requirements (NFR). Agile RE is a complex research field with cross-functional influences. This study will contribute to the software development body of knowledge by assessing the involvement of stakeholder and user in Agile RE, providing methodologies that make ASD more human-centric and giving an overview of requirements management in ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible approaches, such as agile, hybrid, and extreme project management methods in the software project environment, are increasingly being used in nonsoftware environments. Nevertheless, only a few methods and no topological, time-related or resource-related indicators or project databases can address projects of a flexible nature. This study proposes a unified matrix-based model (UMP) to consider single-mode, multimode, individual and multiple projects. Based on the UMP, a CMPD is specified to collect 11 existing project databases. In addition, a flexible structure generator (FSG) is proposed to generate flexible tasks and dependencies for analyzing the effects of flexibility on topology and project demand-related indicators. By correlation graphs, the relations between structure-related and demand-related indicators are analyzed. The comparison of the simulated and real-life databases shows that the interpretation range of the indicators is different; however, considering the flexibility, this problem can be resolved. • Matrix-based models are proposed to unify existing project datasets. • Seven existing single and 4 multiple project databases are combined. • A flexible structure generator is proposed to specify agile and hybrid projects. • New, flexibility-dependent indicators are specified. • The effects of structural flexibility for project topology and demands are examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rise of agile development notion, software test automation is widely adopted by software organizations to reduce the testing time and costs during the software development process. However, it is essential to carefully implement the test automation to ensure the project's success. In the literature, several studies have indicated that decision-making is crucial for the adoption of test automation. For deciding about test automation adoption, several factors, including the skill level of testers, test tool, and development process, need to be considered since automated testing performance heavily depends on the mentioned factors and their interactions. Thus, it is of vital importance to ascertain the factors that influence test automation in the context of Agile-based Software Development (ASD). To accomplish this, we perform a systematic literature review and a questionnaire-based survey. In total, 21 factors are identified that significantly impact test automation in the ASD context. Additionally, the identified factors are categorized into five main classes. Following the identified factors' assessment, this work proposes a conceptual model that supports agile practitioners in deciding about the adoption of test automation in the context of ASD. Finally, this work validates the proposed model to assess its practical applicability. The validation of the proposed model is accomplished by using an expert-based validation approach. The attained results show that the proposed model supports agile practitioners in estimating the possibility of success when implementing test automation in the ASD context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile wireless channels change persistently and rapidly, so power control needs to adapt similarly in order to save battery power and mitigate interference. Training signals in every data packet are used to achieve this in current systems, albeit in a suboptimal fashion from a power consumption perspective. This problem is used as the basis for posing and solving in detail an optimal dual adaptive control problem and then deriving heuristic controllers from this optimal solution. Dual refers to the joint requirements of the control signal to probe the system for parameter estimation and to regulate the total energy use; these are conflicting requirements which reveal the complexity of optimal stochastic control in general. The information state is defined, computed and explicitly incorporated into the optimization. Performance and computational load comparisons are made between: the optimal control, the certainty equivalence control, and a simplified heuristic approach. The contribution of the paper is the explicit solution of a classically hard optimal stochastic control problem to expose the role of the information state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global software development (GSD) is gaining ever more relevance. Although communication is key in the exchange of information between team members, multi-site software development has introduced additional obstacles (different time-zones and cultures, IT infrastructure, etc.) and delays into the act of communication, which is already problematic. Communication is even more critical in the case of Agile Global Software Development (AGSD) in which communication plays a primary role. This paper reports an exploratory study of the effects of tools supporting communication in AGSD. More precisely, this paper analyses the perception of team members about communication infrastructures in AGSD. The research question to which this study responds concerns how development teams perceive the communication infrastructure while developing products using agile methodologies. Most previous studies have dealt with communication support from a highly technological media tool perspective. In this research work, instead, observations were obtained from three perspectives: communication among team members, communication of the status of the development process, and communication of the status of the progress of the product under development. It has been possible to show that team members perceive advantages to using media tools that make them feel in practice that teams are co-located, such as smartboards supported by efficient video-tools, and combining media tools with centralized repository tools, with information from the process development and product characteristics, that allow distributed teams to effectively share information about the status of the project/process/product during the development process in order to overcome some of the still existing problems in communication in AGSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 'Agile cost estimation in scrum development. • Cost estimation methods in scrum and limitations. • Suggested a cost estimation model. Agile has been invented to improve and overcome the deficiencies of efficient software development. At present, the agile model is used in software development vastly due to its support to both developers and clients resourcefully. Agile methodology increases the interaction between the developer and client to make the software product defect-free. The agile model is getting to be a well-known life cycle model because of its particular features and most owing is to allow changes at any level of the project from the product owner. However, on other hand, this novel feature is a disadvantage of the agile model due to frequent change requests from the client has increased the cost and time. To overcome cost and time estimation issues different cost estimation techniques are being used in agile development but no one is pertinent for accurate estimation. Therefore, this study has proposed a cost estimation technique. The proposed estimation technique is predictions-based and has different categorizations of projects based on user stories complexities and the developer's expertise. We have applied the suggested technique to ongoing projects to find the results and effectiveness. We have used two projects with different sizes and user stories. Both projects have different modules and developers with different expertise. We have used the proposed estimation technique on projects and done a survey session with the teams. This survey session's main objective is to reveal the statistical findings of the proposed solution. We have designed the 12 hypotheses for statistical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agile methods in software development have been introduced to cope with the inherent problems of the traditional methods. The increasing prevalence of using these methods reflects their important role in the future of software development. However, leaving traditional approach and adapting to Agile approach has been a central attention of the researchers. Indeed, Agile transition needs enough time and effort and most often is subject to several challenges and barriers, mainly because of its people-centric nature. Human-related challenges in several studies have been reported as the major transition challenges. However, exploring the primary origins and reasons of these challenges has received less effort in a large-scale research study. A Grounded Theory in context of Agile software development has been conducted involving 49 Agile practitioners across the 13 different countries. This study identified different aspects of human-related challenges throughout Agile transition process. The results of this study show that the root of the emerged issues is the people's perceptions about Agile transition. The main purpose of this paper is to describe the origins and reasons of these challenges and issues in order to help software companies and development teams. Considering the findings may help them to facilitate Agile transition process with less cost, time and effort and to get better results by considering these potential challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent years have seen an increasing number of spatial tools and technologies for enabling better decision-making in the urban environment. They have largely arisen because of the need for cities to be more efficiently planned to accommodate growing populations while mitigating urban sprawl, and also because of innovations in rendering data in 3D being well suited for visualising the urban built environment. In this paper we review a number of systems that are better known and more commonly used in the field of urban planning. We then introduce Envision Scenario Planner (ESP), a web-based 3D precinct geodesign, visualisation and assessment tool, developed using Agile and Co-design methods. We provide a comprehensive account of the tool, beginning with a discussion of its design and development process and concluding with an example use case and a discussion of the lessons learned in its development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bstract Taking advantage of the high manoeuvrability and the accurate pointing of the so-called agile satellites, an algorithm which allows efficient management of the operations concerning optical acquisitions is described. Fundamentally, this algorithm can be subdivided into two parts: in the first one the algorithm operates a geometric classification of the areas of interest and a partitioning of these areas into stripes which develop along the optimal scan directions; in the second one it computes the succession of the time windows in which the acquisition operations of the areas of interest are feasible, taking into consideration the potential restrictions associated with these operations and with the geometric and stereoscopic constraints. The results and the performances of the proposed algorithm have been determined and discussed considering the case of the Periodic Sun-Synchronous Orbits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigated an Earth observation scheduling problem for agile satellites under a time window constraint and resource constraints of limited on-board memory capacity and consecutive working time. We assumed that different observation tasks may have priority levels, and the objective is to maximize the total priority of selected tasks. To address the problem, we first presented a detailed problem description and developed a mathematical programming model. Considering the over-constrained feature of the problem, we developed constructive algorithms to solve the problem, which adopt a priority-based sequential construction procedure to avoid conflicts and generate feasible solutions. The proposed sequential construction procedure contributes to eliminating the need for extra constraint handling techniques, and helps to reduce the complexity of feasibility checking. By analyzing the competitive relationship of various resources, we proved the condition of mutual exclusion of time windows and then developed new priority-based indicators to evaluate the benefits and opportunity costs of different positioning decisions, which is a key component to be used in the proposed constructive algorithms. Through extensive computational experiments on various scenarios including real-world data from China’s satellite platform, the effectiveness of the developed constructive algorithms was verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distributed resources – distributed generations, storage, electric vehicles and smart appliances – have fueled many disruptions in the conventional grid dynamics. Increasing tough and competitive situations at demand-side have led the stakeholders of power system to reform, because people are more informed and can make decisions that has given rise to turbulent and volatile electricity markets. In such highly diversified and open market environment, the integrated control strategy has expedited the concept of Demand Response. Currently, the important questions in the area of demand response are likely to shift from whether to adopt dynamic pricing to how to achieve fast demand response by the combination of technology and a competitive retail electricity market. This paper assembles the part and parcel in the light of existing technologies for the development of the concept of agility in demand response, that can play a role as a service package which is designed to meet the customer satisfaction efficiently and reliably as well as improve the market responsiveness. For the first time, this paper encompasses the concept of Agile Demand Response that is defined as the ability of power system to survive and prosper in the competitive retail market by reacting to the market needs fast and effectively which are driven by the customers. This paper also presents the key enablers of the agile demand response, which are (1) Retail Market, (2) Virtual Supply-demand matching mechanism, (3) Integrated information system and (4) Stay Committed. The paper concludes that by bringing the enablers together – Agile DR improves the responsiveness to the retail market changes unambiguously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• In this article, all 36 dimensional success factors are considered to estimate the required effort and cost to develop any Agile-Scrum based software project. • The work presented in the article computes the required time, effort and cost of projects mentioned in a data set on the basis of different inputs to the system. • For computation purposes, we divided the projects into three categories as Low, Medium and High level project for the unbiased estimation. • The datasets considered for computation purposes, also validated by experienced professionals from software industries. • It is found that the results obtained from the extended algorithm are cost-effective and less effort-oriented to a great extent as a compared to the existing algorithm. Effort and cost estimation is essential processes during software development. For agile methodologies as well, several approaches have been proposed so far to estimate the required effort and cost to develop any software system. Genuine assessment of software products is not an easy task as it requires the constant attention of the product owner. For effective estimation, we need to consider various success factors associated with all possible dimensions. In this article, we look at Scrum-based Agile projects that are developed over multiple sprints. We proposed an extension to the existing algorithm based on a total of 36 success factors; Which estimates the development effort and cost required to complete the project. For assessment and calculation, we have taken a data-set of a total of 30 projects categorized into three groups as low, medium, and high-level projects. This dataset is further validated by experienced professionals. We also compared our results with the existing approach and found that our results are cost-effective and require less effort even after considering more success factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]