Agile Requirement Change Management Model for Global Software Development
Neha Koulecar, Bachan Ghimire
TL;DR
The paper tackles the challenge of managing requirements changes in globally distributed agile software development (GSD). It presents ARCM-GSD, an agile requirements change management model that extends existing frameworks with new phases for traceability, categorization, prioritization, and effort estimation, while integrating with agile roles and project-tracking tools. The authors employ a mixed-methods approach—extensive literature review, semi-structured interviews with 38 industry experts, and a 59-response survey—to develop and validate the model, including assessments of usability, relevance, and coverage of RCM activities. Findings indicate strong expert support for ARCM-GSD’s comprehensibility, applicability to ASD and GSD contexts, and comprehensive RCM coverage, suggesting potential for improved coordination, change traceability, and backlog management in global agile projects; however, empirical real-world validation remains needed to confirm effectiveness across diverse organizations and tool ecosystems.
Abstract
We propose a noble, comprehensive and robust agile requirements change management (ARCM) model that addresses the limitations of existing models and is tailored for agile software development in the global software development paradigm. To achieve this goal, we conducted an exhaustive literature review and an empirical study with RCM industry experts. Our study evaluated the effectiveness of the proposed RCM model in a real-world setting and identifies any limitations or areas for improvement. The results of our study provide valuable insights into how the proposed RCM model can be applied in agile global software development environments to improve software development practices and optimize project success rates.