A project management hybrid model of software development in an academic environment

Abstract

The project management paradigm is changing. Agile methodologies are part of this change. They came in opposition to traditional standards and their dissemination and intertwining is resulting in the adaption of traditional models to hybrid models, especially when dealing with small projects. They allow to balance flexibility and predictability. There is no standard hybrid model, it must be adapted to the project being developed. This paper aims to analyze the performance of a hybrid model were the initiation, planning and finalization followed the traditional methodology and the development followed the agile methodology (scrum). This model was used by a team responsible for the management and development of a software project in an academic setting. The project consisted of the development of a digital platform to support project management in Small and Medium Enterprises (SME). The team was composed by university students and the hybrid model was defined by the teachers of the course. Data were collected through observation and the application of a questionnaire to the team. The results show that the model used was effective for the management and development of this project, done in an academic environment, since it was less formal and more adaptable to people with little experience in project management than a purely traditional model