Challenges of lean organizations working with third party tech agencies. Discovery Backlog VS Development Backlog

Ketevani Bukhnikashvili, BBA

Master's thesis

Abstract:

Abstract As far as the demand for IT services is growing, cooperation with third party tech agencies appears as a subject for discussion. This Thesis aims to study and define cooperation models of lean organization and a third party development agency. The main goal of this thesis is to analyze the roots of the problems in cooperation and provide a model which will help both parties work together more effectively, avoiding challenges. In order to reach the research goal, literature review and in-depth interview analysis were performed. The research found three main problems in collaboration. First, lean organisations being focused on the outcome, while the agencies being focused on the output of the development. Second, parties not sharing the information efficiently, and third, agencies struggling with challenges caused by fast changing scope. Depending on the in-depth interview results and literature review following suggestions were created for overcoming cooperation challenges: Agency can outstaff its employees. As a result a lean organization on the very early stage of the product development cycle gets a dedicated team, which is involved into processes fully. Following gives transparency and the team has a good understanding of reasonings why things are done. Team is empowered, meaning it is self managed and outcome oriented, the whole team’s interest is product to be successful.

Keywords

Lean, Outsource, Software development, Agency, Agile, Scrum, Outstaffing

Jazyk práce: English

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 6. 4. 2021

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Vedúci: Ing. Richard Selby, Ph.D.

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Economics and Management

Master programme / odbor:
Systems Engineering and Informatics / Informatics