A Study on the Perception of Researchers about the Application of Agile Software Development Methods in Research

TL;DR

This paper explores researchers' perceptions and openness towards applying Agile Software Development methods in research projects through a survey of Brazilian researchers.

Contribution

It provides the first empirical insights into researchers' attitudes and knowledge about Agile practices in the context of research projects.

Findings

Researchers show moderate awareness of Agile principles.

Openness to adopting Agile varies across disciplines.

Most researchers see potential benefits of Agile in research.

Abstract

Papers on Agile Software Development methods are often focused on their applicability in commercial projects or organizations. There are no current studies that we know about addressing the application of these methods in research projects. The objective of this work is to describe the perception of researchers on the application of agile software development practices and principles for research projects. A study was conducted by constructing and applying a questionnaire to Brazilian researchers of different affiliations, formation and research areas in order to obtain information about their knowledge and openness to follow agile software development principles and practices.