An Exploratory Pilot Survey on Technical Quality Control Practices in Agile R&D Projects
Mateus Costa Lucena

TL;DR
This paper explores how agile R&D software teams in Brazil report on technical quality control practices, revealing inconsistencies and gaps in applying automated testing, code review, and metrics monitoring.
Contribution
It provides an exploratory baseline on technical quality management practices in agile R&D projects within a regional innovation ecosystem.
Findings
Practices like automated testing and code review are acknowledged but inconsistently applied.
Gaps exist in monitoring technical quality metrics and assessing technical debt.
Inconsistencies in practice application across project iterations.
Abstract
Managing technical quality in agile Research and Development (R&D) software projects represents a persistent challenge, particularly in contexts characterized by high technical uncertainty and experimental pressure. This exploratory pilot survey explores how agile R&D software teams report the use of practices and metrics related to technical quality control within Scrum-based environments. The study employed a structured questionnaire administered to professionals from Science and Technology Institutions (STIs) located in Manaus, Brazil, aiming to capture reported practices, perceptions of quality, and recurrent challenges. Quantitative data were complemented by qualitative responses to support contextual interpretation. The results indicate that although practices such as automated testing, code review, and continuous integration are widely acknowledged, their reported application is…
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Taxonomy
TopicsSoftware Engineering Techniques and Practices · Open Source Software Innovations · Innovation Policy and R&D
