A hybrid approach to quantitative software project scheduling within agile frameworks

In this article, the authors focus on the quantitative project scheduling problem in IT companies that apply the agile management philosophy and scrum, in particular. The authors combine mathematical programming with an agile project flow using a modified multi-mode resource constrained project scheduling model for software projects (MRCPS). The proposed approach can be used to generate schedules as benchmarks for agile development iterations. Computational experiments based on real project data indicate that this approach significantly reduces the project cycle time. The approach can be a useful addition to agile project management, especially for software project with predefined deadlines and budgets.