On the Understanding of Experimentation Usage in Light of Lean Startup in Software Development Context
Bruna Prauchner Vargas, Ingrid Signoretti, Maximilian Zorzetti, Sabrina dos Santos Marczak, Ricardo Melo Bastos · 2020
Experimentation can be used to validate software solutions, reducing waste on efforts and costs that would be spent had the solution not been validated from the beginning. Aware of experimentation benefits, a methodology named as Lean Startup have incorporated experiments and build-measure-learn loop as a manner to reduce waste from product development by focusing on efforts that will create value to customers, such as discovering the best solution. Aiming to characterize the use of experimentation in light of Lean Startup, we conducted a case study with two software development teams from a multinational information technology company. We characterize how experimentation works by teams perception, what are the benefits and challenges in the use of it. We identified in the study that experimentation was rooted in the workers' mindset and came up naturally should its need arise. Our findings indicate that the process of experimentation, albeit still a systematic effort, happens organically, and that it helps in development decisions and in reducing development efforts. Challenges are related to organizational culture and lack of belief in the approach by stakeholders.