Towards a Theory of Simplicity in Agile Software Development: A Qualitative Study

Context: Several research works emphasise that the concept of simplicity is, in itself, by far not a simple concept, mainly because there are many perspectives on the perception of simplicity. Purpose: To understand how project managers and software engineers interpret their experiences in agile software projects considering the simplicity issues in agile software development. Method: Semi-structured interviews were carried out with practitioners within a software development company. The data was analysed using grounded theory techniques. Results: A set of categories (lightweight process, knowledge acquisition, personal communication, time-consuming, and product with value) that affect the simplicity in agile software development were extracted. Finally, the categories and propositions with higher explanatory power were used to create a provisional theory about simplicity in agile software projects. Conclusion: The results show that a better understanding of the implications of simplicity on agile software development may contribute to the projects' successes.