Author, practitioner and educator on agile software development including large-scale and multinational teams. Creating new knowledge in global software engineering, deployment of cloud-hosted software services and ICT for international development in the global south (ICT4D). Head of Computer Science and Software Engineering at University of Salford. Chief Technology Officer at Red Ocelot Ltd.
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Selected Publications
February 2019
Tailoring Product Ownership in Large-Scale Agile Projects, IEEE Software
In large-scale agile projects, product owners undertake a range of challenging and varied activities beyond those conventionally associated with that role. This article describes product-owner activities and behaviors that are valued by experienced product owners and their line managers.
July 2016
Artefacts and Agile Method Tailoring in Large-Scale Offshore Software Development Programmes, Information and Software Technology
This study identified 25 artefacts, organised into five categories: feature, sprint, release, product and corporate governance. It was discovered that conventional agile artefacts are enriched with artefacts associated with plan-based methods in order to provide governance. The empirical evidence collected in the study is used to identify a primary owner of each artefact and map each artefact to specific activities within each of the agile roles.
December 2015
How Product Owner Teams Scale Agile Methods to Large Distributed Enterprises, Empirical Software Engineering
This research describes nine product owner team functions identified: groom, prioritiser, release master, technical architect, governor, communicator, traveller, intermediary and risk assessor. These product owner functions arbitrate between conflicting customer requirements, approve release schedules, disseminate architectural design decisions, provide technical governance and propogate information across teams. The functions identified in this research are mapped to a scrum of scrums process, and a taxonomy of the functions shows how focusing on either decision-making or information dissemination in each helps to tailor agile methods to large scale offshore enterprise development programmes.
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Education
1996
University of Sheffield, UK
Ph.D., Voting in Real-Time Distributed Computer Control Systems
2003
University of Sheffield, UK
M.Ed., Teaching and Learning for University Lecturers
1990
University of Wales, Bangor
B.Sc., 2.1 Hons. Computer Systems Engineering
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Teaching
Trimester 1
Live project using agile software development methods with projects set by external partners. Preparatory workshops and lectures provide opportunities to acquire skills required for successful completion of HackCamp.
Trimester 2
Software Evolution
Hands-on analysis and enhancement of an existing object-oriented software system. Workshops and lectures provide opportunities to rehease skills in automated testing, continuous integration and evolution of an existing software system.
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Professional Activities
June 2020
Director, CTO, Red Ocelot Ltd.
2009
Chartered Fellow (FBCS)
1999