Digital Collections Are a Sprint, Not a Marathon: Adapting Scrum Project Management Techniques to Library Digital Initiatives
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.6017/ital.v34i4.5869Abstract
This article describes a case study in which a small team from the digital initiatives group and metadata services department at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU-Boulder) Libraries conducted a pilot of the Scrum project management framework. The pilot team organized digital initiatives work into short, fixed intervals called sprints—a key component of Scrum. Over a year of working in the modified framework yielded significant improvements to digital collection work, including increased production of digital objects and surrogate records, accelerated publication of digital collections, and an increase in the number of concurrent projects. Adoption of sprints has improved communication and cooperation among participants, reinforced teamwork, and enhanced their ability to adapt to shifting priorities.
References
Becker, Danielle A. & Lauren Yannotta. “Modeling a Library Web Site Redesign Process: Developing a User-Centered Web Site Through Usability Testing.” Information Technology and Libraries 32, no. 1 (2013): 6-22.
Cardozo, E., J. B. F. A. Neto, Alexandre Barza, A. França, and F. da Silva. "SCRUM and productivity in software projects: a systematic literature review." Paper presented at the 14th International Conference on Evaluation and Assessment in Software Engineering (EASE). 2010.
Cervone, H. Frank. "Understanding agile project management methods using Scrum." OCLC Systems & Services 27, no. 1 (2011): 18-22, doi: 10.1108/10650751111106528
Deemer, P., G. Benefield, C. Larman, and B. Vodde. "The Scrum Primer: A Lightweight Guide to the Theory and Practice of Scrum." (2012).
Fagan, Jodi Condit. “Usability Testing of a Large, Multidisciplinary Library Database: Basic Search and Visual Search”. Information Technology and Libraries, 25 no. 3 (2006): 140-150.
Fernández, Javier D., Miguel A. Martínez-Prieto, Pablo de la Fuente, Jesús Vegas, Joaquín Adiego. “Agile DL: Building a DELOS-Conformed Digital Library Using Agile Software Development.” In Research and Advanced Technology for Digital Libraries, edited by Birte Christensen-Dalsgaard, Donatella Castelli, Bolette Ammitzbøll Jurik, and Joan Lippincott, 398-399. Berlin: Springer-Verlag, (2008), doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-87599-4_44
Ferreira, Sueli Mara & Denise Nunes Pithan. "Usability of Digital Libraries.” OCLC Systems & Services: International Digital Library Perspectives 21 no. 4 (2005), doi: 10.1108/10650750510631695
Frisque, Michelle. “Using Scrum to Streamline Web Applications Development and Improve Transparency.” Paper presented at the 13th Annual LITA National Forum, Atlanta, Georgia, September 30 - October 3, 2010.
Melo, Cassio. “Spreadsheet for Sprint Backlog & Burndown in Agile/Scrum.” Cassio Melo (blog). http://cassiomelo.com/2014/03/spreadsheet-for-sprint-backlog-burndown-in-agilescrum.
Meunier, Benjamin & Olaf Eigenbrodt. “More Than Bricks and Mortar: Building a Community of Users Through Library Design”, Journal of Library Administration, 54 no. 3 (2014), doi: 10.1080/01930826.2014.915166
Palmer, Lisa A. & Barbara C. Ingrassia. “Utilizing the Power of Continuous Process Improvement in Technical Services.” Journal of Hospital Librarianship 5 no. 3 (2005), doi: 10.1300/J186v05n03_09
Zaphiris, Panayiotis, Kulvinder Gill, Terry H.-Y. Ma, Stephanie Wilson & Helen Petrie. “Exploring the Use of Information Visualization for Digital Libraries.” New Review of Information Networking 10 no
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2015 Information Technology and Libraries
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
Authors that submit to Information Technology and Libraries agree to the Copyright Notice.
