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Presented at the Western Association of Map Librarians (WAML) Annual Conference, Albuquerque, NM, Sept. 25-27, 2024At UC San Diego, our Library’s Data & GIS Lab employs between four and six student workers. These students not only serve as the front line to patrons who drop by the lab with geospatial or data analysis questions, they also have them work on Library related projects. We will discuss how we’ve taken Agile principles and applied them to help us manage our Lab and the projects our students work on. While Agile methodologies and principles emerged as a response to challenges and limitations observed in traditional software development and project management practices, we are applying them as a flexible and adaptive approach to managing projects and delivering value to our end users. We leverage weekly standups, a Trello kanban, and allocate time to reflect and make changes to how we operate and can continue to improve as a Lab. Taking these approaches have helped us better manage our patrons' needs as well as our projects.

All the software products developed will need testing to ensure the quality and accuracy of the product. It makes the life of testers much easier when they can optimize on the effort spent and predict defects for the upcoming modules in the Agile era. The functionality being discussed in this paper is to predict the defects using Random Forest Algorithm. Predictive analytics draws on information from the past to create forecasts about the outcomes of future events. Product team always have the difficulty in delivering the product as per schedule. As we are in the agile era, the requirement keeps changing and team is unsure on upcoming releases. Prediction helps the team to focus on the complex and error prone modules in upcoming releases. The Predictive analytics model designed, can predict defects with an accuracy rate of 88% with the help of historical data. By predicting, testers can focus on the module where there are a greater number of defects predicted by the model and left shift the delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This position paper investigates the transformative impact of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) on Agile roles. Focusing on the product owner, developer, and scrum master, we analyze how GenAI redefines traditional tasks, encouraging a shift towards more strategic and creative functions. Through practical experience, we illustrate AI's role in enhancing Agile processes, its practices and emphasize the need for Agile practitioners to integrate AI understanding. These results highlight the balance between GenAI's efficiencies and Agile's human‐centric principles, proposing research directions for AI‐enriched Agile practices that promise to drive innovation and maintain the agility in a technologically progressive era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research is to understand how different representations of requirements influence idea generation in terms of quantity, addressment, novelty, and variety of conceptual sketches. Requirements are testable statements of need, desires, and wishes of the stakeholders that are used by engineers to frame the problem. Project success is highly dependent on well-defined requirements documents. An experimental study was conducted with 52 fourth-year mechanical engineering undergraduate students. Two design problems are used with three different representations: a problem statement with embedded requirements, a problem statement and a traditional requirement list, and a problem statement with contextualized scrum stories. Each student addressed both design problems with two different representations of requirements. It was found that the use of contextualized scrum story representations significantly affected the novelty of solution fragments and addressment of requirements, while no significant change in variety and quantity was seen. Finally, it was found that quantity is not directly related to the number of requirements addressed in the sketches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agile Transformations are challenging processes for organizations that look to extend the benefits of Agile philosophy and methods beyond software engineering. Despite the impact of these transformations on organizations, they have not been extensively studied in academia. We conducted a study grounded in workshops and interviews with 99 participants from 30 organizations, including organizations undergoing transformations ("final organizations") and companies supporting these processes ("consultants"). The study aims to understand the motivations, objectives, and factors driving and challenging these transformations. Over 700 responses were collected to the question and categorized into 32 objectives. The findings show that organizations primarily aim to achieve customer centricity and adaptability, both with 8% of the mentions. Other primary important objectives, with above 4% of mentions, include alignment of goals, lean delivery, sustainable processes, and a flatter, more team-based organizational structure. We also detect discrepancies in perspectives between the objectives identified by the two kinds of organizations and the existing agile literature and models. This misalignment highlights the need for practitioners to understand with the practical realities the organizations face. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chief Information Officer of the Standard Bank Group, Brenda Niehaus, was contemplating her next steps. It is 2014 and she has just been appointed in her role and was burdened with a considerable set of challenges. Standard Bank Group's IT costs were far above industry benchmarks, delivery was slow, staff was unhappy and there were a couple of large signature projects that were over time and budget by orders of magnitudes. Her predecessor has embarked on a large whole scale outsourcing journey and a decision needs to be made if that will continue. Dawie Olivier, her Head of Build, advocates something different: Agile and DevOps. The dream in this approach is to have many small cross-functional two-pizza teams that work together in close proximity and build software. The code created on a developer's laptop will then seamlessly deploy to production automatically without the interference of pesky change control boards or some manual intervention. Should she continue with outsourcing or insource and focus on Agile? What she didn't realise was that her successors will all face a similar situation and that answers will not be ready at hand. Many organisations face a similar dilemma of balancing outsourcing, Agile, DevOps and general constraints around skilled resources. We provide a rich narrative of the choices CIOs face in developing countries around these themes to help students understand the risks and opportunities these different approaches bring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EFQM Model (European Foundation for Quality Management), established in 1991, serves as a framework for organizational excellence, helping achieve sustainable success through an integrated management system. The Model's evolution is driven by the need to adapt to global trends, threats, and technological innovations such as digital transformation, employee engagement and well-being, remote work, agile performance management, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), sustainability, AI (Artificial Intelligence), and big data. The new EFQM Model 2025, presented in Istanbul in June 2024, introduces significant changes, emphasizing sustainability, innovation, and technology. These changes are analyzed based on the logic of three questions: Why, How, and What. Why: There is a necessity for better alignment of organizations with contemporary challenges through flexibility, risk resilience, and innovation capabilities in a dynamic business environment, including alignment with the Unated Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). How: The Model introduces an integrated approach to performance management and transformation, incorporating advanced technologies such as AI and data analytics. What: Implementing the EFQM Model 2025 enhances organizational adaptability, innovation, and flexibility, improving financial, operational, and strategic outcomes. Better alignment with sustainability goals leads to long-term value and social responsibility. Improved stakeholder engagement methods enhance understanding and satisfaction. The use of advanced technologies supports innovation and operational efficiency, while better strategic and operational performance and risk management ensure greater stability and the ability to anticipate future challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Following the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' approval of the Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver, an increasing number of health care organizations launched Home Hospital (HH) programs in the USA. Ongoing barriers include access to HH expertise and a standard, comprehensive set of implementation tools. We created the HH Early Adopters Accelerator to bring together a network of health care organizations to develop tools ("knowledge products") necessary for HH implementation. Objective: To demonstrate the feasibility of the Accelerator approach for generating and implementing relevant, high-quality knowledge products. Design: Mixed methods evaluation of the Accelerator. Surveys and qualitative interviews of Accelerator participants were conducted. Surveys elicited feedback on the knowledge products, including time spent on development, perceived utility and quality, and implementation success. The qualitative interviews gathered more in-depth information on topics covered in the surveys. Participants: Eighteen healthcare organizations and 105 individuals participated in the Accelerator. Key Results: The Accelerator reached its goal and developed 20 knowledge products in 32 working weeks (more efficient than expected). Participants agreed that the knowledge products were useful (developers: 98.1%; stakeholders: 93.8%), of high quality (developers: 96.8%), and would improve patient care if implemented in their HH program (developers: 91.7%; stakeholders: 91.2%). Two thirds (66.7%) of the participating organizations who had implemented knowledge products at 3 months continued utilizing knowledge products in their HH program at 1 year. Agreement that knowledge products improve patient care persisted (92% strongly agreed or agreed) at 1 year. Several programs created new tools, policies, and workflows as a result of implementing the knowledge products. Conclusions: The Accelerator created high-quality, comprehensive knowledge products that healthcare organizations found useful for safe HH implementation 1 year later. The Accelerator approach can feasibly help healthcare organizations safely bridge the gap between innovation and standard practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to analyze and understand mutual relationships between lean and agile enabling factors in the context of the construction domain and put forth the most driving and dependent enablers for a hybrid lean–agile system (HLAS). Design/methodology/approach: A threefold research flow is adopted. First, the content analysis of literature stemmed from the identification of preliminary enablers (n = 26). Second, a questionnaire survey (n = 101) is administered to downsize enablers to ten using the relative importance index. Further, in the third phase, interpretive structural modeling (ISM) and the cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification analysis were performed amid the ten key enablers through pairwise interactions from subject matter experts (n = 19). Hierarchical representation of enablers has been presented, which facilitates a conceptual model for application in the construction industry. Findings: The ISM model demonstrates a three leveled classification structure that showcases direct and transitive relationships among various enablers. "Use of project management tools" is the driving enabler, followed by "collaborative and common data platform working" and "institution of team training" are critical enablers to HLAS adoption. Originality/value: A structured way of identification of interdependent among lean–agile is a vital unique contribution to this study. The results serve as a knowledge base for practical adoption of HLAS and may prove to be influential in developing a framework for easier adoption in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation of reports on the activities of the functional position group for the Batu City Environmental Service is still being carried out in the usual way. Making announcements on activities at any time must begin by creating a new page. That matter could be more effective and efficient because the structure of each activity report is the same. This research aims to develop a report creation system whose workings make it easier for users to create activity reports. The system makes the activity reports according to users needs based on the information obtained during interviews and observation. The system is developed using the Agile framework with the Scrum method. This research produces SMART PEKAN (Functional Position Group Activity Report Creation System), a website that makes reports on Functional Position Group activities using automatic report templates. SMART PEKAN can be a tool that facilitates making reports on the activities of users by utilizing the progress of an existing technology to implement digital transformation in the government sector to support the Smart City movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most organizations have begun to adopt agile methods to pursue successful software development. However, the adoption and implementation of agile approaches are facing various challenges. The success of agile software development depends on Critical Success Factors (CSFs), which this study aims to identify and classify based on their relative importance. Through an extensive literature review, these factors are summarized, screened, and categorized into six dimensions. Their evolution is also outlined and analyzed. Then, the factors are illustrated through a bubble chart. Furthermore, this study determines the relevant CFSs that have a significant impact on how effectively can agile software development be implemented in China. The findings suggest certain recommendations to ensure that agile software projects are efficiently implemented in China, maximizing the chances of project success, providing valuable insights and practical guidance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postgraduate medical education (PGME) is an essential part of medical education and increasingly shifts into focus of educational stakeholders. Structured postgraduate medical training programs are required in the U.S. through the "American Council for Graduate Medical Education" (ACGME) guidelines with their six core competencies as common program requirements. The basis for this development was provided in Germany with the implementation of the "Standard Framework for Postgraduate Medical Training" (Musterweiterbildungsordnung) issued by the German Medical Association (Bundesärztekammer). However, implementation has been gradual and program development is often conducted in a time consuming, lengthy and top-down approach without that trainee experiences or needs are being assessed or evaluated for their impact on successful medical training. We demonstrate how application of agile working can enable rapid and efficient creation and implementation of a novel postgraduate training program. The postgraduate training program ped.tracks aims to achieve a high-quality, structured and reliable postgraduate training. Moreover, it provides the opportunity to select a priority on scientific or clinical education. The entire process from the first draft to full release of the program was completed within 8 months through agile working. Our team worked using agile working techniques, creating a trainee- customized and -centred program. We anticipate that the quantity of structured postgraduate training programs will significantly increase in Germany and Europe to improve training quality and employee satisfaction. Therefore, the use of agile methods for the creation and implementation of structured training programs represents a useful approach to support program directors rapidly and effectively in this effort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Auxiliary functions in software systems, often overlooked due to their perceived simplicity, play a crucial role in overall system reliability. This study focuses on the effectiveness of agile practices, specifically the pair programming and the test-first programming practices. Despite the importance of these functions, there exists a dearth of empirical evidence on the impact of agile practices on their development, raising questions about their potential to enhance correctness without affecting time-to-market. This paper aims to bridge this gap by comparing the application of agile practices with traditional approaches in the context of auxiliary function development. We conducted six experiments involving 122 participants (85 novices and 37 professionals) who used both traditional and agile methods to develop six auxiliary functions across three different domains. Our analysis of 244 implementations suggests the potential benefits of agile practices in auxiliary function development. Pair programming showed a tendency towards improved correctness, while test-first programming did not significantly extend the total development time, particularly among professionals. However, these findings should be interpreted cautiously as they do not conclusively establish that agile practices outperform traditional approaches universally. As indicated by our results, the potential benefits of agile practices may vary depending on factors such as the programmer's experience level and the nature of the functions being developed. Further research is needed to fully understand the contexts in which these practices can be most effectively applied and to address the potential limitations of our study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Requirements Agile approaches have transformed engineering. This paper shows how RE in Agile software development has evolved from documentation-heavy to collaborative, adaptable, and customer-focused. Agile was born in the mid-1990s when the industry realized it needed to respond to changing client needs and market volatility. This evolution includes iterative development, client interaction, and emphasizing communication above documentation, as discussed in the paper. By comparing conventional and Agile RE approaches, we demonstrate the benefits of adapting to change, working with customers, and delivering functional software faster. This analysis provides a persuasive description of Agile RE implementation methodologies and resources through a detailed literature review and real-world experiences. User stories and backlog refinement are notable techniques. The research finishes by exploring how these techniques affect team dynamics, project success, and customer satisfaction. RE's Agile difficulties and opportunities are also examined. The findings illuminate RE methods' successful adaptation to Agile projects' dynamic character. Software development is more responsive and effective due to this adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the characteristics of ECM programs, such as incrementalism and high technology, as well as the technological features IT project management that create similar characteristics. The purpose of the article is to analyse the technological features of IT project management that arise during the creation of ECM programs. The study found that waterfall and flexible approaches, fourteen techniques and four lifecycle models are used to create ECMr programs. In addition, it was found that every IT project implemented according to the waterfall life cycle model, regardless of its size, complexity, duration, type, management methods and number of team members, goes through the six phases, such as starting an IT project, determining the requirements for the created ECM program, planning, coding, testing and closing the IT project. From the results obtained, it could be concluded that the concepts and techniques for creating ECM programs, as well as lifecycle models, are necessary knowledge competencies that all participants in IT projects must possess. Inadequate possession or lack of these skills jeopardises the ability to achieve the planned project objectives, to produce a working program code and also to fulfil the obligations of the transaction.

This article explores the application of the SCRUM methodology, a popular Agile framework, in social work with children and adolescents exhibiting conduct disorders and antisocial behaviour. Traditional social work models often struggle to adapt to the rapidly changing and complex needs of this high-risk population. The SCRUM framework, with its emphasis on continuous feedback, iterative processes, and interdisciplinary collaboration, offers a flexible and dynamic approach to care. By fostering teamwork between social workers, psychologists, and medical professionals, SCRUM facilitates real-time adjustments in interventions based on the evolving needs of the child. The article examines the benefits of empowering social work teams through SCRUM’s decentralized decision-making, which allows for proactive responses in crisis situations. The KIDSKöpfe gGmbH case study illustrates how SCRUM can be applied in practice, resulting in improved outcomes for children with complex behavioural issues. Despite the potential advantages, there remains a significant gap in the literature on SCRUM’s application in social work, particularly in managing conduct disorders. The article concludes by emphasizing the need for further research and case studies to explore SCRUM’s long-term impact in social work settings, particularly in addressing institutional barriers and regulatory challenges. The discussion highlights SCRUM’s potential to revolutionize social work by creating more flexible, responsive, and collaborative systems for managing high-risk children and adolescents.

The research aims to explore and implement an effective Project Management approach in Game Development using the Scrum Framework. A case study was conducted on the development of a hypercasual game titled "Rush Runner." With a focus on rapid iterations, continuous feedback, and adaptation to changes, the Scrum methodology was used to manage the game development workflow from planning to publication. Concrete steps were taken to adapt to user needs and evolving demands as an integral part of the development process. The research findings indicate that the implementation of Scrum had a positive impact on productivity, quality, and user satisfaction in hypercasual game development. Furthermore, the integration of Project Management and the Scrum approach optimized overall time, cost, and quality. These findings provide valuable insights for practitioners and researchers in the field of game development to understand the importance of an adaptive and responsive Project Management approach to market changes and user needs.

Requirements Agile approaches have transformed engineering. This paper shows how RE in Agile software development has evolved from documentation-heavy to collaborative, adaptable, and customer-focused. Agile was born in the mid-1990s when the industry realized it needed to respond to changing client needs and market volatility. This evolution includes iterative development, client interaction, and emphasizing communication above documentation, as discussed in the paper. By comparing conventional and Agile RE approaches, we demonstrate the benefits of adapting to change, working with customers, and delivering functional software faster. This analysis provides a persuasive description of Agile RE implementation methodologies and resources through a detailed literature review and real-world experiences. User stories and backlog refinement are notable techniques. The research finishes by exploring how these techniques affect team dynamics, project success, and customer satisfaction. RE's Agile difficulties and opportunities are also examined. The findings illuminate RE methods' successful adaptation to Agile projects' dynamic character. Software development is more responsive and effective due to this adaptation.

This article assesses the understanding and state of hybrid project management. A research problem was formulated, asking how large organizations working on software projects can gain value from agile project management, focusing on the hybrid approach as the most fitting candidate. A systematic literature review was conducted (SCOPUS, Web of Science), and findings were presented, proving that the current understanding of hybrid is limited and mostly viewed as a combination of agile and waterfall. Also, it has been shown that the hybrid approach is quite beneficial, and large organizations most likely don't have any other choice than turning to hybrid if they want to stay competitive. The original value resides around challenging the current definition of hybrid and proposing a new framework that will establish boundaries of a hybrid approach, which goes beyond the literature reviews done so far. Research limitations are related to coverage or research articles analyzed.

Copyright of Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation: Zeitschrift für Angewandte Organisationspsychologie (GIO) is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Agile methodologies have emerged as transformative paradigms in the ever-evolving software development landscape, emphasizing iterative development, customer collaboration, and adaptability. As the scope and complexity of projects and organizations expand, applying agile principles within the context of Large-Scale Agile Development (LSAD) encounters distinctive challenges. The majority of challenges encountered in LSAD, technical and non-technical, are attributed to the accrual of social debt. However, a conspicuous gap remains in understanding and addressing social debt in LSAD. This study aims to fill this void by investigating social debt in LSAD through an in-depth industrial case study with a leading Nordic company specializing in telecommunications software and services and focusing on producing secure 5G network solutions. The study investigates the causes of LSAD's social debt and examines its impacts on secure 5G telecom software development. By addressing these objectives, this research sheds light on a critical aspect of LSAD's social debt, caused by 3C challenges(communication, coordination and collaboration), social confines challenges, community smells challenges, and organisational social challenges in the telecom sector that have been underrepresented in the existing literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Studies attempted to estimate MASLD-related advanced fibrosis (AF) and cirrhosis (MC) prevalence utilized tests with low positive predictive value (PPV) which overestimates prevalence. AGILE3 + and 4 scores were developed to increase the PPV of both; respectively. In this study, we used these scores to assess the prevalence of AF and MC. Methods Participants aged ≥ 18 years with VCTE exam in the NHANES 2017–2018 cycle were included. We excluded pregnant women, patients with excessive alcohol intake, hepatitis B/C, and ALT or AST > 500 IU/L. MASLD was defined with CAP score > 248 dB/m. MASLD subjects with AGILE 3 + score of ≥ 0.68 and AGILE 4 score of ≥ 0.57 were considered to have advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis; respectively. AGILE 3 + of 0.45–0.67 and AGILE 4 of 0.25–0.57 were grey zone, whereas AGILE 3 +

Abstract Background Despite the United States Preventive Services Task Force recommendation to screen adults for unhealthy alcohol use, the implementation of alcohol screening in primary care remains suboptimal. Methods A pre and post-implementation study design that used Agile implementation process to increase screening for unhealthy alcohol use in adult patients from October 2021 to June 2022 at a large primary care clinic serving minority and underprivileged adults in Indianapolis. Results In comparison to a baseline screening rate of 0%, the agile implementation process increased and sustained screening rates above 80% for alcohol use using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test – Consumption tool (AUDIT-C). Conclusions Using the agile implementation process, we were able to successfully implement evidence-based recommendations to screen for unhealthy alcohol use in primary care.

This study investigates the design and development process of “Super Journey”, a 2D platformer mobile game aimed at enhancing user engagement and satisfaction through innovative game mechanics and design. Utilizing the Agile methodology, the development stages included conceptualization, design, implementation using the Unity game engine, and iterative testing and evaluation based on user feedback. This development process involved crafting a detailed game design document, creating initial sketches and prototypes, and integrating graphical elements, animations, and game mechanics. The game features 3 levels with simple controls, visually appealing pixel art, and progressively challenging levels. A survey conducted with 20 participants revealed high overall satisfaction (4.15 out of 5), with particular praise for level design (4.25) and game mechanics (4.2). Feedback indicated areas for improvement, such as balancing difficulty levels and incorporating more diverse obstacles and enemies. The findings underscore the importance of agile, user-centered design in game development and provide insights for future iterations to further enhance the gaming experience. “Super Journey” exemplifies the effective integration of classic platformer elements with modern innovations, highlighting its potential in the competitive mobile gaming market. The results of this research are expected to serve as a reference and inspiration for other game developers to create superior products by combining innovative technology and thoughtful design.

Generative AI is only a few years old but already being applied in Software Engineering (SE). This literature review examines the most popular SE sub-fields of such cases and research methods that are typically used. 117 studies starting from 2020 have been assessed, and literature review has shown that the most active research is ongoing in the code generation area. It is not clearly defined by researchers, but the majority of the methods can be assumed as experiments. It is concluded that researchers often do not define the used research method with exclusions such as literature review or opinion survey. However, different validation methods are highly valued and applied thoroughly.

Customers are looking for suppliers to deliver complex systems at faster rates, targeting three year cycle. This timeframe is challenging for low Technology Readiness Level (TRL) developments, increasing requirements engineering effort, leaving engineers little time and scope for innovation. Test and Evaluation (T&E) activities are often performed in Australia near the end of the process diminishing their value , compensating for a lack of modelling and simulation in early stages. Waterfall Project Management dominates where capability is hardware focused, leading to overruns and deliver capability that falls short of customer expectations in some areas. The Agile approach has been successfully used in software-focused developments. Project managers have been slow to adopt Agile for developments in areas like Defence where the safety is hardware dominant claiming the Agile process lacks necessary governance , increasing risk in the development. This paper examines the extant developmental process in a Defence context and proposes a Minimal Viable Product (MVP)-based framework using Agile to accelerate the development and mitigate risk escalation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current digital era, efficiency in human resource management (HRM) is a crucial key to the operational success of companies. This research focuses on the development of a Human Resource Management System (HRMS) application product aimed at enhancing efficiency in managing employees by digitizing critical processes such as leave requests, overtime, monthly attendance recapitulation, employment contracts, payroll information, employee personal data, employee special records, and company activity announcements. The previously manual and traditional approach has been transformed into a systematic and digital one through the application of HRMS technology. This application is designed using the Design Thinking methodology to ensure that the solutions developed are truly user-centered, by deeply understanding user needs and creating innovative and userfriendly solutions. The application development is carried out using the Agile Scrum methodology, which allows the development team to work iteratively and adaptively, ensuring flexibility in development and the ability to quickly respond to rapidly changing user needs. The results of this study demonstrate that the implementation of Design Thinking and Agile Scrum can effectively achieve digital transformation in employee management. The developed HRMS application showcases how these methodologies can revolutionize HR processes by addressing challenges and improving overall efficiency. By leveraging digital technology, the study highlights the potential for substantial improvements in managing employee administration, thereby fostering a more organized and efficient HR management system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Exact Sciences is the property of Master Editora and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Despite the United States Preventive Services Task Force recommendation to screen adults for unhealthy alcohol use, the implementation of alcohol screening in primary care remains suboptimal. Methods: A pre and post-implementation study design that used Agile implementation process to increase screening for unhealthy alcohol use in adult patients from October 2021 to June 2022 at a large primary care clinic serving minority and underprivileged adults in Indianapolis. Results: In comparison to a baseline screening rate of 0%, the agile implementation process increased and sustained screening rates above 80% for alcohol use using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test – Consumption tool (AUDIT-C). Conclusions: Using the agile implementation process, we were able to successfully implement evidence-based recommendations to screen for unhealthy alcohol use in primary care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies attempted to estimate MASLD-related advanced fibrosis (AF) and cirrhosis (MC) prevalence utilized tests with low positive predictive value (PPV) which overestimates prevalence. AGILE3 + and 4 scores were developed to increase the PPV of both; respectively. In this study, we used these scores to assess the prevalence of AF and MC. Methods: Participants aged ≥ 18 years with VCTE exam in the NHANES 2017–2018 cycle were included. We excluded pregnant women, patients with excessive alcohol intake, hepatitis B/C, and ALT or AST > 500 IU/L. MASLD was defined with CAP score > 248 dB/m. MASLD subjects with AGILE 3 + score of ≥ 0.68 and AGILE 4 score of ≥ 0.57 were considered to have advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis; respectively. AGILE 3 + of 0.45–0.67 and AGILE 4 of 0.25–0.57 were grey zone, whereas AGILE 3 + < 0.45 and AGILE 4 < 0.25 were considered a rule-out. Results: 1244 subjects were included in the final analysis. The Median age was 53 (51.4–54.6) years, 55.6% were male, median BMI was 33.8 kg/m2 and 41.1% had T2DM. Based on AGILE 3+, 80.3% of the MASLD population were at low risk for AF and 11.5% were in grey zone. The prevalence of AF due to MASLD was 8.1% corresponding to 4.5 million Americans. Based on AGILE 4 score, 96.5% of the MASLD population were at low risk for cirrhosis and 2.4% were in the grey zone. The prevalence of MASLD-cirrhosis was 1.1% corresponding to 610,000 Americans. Conclusion: Our results suggest that approximately 4.5 million people in the U.S. have AF and 0.6 million have cirrhosis due to MASLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Studies & Work of the Collegium of Management & Finance / Studia i Prace Kolegium Zarzadzania i Finansów is the property of SGH Warsaw School of Economics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Economic Series of the Bulletin of the L.N. Gumilyov ENU is the property of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Both lean and agile practices have emerged as dominant organizational strategies to improve supply chain and firm performance. In addition, combinations of lean and agile, so‐called leagile practices, have developed. Most extant studies have tested the effects of specific subsets of lean, agile, or leagile practices on performance. This study proposes a comprehensive framework to investigate the complementary versus mutually exclusive performance gains of lean, agile, and leagile practices and their combinations. We review the literature and conduct a meta‐analysis of 127 empirical studies, yielding a total of 969 effect sizes across 30,741 firms. Our results indicate support for the positive link between lean, leagile, and agile practices and firm performance. Further analyses provide support for some aspects of cumulative capability theory, while others support aspects of trade‐off theory. We thereby enlighten the discourse about the cumulative and comparative effects of lean, leagile, and agile leveraging our comprehensive framework of practices. Specifically, our contribution identifies practice combinations that can be considered more valuable performance enhancers than others. Furthermore, our research guides managers on aligning and adapting lean, leagile, and agile practices with their firms' strategic priorities and performance goals. Finally, we showcase areas that require additional empirical investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the application of the SCRUM methodology, a popular Agile framework, in social work with children and adolescents exhibiting conduct disorders and antisocial behaviour. Traditional social work models often struggle to adapt to the rapidly changing and complex needs of this high-risk population. The SCRUM framework, with its emphasis on continuous feedback, iterative processes, and interdisciplinary collaboration, offers a flexible and dynamic approach to care. By fostering teamwork between social workers, psychologists, and medical professionals, SCRUM facilitates real-time adjustments in interventions based on the evolving needs of the child. The article examines the benefits of empowering social work teams through SCRUM's decentralized decision-making, which allows for proactive responses in crisis situations. The KIDSKöpfe gGmbH case study illustrates how SCRUM can be applied in practice, resulting in improved outcomes for children with complex behavioural issues. Despite the potential advantages, there remains a significant gap in the literature on SCRUM's application in social work, particularly in managing conduct disorders. The article concludes by emphasizing the need for further research and case studies to explore SCRUM's long-term impact in social work settings, particularly in addressing institutional barriers and regulatory challenges. The discussion highlights SCRUM's potential to revolutionize social work by creating more flexible, responsive, and collaborative systems for managing high-risk children and adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Research shows that emotional intelligence (EI) should be used alongside cognitive intelligence during requirements change (RC) handling in Software Engineering (SE), especially in agile settings. Objective: We wanted to study the role of EI in-depth during RC handling. Method: We conducted a mixed-methods study (an interview study followed by a survey study) with 124 software practitioners. Findings: We found the causal condition, intervening condition and causes lead to key direct consequences of regulating own emotions, managing relationships, and extended consequences of sustaining productivity, setting and sustaining team goals. We found several strategies of supporting EI during RC handling. Further, we found strong correlations between six strategies and one being aware of own emotions, regulating own emotions, sustaining team productivity, and setting and sustaining team goals. Conclusion: Empathising with others and tracking commitments and decisions as a team are key strategies that have strong correlations between managing emotions, between sustaining team productivity, and between setting and sustaining team goals. To the best of our knowledge, the framework we present in this paper is the first theoretical framework on EI in SE research. We provide recommendations for software practitioners to consider during RC handling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Lean, Agile, Resilience, and Green (LARG) supply chains are more competitive than conventional ones. Evaluating its performance under current conditions and developing suitable strategies is crucial to enhance LARG. This study aims to create an assessment model for LARG in Iran's hospital medical equipment supply chain, especially in Hamadan. The Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) evaluates LARG across four dimensions: lean, agile, resilient, and green. Key indicators obtained from a comprehensive review of the literature and other published reports in the field of LARG were also confirmed by a focused group of experts in the medical equipment supply chain field. The findings indicate that the value LARG of the medical equipment supply chain is 0.787. Key indicators for the evaluation of LARG in the hospital medical equipment supply chain include reducing overall supply chain costs, optimizing inventory management, shortening supply chain development cycle time, increasing the introduction of new products, promoting information sharing among supply chain members, establishing flexible supply bases and sourcing, reducing fossil fuel consumption, and implementing waste management practices such as reuse and recycling of recyclable materials. This research provides managers with valuable insights into the current state of LARG and serves as a reference for formulating LARG strategies and practices. The study's results enable supply chain actors, particularly in Iran's Hamadan Province, to comprehend the key indicators for improving LARG performance in the hospital medical equipment supply chain. The proposed model can be adapted to other industries and service sectors by adjusting the indicators and assessing data availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of medical technology devices leads to the introduction and use of agile methods, which enable the delivery of increasingly complex software with the fastest possible innovations. Delivery of the highest quality software must be considered during development, as medical products are important elements in saving human lives. Their development begins with determining a set of product requirements that exactly correspond to it. The development of specified medical products is finally delivered to the customer, who participates in the development. In this article, we present the use and combination of agile methods in software development, which correct and facilitate timely and continuous delivery of products. They also know how to smooth out a quick reaction to the customer's changing needs and mainly focus on team management and communication. Specific agile methods make it possible to implement development through gradual improvements by integrating customer requirements towards the product. This article identifies three interconnected approaches to integrating agile methods and principles: SCRUM, SAFe, and Kanban combined with the V-model. The methods are gradually analysed based on the literature review, and the article presents a practical application in Siemens Healthcare Slovakia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agile methods have been widely adopted by the industry and its teaching has seen a surge, particularly in the software development field. However, these methods have a number of limitations which affect product outcomes, such as the fact that many software development companies now use Scrum to get developers to work without interruption between iterations, rather than to maintain a sustainable rhythm. Agile experts have stated the importance of incorporating creativity into Scrum, and although there are several agile resources that help with the learning process, it seems essential to approach such learning from a practical point of view. Furthermore, none of these resources introduce creativity. In this paper, we present an educational resource in the form of a serious game that allows you to acquire all the key concepts of agile and creative methods. The game is based on the use of LEGO pieces to simulate a real project, applying the key concepts of the Scrum and Design Thinking frameworks in a gamified way. It was assessed in a professional training centre of computer science by using surveys through which participants evaluated their previous knowledge of agile and creativity methods. We analysed the improvement of these competences, as well as the general level of satisfaction with the game. After the game, the results showed that the participants' knowledge of the Scrum and Design Thinking frameworks had improved and that they were very satisfied with the whole experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kebimbangan terhadap kesihatan mental di kalangan pekerja semakin meningkat di Malaysia. Statistik menunjukkan terdapat peningkatan kes bunuh diri dan masalah kesihatan mental di kalangan pekerja, khususnya golongan pekerja berumur 27 hingga 44 tahun. Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) tidak terkecuali daripada isu ini, terutamanya dengan kebanyakan staf daripada generasi Y. Oleh itu, sistem e-HappinessIndex dibangunkan sebagai solusi untuk mengukur dan memantau kegembiraan serta kesejahteraan mental mereka. Sistem ini bertujuan untuk membentuk persekitaran kerja yang positif dengan memanfaatkan konsep Gross National Happiness (GNH). Melalui soalan-soalan yang merangkumi pelbagai aspek seperti (a) persekitaran di tempat kerja, (b) persepsi terhadap majikan, (c) hubungan dalam organisasi, (d) kemudahan dan kebajikan, (e) pembangunan kerjaya dan pengiktirafan, dan (f) domain psikologi, sistem ini memberikan gambaran holistik terhadap kegembiraan staf. Pendekatan ini dapat membantu pihak pengurusan mengenal pasti masalah dan mengambil tindakan sewajarnya. Dengan menggunakan bahasa pengaturcaraan PHP dan pangkalan data MySQL, sistem ini membolehkan staf mengisi penilaian dan melihat hasil indeks kegembiraan mereka. Keputusan ini dapat membantu pihak pengurusan dalam membuat keputusan yang bermakna untuk meningkatkan kesejahteraan staf. Kesimpulannya, sistem ini merupakan langkah proaktif untuk menjaga kesejahteraan mental pekerja di UPNM, dengan harapan dapat memberikan sumbangan positif terhadap pembinaan persekitaran kerja yang seimbang dan berdaya maju.

The study is devoted to the processes of integration of Agile technologies in internal audits. It was determined that Agile is a method and a way of thinking simultaneously, which ensures timeliness of receiving information, quick response to risks, and acceleration of audit cycles, thanks to which the effect of value creation is achieved for both top management and stakeholders. The analysis of statistical studies of the implementation of Agile technologies allowed the authors to conclude that the Agile approach is increasingly used in enterprises to achieve planned results, and to single out key changes in the concepts of internal audit, which became possible thanks to the implementation of the Agile approach. It is noted that there is no single path for transitioning to the use of Agile methodology for all organisations. In addition, such a transition can cause difficulties associated with rethinking the audit process. That is why the authors attempted to unify the work cycles of the internal Agile audit.

У статті досліджується вплив методики Scrum на культуру та продуктивність ІТ-команд у контексті сучасних викликів у сфері інформаційних технологій. Акцентується на тому, що, незважаючи на зростаючу популярність Scrum, його впровадження може призводити до негативних наслідків, таких як вигорання працівників і зайве ускладнення робочих процесів. Проаналізовано актуальні дослідження, які підтверджують як позитивний, так і негативний вплив Scrum на продуктивність команд. Однак наголошується на важливості вивчення довгострокових наслідків використання цієї методики. Стаття також виявляє невирішені аспекти, такі як вплив постійного зворотного зв'язку на робочу культуру, та формулює мету дослідження: вивчення викликів впровадження Scrum і розробка рекомендацій для оптимізації процесу. Результати дослідження можуть сприяти глибшому розумінню теорії гнучкого управління та поліпшенню практик в ІТ-індустрії.

Information systems development has recently evolved from traditional to agile and continuous forms. Continuous development (CD) methods, such as development and operations (DevOps), integrate many well-regarded parts of agile development and add collaboration among an organisation’s development, operations and quality assessment departments. We argue that requirements risk management (RRM) poses additional challenges to projects where development work is carried out quickly and continuously. However, in the literature, most methods for prioritising requirements and managing risks are more suited to traditional development. This raises the need for new tools and methodologies to meet CD challenges. As these challenges constantly evolve, project management must be able to control CD, changes in the determination of requirements and the accompanying risks. Based on a systematic literature review, we define the key features of CD and develop a conceptual three-dimensional framework that can be used to understand the organisational needs of RRM for CD.