From RUP to Scrum in Global Software Development: A Case Study

In this paper we present the results of a case study at two offshore projects that recently adopted the agile way of working. We analyze their multi-site governance activities adopted and adjusted based on the Scrum methodology. Furthermore, we identify those changes that the Scrum adoption brought, in comparison with the previous governance structure of the Rational Unified Process (RUP). We find that a transition from RUP to Scrum brings a positive effect in requirements engineering, communication, cost management and cross-functionality of the distributed teams. We also observe a negative change with regard to the development pace and delivery time. Overall, we add to the body of knowledge in the field of distributed agile, with an additional field study where we describe and compare the migration from RUP to Scrum, and the implications of this transition.