Agile Systems Research Articles

Simulation Discovery and Semi-Automatic Scenario Generation for Evaluation of Turbulence in Production Systems

Production systems have always faced changes and disruptions, which require dynamic decision-making to adjust existing plans to the unfolding reality. The interdependence of highly interconnected supply chain networks further adds to this volatility. Given this complexity, mainly caused by ambiguity and the systems’ dynamic, achieving transparency to make decisions in the context of production planning and control is challenging. Simulation models can help assess the outcome of different scenarios through experiments. However, building simulation models by hand requires extensive manual effort and expert knowledge of simulation tools. Although often partly automated, simulation experiments still require the exertion of simulation engineers to be conducted on a large scale. Moreover, the created models are often static and require additional resources to be updated in order to reflect changes in the physical system. To reduce this effort, the authors propose a concept combining the automatic discovery of simulation models from execution data with the semi-automatic generation of scenarios. This facilitates logistical risk analysis and prediction by evaluating the consequences of possible disruptive events. The concept aims to enable domain experts to use digital twins in large-scale virtual scenario evaluation, which is fundamental for increasing the agility of manufacturing systems by speeding up decision processes.

The Role of Leadership in Agile Transformation: A Case Study

Aim: This paper investigates how leadership is essential for creating success within the organization by going through a case study of the implementation of Agile transformation. Its inquest the crucial leadership methods, complexities, and approaches that make the Agile adoption and implementation at GlobalTech Inc., an international technology organization, successful. Method: Qualitative approach has been selected for the study and 25 in-depth interviews with the staff and observational data from GlobalTech’s Agile transformation over the last two years have been utilized. Participants included senior leaders, middle managers, project managers, as well as individuals from the different units of the company. This made it possible to analyse the development of management patterns and their influence on the transformation of the system. Results: The results showed how, in the agile environment at GlobalTech, the importance of visionary leadership, effective communication, and cultivating Agile mentality. The CEO and C - level management lead by example when they communicate the desired outcomes that are linked to the digital agenda. They introduced the collaboration through developing teams across functions and providing them with authority to make decisions. Though leaders experienced obstacles like unwavering resistance from traditionalists, coping with divergent views of stakeholders, and ensuring Agile practices remain even after certain phases, they did not give up. Effective Agile leaders found ways to break down resistance barriers through training, coaching, and by being good examples. They were able to cope with various organizational challenges by means of praise for small successes and integrating sceptics into the entire process while also communicating the benefits of Agile constantly. Under the leadership of managers, agile performance management systems, continuing improvement mechanism, and knowledge sharing forums were put in place to guarantee sustainability. Conclusion: In a way, GlobalTech case underlines the principle that leadership is a key component in Agile transformations. Ultimately, the success of the Agile adoption and its sustainability depends on leadership. They create an environment that is supportive of Agile values, has the capacity to fasten everybody’s learning curve, and connects all the units in the company around Agile principles through their persistence, ability to empower others, and change management skills.

Implementation of an Agile Manufacturing System for the Lithium-Ion-Cell-Production based on Individual Microenvironments

A steadily growing demand as well as changing requirements lead to a strong diversification of the current market for lithium-ion battery (LIB) cells. There are a large number of new cell chemistries for which the transition from laboratory scale to industrial production must be achieved as quickly as possible. In addition, new processes and production procedures are constantly being developed with the aim of increasing factory throughput or reducing energy consumption for example. Finally, different market segments, such as the marine or aviation industry benefit from specialized cell geometries, which are not required in mass quantities, as it is the case with available cells to date. This paper takes up the challenges outlined above and answers the question of how a production system must be designed to deal with them in the best possible way. As a result, the implementation of an agile production system for battery cells is presented. The system is designed to enable the manufacturing of small numbers of cells or components with industrial precision by using reconfigurable and adaptable production environments, so-called microenvironments. These can be individually climate controlled, so that required dewpoints of -50°C can be achieved for the different production steps. As a result, a highly modular and flexible system has been developed, both with regards to the cell chemistry to be produced and the geometric dimensions of the cells to be manufactured. The microenvironments presented in this approach allow for a faster and more energy efficient dehumidification of the required production space compared to conventional dry-room setups. Effects of different setpoints and human interaction on the energy consumption of the system, as well as the time necessary for climatic changes will be evaluated within this article.

Review of Agile SDLC for Big Data Analytics Systems in the Context of Small Organizations Using Scrum-XP

Software development using agile System Development Life Cycles (SDLC), such as Scrum and XP, has gained important acceptance for small businesses. Agile approaches eliminate barriers to required organizational, technical, and economic resources usually necessary when rigorous software development approaches, through heavyweight methodologies (e.g., Rational Unified Process (RUP)) or heavyweight international standards (e.g., ISO/IEC 12207) are used. However, despite their high popularity in small businesses, their utilization is scarce in the emergent domain of Big Data Analytics Systems (BDAS). Consequently, small businesses interested in deploying BDAS lack systematic academic guidance regarding agile SDLC for BDAS. This research, thus, addresses this research gap, and reports an updated comparative study of three of the main proposed SDLCs for BDAS (Cross-Industry Standard Process for Data Mining CRISP-DM), Two mains were Microsoft Team Data Science Process (TDSP), and Domino Data Science Lifecycle (DDSL)) in the current BDAS development literature, against a Scrum and Extreme Programming (Scrum-XP) SDLC. For this aim, a Pro Forma of a generic Scrum-XP SDLC is used to examine the conceptual structure, i.e., roles, phases-activities, roles, and work products-of these two SDLCs. Hence, this comparative study provides theoretical and practical insights on agile SDLC for BDAS adequate for small businesses and calls for further conceptual and empirical research to advance toward an agile SDLC for BDAS supported by academia and used in practice.

Advancing Data Migration and Virtualization Techniques: ETL-Driven Strategies for Oracle BI and Salesforce Integration in Agile Environments

In the modern business landscape, seamless integration of data across platforms is crucial for enhancing operational efficiency and decision-making. This paper proposes an ETL-driven approach for data migration between Oracle Business Intelligence (BI) and Salesforce, emphasizing the importance of minimizing downtime and ensuring data accuracy during the migration process. The focus is on leveraging Extract, Transform, Load (ETL) strategies to streamline data movement, thereby ensuring a smooth transition between legacy systems and modern cloud-based platforms, critical for industries like finance and enterprise resource planning (ERP). The proposed methodology mitigates the challenges of data inconsistency, errors, and extended downtime, which can negatively impact business operations. Additionally, this paper reviews the role of data virtualization in the integration of Oracle BI and Salesforce, offering a more flexible and scalable solution for accessing real-time data across different systems without the need for extensive data replication. By enabling virtualized data layers, businesses can enhance operational decision-making by providing real-time insights while maintaining system agility. This approach aligns with Agile workflows, enabling businesses to respond rapidly to changing market conditions and customer demands. The paper outlines the current state of data virtualization practices within Oracle BI and Salesforce environments, identifying key benefits such as improved data access, reduced latency, and cost-effective infrastructure management. Furthermore, it discusses future directions for data virtualization, particularly focusing on real-time analytics, predictive modeling, and AI-driven decision support, which are essential for competitive business strategies. The ETL-driven migration and data virtualization framework proposed in this paper serves as a foundation for optimizing data flow, improving system integration, and enhancing business intelligence capabilities. By incorporating these strategies within Agile environments, organizations can ensure more efficient operations, enhance decision-making, and stay ahead of the competition in a data-driven world.

Analysis Systematic Literature Review: The Study of HRM Transformation Into Digital-Based GHRM Future Research Agenda

Eco-friendly human resources can help sustainable business continuity. The current research aims to propose a business model theoretical framework that adapts to the new environment, addresses sustainable goals and gaps in the field, and builds a resilient and agile system for the business ecosystem. To approach the research problem, this study used the R-based Bibliometrix tool. The Scopus database selected and analyzed papers as part of five research steps. Bibliometric tools such as Biblioshiny, VOSviewer, and R Studio have been used to illustrate the findings. This study’s findings highlight several factors that will form the foundation of the proposed model. Green competencies, both natural and acquired, and the requirement to provide green motivation, were identified as important for developing the new business model.

Bioinspired Jumping Soft Actuators of the Liquid Crystal Elastomer Enabled by Photo-Mechanical Coupling.

Jumping, a fundamental survival behavior observed in organisms, serves as a vital mechanism for adapting to the surrounding environment and overcoming significant obstacles within a given terrain. Here, we present a light-controlled soft jumping actuator inspired by asphondylia, which employs a closed-loop structure and utilizes a liquid crystal elastomer (LCE). Photo-mechanical coupling highlights the significant influence of the light source on the actuator's jumping behavior. Manipulating the light intensity, the relative position of stimulus and light lock, and the concentration of disperse red 1 (DR1) allows precise control over both the maximum take-off velocity and jump height. Furthermore, tailoring the size of the LCE actuator offers a means of regulating jumping behavior. Upon exposure to 460 nm LED irradiation, our actuator achieves remarkable performance, with a maximum jumping height of 10 body length (BL) and take-off velocity of 62 BL/s. These actuators accumulate and rapidly release energy, enabling the effective transportation of microcargos across substantial distances. Our research yields valuable insights into the realm of soft robotics, underscoring the pivotal importance of photo-mechanical coupling in the field of soft robotics, thereby serving as a catalyst for inspiring continued exploration of agile and capable systems by prestoring elastic energy.

Chaos based speech encryption using microcontroller

In this work a real-time chaos-based speech encryption scheme designed for low-cost microcontroller implementation is presented. The method involves a two-step encryption process: shuffling based on a hash algorithm and XOR operation with a pseudo-random bit sequence from a chaotic map. Key findings include the use of a 1D chaotic map for speed, a hash algorithm to simplify shuffling and enhance overall speed, and implementation on an inexpensive STM32 microcontroller for cost-effective high security. Various tests, including Log-likelihood ratio, entropy, correlation coefficient, and spectral distortion, validate the encryption scheme’s effectiveness. The result is a secure and agile system designed for sequential encryption and transmission.

Tackling upcoming projects: The development and efficacy of event previews an experimental study.

Traditional performance management systems are increasingly seen as ill-conceived for today's dynamic organizational landscape. Researchers and practitioners advocate for agile PM systems that emphasize continuous monitoring, learning, and feedback. We present the 'event preview', a novel approach that is designed to address several shortcomings of traditional performance management practices. Event previews consist of five fixed questions, which are discussed among team members before an event, instigating a detailed reflection and mental simulation of upcoming events or projects in order to achieve the desired outcomes. In doing so, event previews support teams to utilize their projects as learning opportunities. This study provides the theoretical basis for the event preview and empirically tests its effectiveness. A sample of 119 teams participated in the experiment in which they were asked to solve as many puzzles as possible within a fixed time frame. One condition conducted an event preview beforehand, the other condition did not. Our findings, which were based on a comparison of the averages of the two conditions, suggest that the event preview holds promise for improving team performance and communication. As such, the event preview presents an additional instrument to the changing performance management landscape. This simple practice can be incorporated in the performance management cycle, emphasizing adaptability and continuous improvement in organizations.

Enhancing Support For Senior Citizens: Development And Evaluation of The OSCA Information Management System With Agile Methodology and ISO/IEC 25010 Compliance

The elderly were a member of the vulnerable group which the government supported and assisted in every way possible. To contribute to the support and assistance needed by the elderly who are called senior citizens, this study was conducted. This aims to develop and design a usable, performance-efficient, and functional suitable to the operation and service of the Office of the Senior Citizen Affairs (OSCA), Cabanatuan City office. The System Application Office of the Senior Citizen Affairs Information Management System with Analytics (OSCA-IMSA) was developed using the Agile System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) Model. The agile model has different phases and sub-phases that guarantee the quality and efficient development of the system. Every phase and sub-phases lead to a well-organized, and systematic process of system development. The proponents adopted the ISO/IEC 25010 criteria as an evaluation tool to assess the system's usability, reliability, performance efficiency, functional suitability, security, portability, maintainability, and compatibility. The self-made survey questionnaire was used as the main tool to collect the data from the respondents. Purposive sampling was used to determine the right respondents for the study. The study was composed of two different sets of respondents, the first set was the System Users and the second set was composed of IT Experts. The Office of the Senior Citizen Affairs Information Management System with Analytics (OSCA-IMSA) was evaluated and assessed by the respondents with a result of being highly functional, highly efficient, highly portable, highly maintainable, highly compatible, highly secured, highly reliable, and highly usable. This result indicates that the system passed and conformed to the ISO/IEC 25010 Software Product Quality Standard, hence, is recommended to be deployed at the research locale.

DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF TAXES E-CONFERENCE INFORMATION SYSTEM FACE MATCH MODEL WITH AGILE SDLC METHOD

After the Covid-19 pandemic, offline activities began to take place again on a massive scale. At the Directorate of Information and Communication Technology, the Directorate General of Taxes, face-to-face activities, including meetings, have started to take place again. In meeting activities, problems often occur in the management and management of meetings, such as schedule discrepancies, inadequate participant attendance lists, and less than optimal monitoring of meeting activities. To overcome this problem, an information system is needed to assist the management and administration of meetings as well as monitoring of meetings by Administrative Subdivision staff. The Meeting Management and Monitoring Information System (e-Conference) is a web-based information system that consists of two applications, namely a frontend that uses the ReactJS library and a backend that uses the ExpressJS framework with the Agile Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) method with the Scrum development method. The modules in this system include the login module, meeting dashboard module, meeting room module, consumption module, equipment module, meeting materials module, attendance module and management module. In the attendance module there is a face match feature with TensorFlowjs technology which is used to validate the attendance of meeting participants who are DJP employees.

MONO-HYDRA: REAL-TIME 3D SCENE GRAPH CONSTRUCTION FROM MONOCULAR CAMERA INPUT WITH IMU

Abstract. The ability of robots to autonomously navigate through 3D environments depends on their comprehension of spatial concepts, ranging from low-level geometry to high-level semantics, such as objects, places, and buildings. To enable such comprehension, 3D scene graphs have emerged as a robust tool for representing the environment as a layered graph of concepts and their relationships. However, building these representations using monocular vision systems in real-time remains a difficult task that has not been explored in depth.This paper puts forth a real-time spatial perception system Mono-Hydra, combining a monocular camera and an IMU sensor setup, focusing on indoor scenarios. However, the proposed approach is adaptable to outdoor applications, offering flexibility in its potential uses. The system employs a suite of deep learning algorithms to derive depth and semantics. It uses a robocentric visual-inertial odometry (VIO) algorithm based on square-root information, thereby ensuring consistent visual odometry with an IMU and a monocular camera. This system achieves sub-20 cm error in real-time processing at 15 fps, enabling real-time 3D scene graph construction using a laptop GPU (NVIDIA 3080). This enhances decision-making efficiency and effectiveness in simple camera setups, augmenting robotic system agility. We make Mono-Hydra publicly available at: https://github.com/UAV-Centre-ITC/Mono_Hydra.

How can early COVID-19 vaccine campaigns in the US-affiliated Pacific Islands inform future vaccine efforts: a cross-sectional analysis

IntroductionThe US-affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI) are six geographically isolated and culturally distinct Pacific Island jurisdictions with special relationships with the USA; the USAPI were included in the US COVID-19 vaccination...

Thinking outside of the [cold] box: implementing a human-centered design approach to understand barriers and craft solutions to cold chain equipment maintenance in Niger

BackgroundVaccines require cold chain equipment (CCE) to ensure quality and potency, yet the risk of CCE failing is well-documented, often due to lack of equipment maintenance. While general barriers to a reliable CCE maintenance system are known, little has been done to understand the barriers from the cold chain technician’s perspective. This human-centered design (HCD) study in Niger sought to better understand the gap in the current maintenance approaches from the technicians’ perspectives and to collaboratively identify forward-thinking solutions.MethodsThe research team collected data through semi-structured and open-ended in-depth consultations. Rapid qualitative research was followed by co-creation workshops with study participants to identify solutions.ResultsThe research team conducted 20 in-depth consultations in two regions with participants directly involved in the management of the cold chain. Fourteen people participated in the online co-creation workshop, and 20 people participated in the in-person workshop. Insights were organized in three main areas: (1) the lack of system agility and ability to optimize resources constrain performance of the maintenance system; (2) cold chain is often an afterthought within the overall context of immunization services and should instead be prioritized; and (3) knowledge sharing across the system and key stakeholders is ad hoc with limited understanding of roles and responsibilities. During the co-creation workshop, participants identified four main concepts as potential solutions: (1) create an on-line platform to connect people and to share knowledge across regions; (2) develop practical CCE technical resources; (3) use gamification and friendly competition to motivate staff to value maintenance; and (4) create a real-time maintenance tracking system.DiscussionThis study took a unique HCD approach to engage people directly involved in CCE maintenance to more deeply understand challenges with the current system and create space to identify innovative solutions that are tailored to the context. The results demonstrate that stakeholders can identify potential solutions that have not been part of the typical approaches to a maintenance system. This HCD approach has implications for all global health challenges and demonstrates a methodology that can encourage key stakeholders to think about problems and solutions differently.

Digital Transformation from Planning to Execution — A Strategic Framework based on Ambidexterity and Enterprise Architecture and Interoperability

The demand for business structures that respond more quickly to changes imposed by a competitive market makes digital transformation (DT) the driver of more agile and cost-effective production systems. From such perspective derives the following question: How does literature organize the main strategies demanded by the DT challenge in an organization? Based on a systematic literature review, this study aims to identify and analyze DT’s main characteristics, leading to the development of a framework to support its understanding from planning to execution. The Digital Transformation – Planning to Execution Framework (DT-P2EF) is divided into two conceptual blocks. The first block focuses on the DT planning, including the organizational requirements of an enterprise architecture (EA), the organizational characteristics based on the organizational ambidexterity (OA) introduction, and the barriers that may impact the DT, according to Enterprise Interoperability (EI). The second block of the framework regards the DT execution, the translation of the strategy defined and the performance monitoring of the DT in the organization. The DT-P2EF consists in identifying business influence factors and dimensions for a better understanding and development of the DT journey in enterprises.

Job satisfaction in agile information systems development: A stakeholder perspective

Job satisfaction in agile information systems development: A stakeholder perspective

Rollen- und Einflussdynamiken in agilen Systemen. Eine führungsbezogene Analyse

ZusammenfassungDieser literaturgestützte, integrative Beitrag in der Zeitschrift „Gruppe.Interaktion.Organisation. (GIO)“ analysiert die Frage, wie sich Einflussdynamiken in agilen Systemen rollentheoretisch fundieren lassen und welche führungsbezogenen Veränderungen damit einhergehen, wenn formal-hierarchische durch informal-selbstorganisierende Formen der Steuerung (shared leadership) ersetzt bzw. ergänzt werden. Betrachtet werden zunächst personenbezogene Rollenkräfte, die in agilen Systemen im Sinne des Job Crafting-Gedankens auf individuellen Stärken und Präferenzen aufbauen. In Bezug auf Meetings, die für Organisationen, welche in dynamischen Umwelten agieren, zu einem zentralen Erfolgsfaktor werden, wird danach thematisiert, wie sich hier informelle Teamhierarchien manifestieren und inwieweit Interaktionsanalysen dabei helfen können, diese zu erfassen. Unübersichtlicher werdenden Führungsstrukturen sollte die Forschung zukünftig dadurch begegnen, dass sie ihren Fokus von der personenzentrierten Sicht auf die Analyse von Führungsnetzwerken verlagert.

Roadblocks in education amidst global crisis-A study based in India.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic compelled the closure of educational institutions and forced students to complete nearly two years of schooling online, impacting their physical and emotional development tremendously. This exploratory study investigates the wide-ranging impact of online education on Indian students during the COVID-19 pandemic and discusses the challenges exacerbated by disparities in access to digital devices and reliable internet service. The paper also focuses on the physical and mental health issues that arose in student cohorts as a result of the abrupt shift to online learning, and investigates the relationship between students' socioeconomic status and the nature and frequency of health issues experienced by them. A total of 832 respondents completed a 40-item survey that was administered online and through interviews. The paper analysed the impact of access to digital resources and teachers' training in information and communication technology on the perception of the quality of education provided by the institutions. We further analysed the impact of the adoption of online educational platforms on students' mental and physical health. The study found a positive relationship between the number of hours spent online, and the physical and mental health issues experienced by students. Participants reported an overall higher perception of stress and anxiety, loss of concentration, and dissatisfaction with the quality of education. Our data suggest that COVID-19 has exacerbated the digital divide. Urgent investments are needed to provide universal access to reliable internet services, and to develop a pedagogy that supports an agile and adaptable educational system, capable of providing effective learning and evaluation, while supporting students' physical and mental health.

A Parent Authentication System for the Security of Pre-basic School Pupils

The safety of pupils is of uttermost concern to school authorities and especially parents in this age of rampant kidnappings and other malicious activities by unscrupulous people within the human ecosystem. In this paper, a robust security system, referred to as a Parent Authentication System (PAS) is designed and implemented using bi-modal authentication and/or verification mechanisms for the safety of Pre-Basic School pupils. The primary module for authentication and verification is Fingerprint (i.e. biometrics) with an alternative module of a Password which, can only be used if the primary module fails or rejects the biometrics of a particular user. The Agile System Development Life Cycle Prototyping model was leveraged to design the system; all key components responsible for the functioning of the system have been appropriately implemented and integrated resulting in a very successful and robust system. The developed system was deployed and tested at Garu Senior High School in the Upper East Region of Ghana. During the test implementation, It was affirmed that students with issues such as scratches and dirt on their fingers were denied access and were not able to be authenticated and verified. However, after three attempts via this primary authentication module, they were able to use the alternative module, which gave them the opportunity to be authenticated and verified. As a result, a full implementation of this system will make sure only rightful parents pick up their wards from school. This system can also be deployed in other areas for attendance monitoring or personality tracking.

Achieving sustainability through the integration of lean, agile, and innovative systems: implications for Indian micro small medium enterprises (MSMEs)

Purpose The purpose of this study is to learn how the incorporation and use of leanness, agility and innovation in Indian manufacturing micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) affect their bottom lines and how much these factors contribute to the MSMEs’ ability to meet their long-term sustainability goals. Design/methodology/approach The suggested model was subjected to data validation and additional empirical validation using a sample of 411 Indian manufacturing MSMEs. The analysis of construct measures is conducted through the utilization of confirmatory factor analysis, a statistical technique that is grounded in the theoretical framework of structural equation modeling (SEM). In addition, path model analysis was applied for the purpose to validate the assumptions that were included in the structural models. Findings Consistent with the proposed model, the findings of this study demonstrate that leanness, agility and innovation have a substantial favorable impact on the sustainability of a company’s performance. These findings may be helpful in gaining professionals, academics and policymakers to acknowledge the significance of leanness, agility and innovation in enhancing the long-term sustainability of MSMEs and enhancing the overall performance of a particular company. This research excluded the service industries-based research papers. Research limitations/implications Many research in the field of manufacturing industries that have adopted leanness, agility, innovativeness and sustainability as individual approaches or as a collective methodology of two or more were considered in the current study. This research excluded the service industries-based research papers. Practical implications This literature review has recognized and analyzed various dimensions and roles of leanness, agility, innovativeness and sustainability that are prevalent in manufacturing industries that include the positive and negative effects on the performance of the industries. The research enlightens the path and shows future directions for research to develop efficient, effective and sustainable manufacturing industries. Social implications By promoting the concept of focusing on the “human factor”, namely, stakeholder perspectives, the MSME sector is propagating a strategy that moves away from an excessive focus on technology and toward a more humane one. Through the application of the three key concepts of leanness, agility and innovation, this work aims to create a framework for measuring the sustainability performance of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), with the ultimate goal of assisting the country in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in the fields of industry, innovation and infrastructure by supporting environmentally friendly and resource-conserving businesses that give back to society and the natural environment. Originality/value The objective of this research is to assess the importance and effectiveness of integrating various approaches such as leanness, agility, innovativeness and sustainability within the framework of manufacturing micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The authors hope that by going further into these concepts, they will be able to broaden their understanding and get a more comprehensive insight into the role that these concepts play and how they might be successfully used within this environment.