Agile software development handbook - ECSS draft standard

Aug 31, 2026

Agile software development handbook defines description and recommendations for organizing and performing space software engineering and product assurance using an Agile approach. It covers the Agile software development lifecycle for space projects, including how to select an Agile life cycle, key roles and competences, and example Agile activities such as planning, sprint management, progress tracking, reviews, and retrospectives. It also provides guidance for software project management and integrating ECSS reviews within Agile delivery, alongside ECSS draft standard disclaimers and change-control information.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatDOCX

Pages90

Reading Time31 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Scope

References

Terms, definitions and abbreviated terms

Introduction to the Agile software development approach

Introduction to Agile

Agile characteristics

Lean management

Agile Methodologies

Guidelines for Agile life cycle selection

Selecting Agile

Analysis of key factors for Agile selection

Agile assessment process

Reference Model for Scrum-like Agile software lifecycle

Roles and competences

Exemplary Agile activities

Guidelines for Software Project Management

DOCPROPERTY "ECSS Discipline" \* MERGEFORMAT Space engineering This draft is distributed to the ECSS community for Public Review. (Duration: 8 weeks) Start of Parallel Assessment: 28 March 2017 END of Parallel Assessment: 29 May 2017 DRRs shall be submitted using the Online DRR form from the ECSS Website. DISCLAIMER (for drafts) This document is an ECSS Draft Standard. It is subject to change without any notice and may not be referred to as an ECSS Standard until published as such. SUBJECT \* FirstCap \* MERGEFORMAT Agile software development handbook ECSS Secretariat ESA-ESTEC Requirements & Standards Division Noordwijk, The Netherlands Foreword This Handbook is one document of the series of ECSS Documents intended to be used as supporting material for ECSS Standards in space projects and applications. ECSS is a cooperative effort of the European Space Agency, national space agencies and European industry associations for the purpose of developing and maintaining common standards. The material in this Handbook is defined in terms of description and recommendation how to organize and perform the work of space software engineering and product assurance following an Agile approach. This handbook has been prepared by the DOCPROPERTY "ECSS Working Group" \* MERGEFORMAT ECSS-E-HB-40-01A Working Group, reviewed by the ECSS Executive Secretariat and approved by the ECSS Technical Authority. Disclaimer ECSS does not provide any warranty whatsoever, whether expressed, implied, or statutory, including, but not limited to, any warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or any warranty that the contents of the item are error-free. In no respect shall ECSS incur any liability for any damages, including, but not limited to, direct, indirect, special, or consequential damages arising out of, resulting from, or in any way connected to the use of this document, whether or not based upon warranty, business agreement, tort, or otherwise; whether or not injury was sustained by persons or property or otherwise; and whether or not loss was sustained from, or arose out of, the results of, the item, or any services that may be provided by ECSS. Published by: ESA Requirements and Standards Division ESTEC, P.O. Box 299, 2200 AG Noordwijk The Netherlands Copyright: 2017© by the European Space Agency for the members of ECSS Change log Table of contents TOC \o "3-3" \t "Heading 1,1,Heading 2,2" Introduction PAGEREF _Toc476642104 \h 9 1 Scope PAGEREF _Toc476642105 \h 10 2 References PAGEREF _Toc476642106 \h 11 3 Terms, definitions and abbreviated terms PAGEREF _Toc476642107 \h 13 3.1 Terms from other documents PAGEREF _Toc476642108 \h 13 3.2 Terms specific to the present document PAGEREF _Toc476642109 \h 13 3.3 Abbreviated terms PAGEREF _Toc476642110 \h 15 4 Introduction to the Agile software development approach PAGEREF _Toc476642111 \h 17 4.1 Introduction to Agile PAGEREF _Toc476642112 \h 17 4.1.2 Agile characteristics PAGEREF _Toc476642113 \h 18 4.1.3 Lean management PAGEREF _Toc476642114 \h 20 4.1.4 Agile Methodologies PAGEREF _Toc476642115 \h 21 4.2 General issues implementing Agile PAGEREF _Toc476642116 \h 21 5 Guidelines for Agile life cycle selection PAGEREF _Toc476642117 \h 24 5.1 Selecting Agile PAGEREF _Toc476642118 \h 24 5.2 Analysis of key factors for Agile selection PAGEREF _Toc476642119 \h 24 5.2.1 Customer context PAGEREF _Toc476642120 \h 26 5.2.2 Supplier context PAGEREF _Toc476642121 \h 26 5.2.3 Project context PAGEREF _Toc476642122 \h 26 5.2.4 Team context PAGEREF _Toc476642123 \h 27 5.3 Agile assessment process PAGEREF _Toc476642124 \h 28 6 Reference Model for Scrum-like Agile software lifecycle PAGEREF _Toc476642125 \h 29 6.1 Introduction PAGEREF _Toc476642126 \h 29 6.2 Roles and competences PAGEREF _Toc476642127 \h 29 6.2.1 Scrum master PAGEREF _Toc476642128 \h 29 6.2.2 Product owner PA

FAQs

What is the purpose of the Agile software development handbook in ECSS?

It provides description and recommendations to organize and perform space software engineering and product assurance using an Agile approach, intended as supporting material for ECSS standards.

How does the handbook support selecting an Agile life cycle?

It defines guidelines for selecting Agile and analyzes key factors such as customer, supplier, project, and team context, followed by an Agile assessment process.

Which Agile activities and roles are covered for a Scrum-like lifecycle?

It covers roles such as Scrum master, product owner, development team, and Agile coach, and provides exemplary activities including backlog refinement, planning, sprint backlog management, progress tracking, reviews, and retrospectives.

Aug 31, 2026

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