Software Startup ESSENCE : How Should Software Startups Work?

Abstract

Software startups need to work in a systematic fashion just like mature organizations. However, existing software engineering methods and practices are not aimed at software startups. They do not account for the business aspect of startups and may not be well suited for software startups in general. The Lean Startup Methodology on the other hand contains some useful practices for software startups but is nonetheless impractical, offering little in the way of telling you what to do. Software startups are thus required to tailor their own method. Currently, many software startups simply work ad hoc or use various Agile methods and practices. In terms of Agile methods and practices, little consensus exists between startups. In this chapter, we discuss methods and method tailoring. We give guidelines on how to create your own way of working and recommend a tangible tool for doing so: the Essence Theory of Software Engineering.