1. The Agile Approach to the Dissertation Process
Chuck Tappert

2. Agile Approach to Dissertation Process Methodologies and Tools
Agile Methodology
Team and Cohort Groups
Socratic Method
Dissertation Notebook
Writing Emphasis
Writing Tools
Agile Dissertation Process

3. Agile Dissertation Process
Agile Methodology
Similar to agile software development
Uses XP method of small releases and fast turnarounds (~2-week iterations)
Makes incremental advances in the dissertation work
Agile Dissertation Process

4. Agile Dissertation Process
Team and Cohort Groups
Class teams – usually 3-4 teams per year group
Teamwork enhances learning
Creates an “active learning process”
The norm for employees in most organizations
Cohort year group contributes frequently
Through their extensive knowledge and experience
Make suggestions in the research seminar meetings
Help find relevant literature/related material
The power of the community is strong!
Agile Dissertation Process

5. Agile Dissertation Process
Socratic Method
Clarification through confrontational dialogue
Students must vigorously defend their position
Works best if students adequately prepare for research seminar sessions
Wikipedia definition: “… asking a series of questions surrounding a central issue, and answering questions of the others involved. Generally this involves the defense of one point of view against another and is oppositional.”
Agile Dissertation Process

6. Dissertation Notebook
Maintain a dissertation notebook
As a repository of ideas, thoughts, and data
Only place that you write, diagram, or doodle about your dissertation
(see Dr. Ron Frank’s presentation slides for more information about the notebook)
Agile DPS Dissertation Process

7. Agile Dissertation Process
Writing Emphasis
Expressing your ideas in writing gives you a good grasp on them
The written form of your ideas is amenable to iterative refinement
Allows you to communicate your ideas to your advisor and discuss them point by point
We recommend writing a conference/journal paper summarizing your ideas/work
Agile Dissertation Process

8. Agile Dissertation Process
Writing Tools
Microsoft Word
Formatting, spell checking, and other benefits of a word processor
Microsoft PowerPoint for presentations
Endnote
Bibliography management software
Always spell check documents/slides
We teach the Strunk and White style of writing clearly and succinctly
Agile Dissertation Process

9. Research Seminars 1 and 2 (fall and spring year 1)
Learn about research and dissertation process
What research is and how to do it
Conduct literature search/analyze research papers
Faculty members present their research
Traditional versus agile dissertation process
Select a suitable research area
Best to choose an area where you have knowledge and expertise – makes completion possible in 3 years (saves several years over traditional method)
Agile Dissertation Process

10. Research Seminars 3, 4, 5 (summer year 1, fall-spring year 2)
Choose/analyze a paper: essence, methodology, etc.
Select a suitable research area and problem
Independent work by the student
Present/discuss/refine in research seminars – Socratic method
Choose advisor and committee
Interact with advisor
Review the related literature
Refined through research seminar interactions
Write the idea paper
Revise through the agile evolutionary process of presentations/discussions in research seminars
Begin the research
Agile Dissertation Process

11. Dissertation Work (summer year 2, fall-spring year 3)
Select a suitable research approach/plan
Idea paper grows to include approach/plan
Conduct the research
Interact with advisor using XP methodology
Idea paper grows into dissertation
Present status at Saturday sessions
Committee meetings
Preliminary committee meeting (if necessary)
Defense
Agile DPS Dissertation Process

12. Agile Dissertation Completion Rate
Class
Number Completed
Expected Next 6 mo
Making Progress
Permanent ABD
2002
15 of 20
2 of 20
1 of 20
2003
6 of 17
4 of 17
1 of 17
2004
11 of 16
1 of 16
3 of 16
2005
11 of 18
0 of 18
5 of 18
2 of 18
2006
6 of 16
2 of 16
8 of 16
0 of 16
2007
5 of 16
2008
5 of 15
3 of 15
7 of 15
0 of 15
Totals
62 of 118
14 of 118
35 of 118
7 of 118
Total%
52%
12%
30% 6%
Agile Dissertation Process

13. Agile Dissertation Completion
Agile Dissertation Process

14. Agile vs. Traditional Completion
Agile Dissertation Process

15. Agile Dissertation Process
Conclusion
Agile completion rate – 62 of 118 = 52%
Average years to completion = 3.2 years
Agile dissertation process works!
Agile Dissertation Process