Practices, Process Stages and Examples of an Extreme Programming Proposal in a Playable Mode

Background: There are several studies focused on identifying and defining gamification strategies in software development processes. These strategies are also applied by agile methods, which can create a context of recognition and reward for the completion of activities in a software project. Purpose: This paper presents a reinterpretation of the Extreme Programming (XP) practices and process stages in order to provide a “playable mode” for the XP development. Methods: XP practices and process stages are linked to terms and activities applied in digital games, enabling a reinterpretation from a playable and gamified perspective. Results: Gamified XP practices and process stages are explained and exemplified, demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed gamified reinterpretation for the XP software development. Conclusion: A software development methodology based on agile gameplays obtained by the XP reinterpretation was proposed, becoming a possible solution to improve the flow state in XP developers.