Agile Information Systems Development Research Articles

Navigating role identity tensions — IT project managers’ identity work in agile information systems development

ABSTRACT While the management of traditional, plan-based information systems development (ISD) projects lies with the information technology project manager (ITPM), this role is challenged in agile ISD team settings, characterised by self-managed and autonomous teams. Driven by the potential for individual, project, and organisational benefits through a deeper comprehension of these challenges, our study draws upon role identity theories to uncover identity tensions that this role creates and ways in which ITPMs engage in identity work to resolve these tensions. We conducted an in-depth, qualitative study involving interviews with ITPMs operating within agile ISD teams embedded in traditionally-managed organisations. A central contribution of our paper lies in the development of a theoretical model that unpacks how ITPMs navigate identity work tensions by engaging in specific identity work activities. By revealing the interplay between ITPMs’ role identity tensions, identity work activities, and contextual factors, our study moves beyond purely descriptive accounts and offers a nuanced understanding of the emotional and behavioural dimensions of ITPMs in their liminal position. Additionally, our work underscores the pivotal role of ITPMs as boundary spanners, bridging the gap between traditional and agile governance structures to drive digital transformation. For practitioners, we provide agile ISD team design recommendations.

Job satisfaction in agile information systems development: A stakeholder perspective

Job satisfaction in agile information systems development: A stakeholder perspective

Development of an Agile Requirements Risk Prioritization Method: A Design Science Research Study

The practice of information systems development (ISD) has changed during the past two decades from very structured approaches to agile ISD methods. However, in the literature many methods available for managing requirements-related risks follow a structured approach to ISD. Few, if any, available methods offer solutions that prioritize requirements risks for agile ISD projects based on recognizing requirements-related risks and patterns in order to mitigate these. To fill this gap in the literature, we apply the design science research methodology to develop an agile requirements risk prioritization method together with industry experts (n=54) in Finland and New Zealand in a multi-year study. The method was developed by applying contingency theory, and our study makes an artifactual contribution to the literature. The method helps practitioners prioritize the overall requirements-related risks for ISD projects.

Equality Does Not Make You Happy: Effects of Differentiated Leader-Member Exchange and Team-Member Exchange on Developer Satisfaction in Agile Development Teams

Prior work on leadership in information systems development (ISD) teams has assumed that all developers are treated equally by their team leader and ignored the possibility that differentiated leader-member exchange (LMX) may be an important instrument for team leaders to influence self-organizing, agile ISD teams. We conducted a concurrent mixed methods inquiry to understand how LMX differentiation is associated with developer satisfaction in agile ISD teams and through which team processes agile ISD teams address LMX differentiation. We ran a multilevel, multistage survey of 1,894 software developers in 217 teams and an embedded case study of five ISD teams drawing on qualitative data from 40 interviews of developers and team leaders. Two focus groups (one with 10 developers and one with 10 team leaders) helped to substantiate the meta-inferences from the quantitative and qualitative studies. The results showed that LMX differentiation was positively associated with developer satisfaction, especially in teams with high-quality team-member exchange (TMX). We identify three team processes (i.e., collectivization of resources, visible appreciation of privileges, and freeing up leader capacities) that are enacted through agile ISD practices and allow ISD teams to leverage benefits from LMX differentiation for all their members.

Too Drained from Being Agile? The Self-Regulatory Effects of the Use of Agile ISD Practices and their Consequences on Turnover Intention

While much is known about the beneficial effects of agile information systems development (ISD), scholars have largely neglected to address its potential downsides. Specifically, research on this topic has thus far overlooked the ambivalent implications of the specific demands placed on developers working in agile ISD teams, including potentially depleting effects. Drawing on ego depletion theory and the associated literature, we provide a more balanced view and introduce self-regulatory resource depletion triggered by using agile ISD practices—encompassing software development (SD) and project management (PM) practices—as a theoretical perspective on why agile developers experience different levels of work-related fatigue that lead to stronger or weaker turnover intentions. Furthermore, we propose that due to the specific way in which agile ISD methods organize ISD project work, developers’ perceived workload influences the intensity by which agile ISD practices affect self-regulatory resources and developers’ feelings of fatigue. We examined our research model using a multimethod approach including quantitative and qualitative data. We found that the use of agile SD practices enhances developers’ self-regulatory resources and reduces fatigue and turnover intention. Our results also show that perceived workload strengthens the energizing effects of the use of agile SD practices and reveals a depleting effect of the use of agile PM practices, with countervailing implications for turnover intention. This study contributes to agile ISD literature by drawing a more nuanced and balanced picture with both resource-enhancing and resource-draining effects of the use of agile ISD practices. Finally, we give managerial advice regarding factors to consider when designing and managing agile ISD projects.

Sprint Zeal or Sprint Fatigue? The Benefits and Burdens of Agile ISD Practices Use for Developer Well-Being

Are agile information systems development practices (AISDPs), such as pair programming or daily stand-ups, universally beneficial to developer well-being? Given that agile information systems development project success is only as good as its developers’ productiveness, taking care of developer well-being is of utmost importance to organizations. Using daily survey responses of 131 agile developers spread over two workweeks, we show that the daily use of AISDP is a double-edged sword rather than a silver bullet. Although AISDPs can be motivating and activate energy resources on some days, they can be disturbing and deplete energy on others—two stress responses with opposing effects on developer well-being. As a potential antidote to the detrimental effects of AISDP, we investigate the moderating role of information technology (IT) mindfulness, a dynamic trait that captures the mindful usage of IT. We find that IT mindfulness can serve as a facilitator of positive stress responses and as a buffer against negative stress responses. A key takeaway of this study is in finding ways to influence developers (via awareness programs, time-sensitive recovery interventions, or mindfulness practices) to increase the functional and decrease the dysfunctional stress responses from daily AISDP use.

Understanding business analytics continuance in agile information system development projects: an expectation-confirmation perspective

PurposeThis paper seeks to examine how expectations from business analytics (BA) by members of agile information systems development (ISD) teams affect their perceptions and continuous use of BA in ISD projects.Design/methodology/approachData was collected from 153 respondents working in agile ISD projects and analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling techniques (PLS-SEM).FindingsPerceived usefulness and technological compatibility are the most salient factors that affect BA continuance intention in agile ISD projects. The proposed model explains 48.4% of the variance for BA continuance intention, 50.6% of the variance in satisfaction, 36.7% of the variance in perceived usefulness and 31.9% of the variance in technological compatibility.Research limitations/implicationsFirst, this study advances understanding of the factors that affect the continuous use of BA in agile ISD projects; second, it contextualizes the expectation-confirmation model by integrating technological compatibility in the context of agile ISD projects.Originality/valueThis is the first study to investigate BA continuance intention from an employee perspective in the context of agile ISD projects.

Control In Agile IS Development Projects: Looking Beyond Agency Theory

Abstract Information systems development (ISD) project control has been traditionally seen as a tool against agency concerns, i.e. to align the interests of project participants with the organization’s interests. However, this perspective barely fits into the agile worldview. Agile methods, that became popular choices for ISD projects, shifted away from the commander role of project leaders, and propagate the importance of collaboration and facilitation. Therefore, it became ambiguous why project managers of agile ISD projects engage in control activities. This qualitative study employs the “Gioia method” to investigate managerial reasons for these exercises and draws attention to the range of problems and needs these procedures can address. The analysis found that control mechanisms are enacted not only due to agency concerns, but also to enhance cooperation and communication, to signal to senior management and to become isomorphic with other projects.

Managing User-Centered Design Activities in Distributed Agile Development

Abstract The integration of user-centered design (UCD) activities into agile information systems development has become more popular recently. Despite the fact that there are many ways the merging of UCD activities into agile development can be carried out, it has been widely recognized that coordinating design activities with development activities is one of the most common problems, especially in distributed environments where designers, developers and users are spread over several sites. The main approach to coordinate UCD activities with distributed agile development is the use of informal methods (e.g. communication through using video conference tools). In addition to the temporal, geographical and socio-cultural barriers associated with this type of methods, a major limitation is a lack of awareness of how UCD activities and development activities affect each other. Furthermore, some agile project management tools are integrated with design platforms but fail to provide the necessary coordination that helps team members understand how the design and development activities affect their daily work. This research aims to support the effective management of integrating UCD activities into distributed agile development by (i) identifying the key activity dependencies between UX design teams and development teams during distributed UCD/agile development and (ii) designing a computer-based system to provide coordination support through managing these activity dependencies. In order to achieve these objectives, two case studies are carried out. Our findings revealed 10 main dependencies between UCD design teams and development teams as shown by six types of activity. In addition, the participatory design approach shows that developing a computer-based system to manage seven of these selected dependencies is achievable.

The Multiplex Nature of the Customer Representative Role in Agile Information Systems Development

It is well acknowledged that close collaboration with the customer serves as the lynchpin to ensuring that agile information systems development (ISD) teams produce the right software within mutually agreed targets. In several agile ISD methods, this emphasis on close collaboration is enacted through the role of a designated customer representative (CR). The agile ISD literature has recognized the behaviors in this role to be inherently complementary and contradicting in nature, presenting a challenge to whoever occupies the role and hampering their ability to add value to the project. How do CRs manage these challenges and why do they do so in a particular manner? Unfortunately, there has been little theory to answer these questions. In this research, we explore and theorize about this phenomenon by leveraging role multiplexity as a theoretical lens in making sense of the behavior of CRs in agile ISD. Results suggest that the CR role is multiplex, exhibiting multiple manifestations with different orientations. We develop a theoretical model that articulates the instantiation of these role manifestations and the mechanisms that enable the CR role to remain intact while managing these challenges. The theoretical model highlights the CR role in agile ISD as being dynamic and multi-oriented.

Advancing the Understanding of Agility and Agile Methods in Organizations

The purpose of this symposium is to advance our understanding regarding the underlying mechanisms that promote agility and the impact of agile methods on performance and other psychological factors. Specifically, the papers included in the symposium report empirical evidence on previously unexplored antecedents and outcomes of agility across a range of organizational contexts. The presentations span a range of topics including innovation, leadership, team processes and states, and performance in agile settings. Specifically, they describe how novel ideas emerge during agile meetings (Presentation 1), how the agile method Scrum impacts team processes and emergent states (Presentation 2), how team work crafting supports agility and adaptiveness to dynamic environments (Presentation 3), how agile information systems development practices increase managerial role ambiguity (Presentation 4), and through which mechanism temporal leadership benefits agile team functioning (Presentation 5). This symposium contributes to the growing stream of research insights into the agile movement and expands the perspective beyond the previous focus on software development by adding empirical evidence from an organizational behavior perspective. Fostering Collaborative Emergence Through Agile Meeting Interactions Presenter: Friederike Redlbacher; U. of Hamburg Presenter: Nale Lehmann-Willenbrock; U. of Hamburg The Impact of Scrum on Team Processes and Emergent States: A Qualitative Study Presenter: Eleni Georganta; TUM School of Management, Technical U. of Munich Presenter: Kristin Knipfer; Technical U. of Munich Team Work Crafting in High-Tech Manufacturing Teams: Effectiveness Through Team Flexibility Presenter: Josette Gevers; Technical U. Eindhoven Presenter: Joen Giebels; Graduate Student Presenter: Ruobing Zhang; Eindhoven U. of Technology The Ambiguous Role of Managers in Agile Information Systems Development Projects Presenter: Veronika Huck-Fries; Technical U. of Munich Presenter: Barbara Prommegger; TUM School of Management, Technische U. München Presenter: Manuel Wiesche; TU Dortmund U. Presenter: Helmut Krcmar; TUM School of Management, Technische U. München Temporal Leadership in Agile Teams. Presenter: Wendelien Van Eerde; Amsterdam Business School, U. of Amsterdam Presenter: Claudia Buengeler; Kiel U.

Investigating the “Socio” in Socio-Technical Development: The Case for Psychological Safety in Agile Information Systems Development

One constitutional part of project management is the management of teams, their actions, and their social mechanisms. Team processes, behavior, and agile practices used by team members play important parts in the success of projects. To reap benefits from these highly interactive and social-focused practices, team members need to feel safe to speak freely. We propose a model that conceptualizes the effects of psychological safety and (social) agile practices on team performance. The proposed model combines recent research from organizational psychology and agile information systems development to provide a better understanding of the team-level effects. Our findings from three case studies conducted in two large insurance companies and one software development company suggest that social agile practices positively influence psychological safety, transparency, communication, and ultimately productivity.

Investigating the 'Socio' in Socio-Technical Development: The Case for Psychological Safety in Agile Information Systems Development

One constitutional part of project management is the management of teams, their actions, and their social mechanisms. Team processes, behavior, and agile practices used by team members play an important part for the success of projects. To reap benefits from these highly interactive and social-focused practices, team members need to feel safe to speak freely. We propose a model that conceptualizes the effects of psychological safety and (social) agile practices on team performance. The proposed model combines recent research from organizational psychology and agile information systems development to provide a better understanding of the team-level effects. Our findings from three case studies conducted in two large insurance companies and one software development company suggest that social agile practices positively influence psychological safety, transparency, communication, and ultimately productivity.

How Agile Practices Impact Customer Responsiveness and Development Success: A Field Study

Agile information systems development methods have become popular; however, which specific agile practice to use remains unclear. We argue that three types of agile practices exist—for management, development, and standards—which affect the customer responsiveness of software teams differently. We examine this theory in a field study of a large organization. We find that agile practices improve software team response effectiveness or efficiency, but not both. Agile standards do not improve response mechanisms but are still important to successful information systems development. Our findings help discriminating agile practices and yield insights into how information development projects should be managed.

Factors of stickiness in transfers of know-how between MNC units

The effective sharing of organizational knowledge is particularly relevant for multinational corporations, where firm-specific tacit knowledge (know-how) is considered a source of competitive advantage for subsidiaries participating in a global strategy. To that end, multinational corporations (MNCs) are asking their IT departments to support both the exploitation of existing knowledge and the unit-to-unit transfer of new know-how derived in units from exploration. Nonetheless, new know-how derived from exploratory research, development and experience in one unit can be difficult to transfer to units that can exploit that know-how to commercial ends. The factors that impede the transfer of new know-how have been conceptualized as “factors of stickiness”. In this paper, we present a theoretical model of organizational factors that can cause (or conversely mitigate) stickiness in the flow of new know-how between MNC units. To test the six hypotheses of the model, we used meta-analytic structural equation modeling (MASEM) of 31 empirical studies, representing 10,432 cases of new know-how transfer between units. The result of MASEM shows that the factors of receiving units’ potential absorptive capacity and transmission channel in form of social capital that is enacted through its three dimensions (i.e., embedded social ties between units, institutional shared vision of units, and interorganizational trust of units) affect recipient subsidiaries’ capability to exploit new know-how in practice (i.e., realized absorptive capacity), thus effectuating its transfer. Based on our findings, we propose research directions within the context of agile information systems development, distributed software projects, and management of information systems functions in MNCs.

Post-agility: What follows a decade of agility?

ContextAgile information systems development (ISD) has received much attention from both the practitioner and researcher community over the last 10–15years. However, it is still unclear what precisely constitutes agile ISD. ObjectiveBased on four empirical studies conducted over a 10-year time period from 1999 to 2008 the objective of this paper is to show how the meaning and practice of agile ISD has evolved over time and on this basis to speculate about what comes next. MethodFour phases of research has been conducted, using a grounded theory approach. For each research phase qualitative interviews were held in American and/or Danish companies and a grounded theory was inductively discovered by careful data analysis. Subsequently, the four unique theories have been analyzed for common themes, and a global theory was identified across the empirical data. ResultsIn 1999 companies were developing software at high-speed in a desperate rush to be first-to-market. In 2001 a new high-speed/quick results development process had become established practice. In 2003 changes in the market created the need for a more balanced view on speed and quality, and in 2008 companies were successfully combining agile and plan-driven approaches to achieve the benefits of both. The studies reveal a two-stage pattern in which dramatic changes in the market causes disruption of established practices and process adaptations followed by consolidation of lessons learnt into a once again stable software development process. ConclusionThe cyclical history of punctuated process evolution makes it possible to distinguish pre-agility from current practices (agility), and on this basis, to speculate about post-agility: a possible next cycle of software process evolution concerned with proactively pursuing the dual goal of agility and alignment through a diversity of means.

On the Adaptation of an Agile Information Systems Development Method

Little specific research has been conducted to date on the adaptation of agile information systems development (ISD) methods. This article presents the work practice in dealing with the adaptation of such a method in the ISD department of one of the leading financial institutes in Europe. Two forms of method adaptation, static adaptation and dynamic adaptation, are introduced and discussed in detail. We provide some insights plus an instrument that the ISD department studied uses to deal with the dynamic method adaptation. To enhance our understanding of the observed practice, we take into account two complementary perspectives: the engineering perspective and the socio-organizational perspective. Practical and theoretical implications of this study are discussed.