Agile Information Systems 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

Knowledge Mobilization in Agile Information Systems Projects: A Literature Analysis

This study focuses on how knowledge is mobilized in agile information systems (IS) projects. One crucial success factor of those projects is to mobilize knowledge through different knowledge management processes. It is vital to establish efficient knowledge management (KM) processes to generate a knowledge culture based on transparency and communication. Communication channels, digital tools, and platforms are essential for establishing a KM infrastructure supporting the knowledge work of the project organization. Thus, each IS implementation team should maintain a knowledge base and a knowledge potential at some level. However, this is not always the case. We conducted a literature review to survey the extant research on the role of KM in agile system development projects. The agile approach is often associated with the networking model and tacit knowledge. The findings indicate that the agile approach is supposed to promote KM. While tacit knowledge is rooted in the analogue process of continuous actions and informal communication, explicit knowledge is captured in digital records of documentation and databases. In KM, the personalization model (behavioural, networking) and the codification (technocratic, repository) model is central. The choice of system development method (agile versus plan-driven) influences how knowledge is mobilized in the project organization. An agile approach heavily relies on informal communication, tacit knowledge sharing, and light documentation. In contrast, the plan-driven methods such as the waterfall approach generate more explicit knowledge through documentation. Communities of practice are important structures for transforming from plan-driven to agile approaches. We present a framework showing specific challenges the literature identifies concerning the efficient mobilization of knowledge in the agile context. For large-scale agile projects, informal coordination mechanisms were important. This study identifies several measures for overcoming barriers and risks for knowledge sharing in the agile context.

SARS-CoV2 hospital surveillance and control system with contact tracing for patients and health care workers at a large reference hospital in Spain during the first wave: An observational descriptive study.

Background and AimsDuring the first peak of the COVID‐19 pandemic, the Preventive Medicine Department and the Occupational Health Department at Hospital Clinic de Barcelona (HCB), a large Spanish referral hospital, developed an innovative comprehensive SARS‐CoV2 Surveillance and Control System (CoSy‐19) in order to preserve patients' and health care workers' (HCWs) safety. We aim to describe the CoSy‐19 and to assess the impact in the number of contacts that new cases generated along this time.MethodsObservational descriptive study of the findings of the activity of contact tracing of all cases received at the HCB during the first peak of COVID‐19 in Spain (February 25th‐May 3rd, 2020).ResultsA team of 204 professionals and volunteers performed 384 in‐hospital contact‐tracing studies which generated contacts, detecting 298 transmission chains which suggested preventive measures, generated around 22 000 follow‐ups and more than 30 000 days of work leave. The number of contacts that new cases generated decreased during the study period.ConclusionCoordination between Preventive Medicine and Occupational Health departments and agile information systems were necessary to preserve non‐COVID activity and workers safety.

A multi-layered software architecture model for building software solutions in an urbanized information system

The concept of Information Systems urbanization has been proposed since the late 1990’s in order to help organizations building agile information systems. Nevertheless, despite the advantages of this concept, it remains too descriptive and presents many weaknesses. In particular, there is a lack of useful architecture models dedicated to defining software solutions compliant with information systems urbanization principles and rules. Moreover, well-known software architecture models do not provide sufficient resources to address the requirements and constraints of urbanized information systems. In this paper, we draw on the “information city” framework to propose a model of software architecture - called the 5+1 Software Architecture Model - which is compliant with information systems urbanization principles and helps organizations building urbanized software solutions. This framework improves the well-established software architecture models and allows the integration of new architectural paradigms. Furthermore, the proposed model contributes to the implementation of information systems urbanization in several ways. On the one hand, this model devotes a specific layer to applications integration and software reuse. On the other hand, it contributes to the information system agility and scalability due to its conformity to the separation of concerns principle.

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.

The Impact of the COVID-19 on Organizational and Information Systems Agility

ABSTRACT The unfortunate COVID-19 pandemic serendipitously might have evoked an era of agility. In information systems development (ISD), agility has been exemplified by agile software development. ISD researchers have proposed that the term agility be operationalized by the ability to create, embrace, and learn from change. The dynamic capabilities approach is similar and focuses on sensing, seizing, and reconfiguring opportunities. Risk and opportunity intelligence, aligned decision-making, IT flexibility, and employee capability are critical antecedents of agility.

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.

A text mining-based review of the literature on dynamic capabilities perspective in information systems research

PurposeWhile the dynamic capabilities perspective is the most cited strategic theory in the information systems field of research, little effort has been made to review and integrate the associate literature of this perspective in the field. Accordingly, this paper aims to systematically analyze the information systems literature on dynamic capabilities and provide a holistic understanding of the topical composition and trend of dynamic capabilities studies in information systems research.Design/methodology/approachUsing latent Dirichlet allocation as the text analysis algorithm, the author conducted a topic modeling of the dynamic capabilities corpus in the information systems field of research to quantitatively review, summarize and classify the prior literature. The review covered 191 articles published on dynamic capabilities between 1998 and 2018 in pioneering information systems journals and conference proceedings.FindingsIn accordance with the topic modeling results, the topical composition of the dynamic capabilities corpus in information systems research dominantly includes seven themes titled T1. Information systems value, T2. Information systems change, T3. Digitalization, T4. Information systems agility, T5. Big data, T6. Information systems innovation and T7. Information systems alignment. Also, the overall and topical trend of dynamic capabilities studies in the information systems field of research were revealed. The trends indicated that the investigated domain and its prominent sub-domains have generally had positive productivity over the past years.Originality/valueThe current study contributes to the domain by developing knowledge and improving literature on dynamic capabilities in information systems research, discovering the main topics of interest for information systems researchers to deploying the dynamic capabilities perspective in their studies, and prioritizing the future information systems research on dynamic capabilities based on the identified trends of topics.

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.

Waterfall and Agile information system project success rates – A South African perspective

Software projects are still failing at an alarming rate and do not provide value to the organisation at large. This has been the case for the last decade. Software projects use predominantly Waterfall as a methodology. This raises the question whether new ways of working can be introduced to improve the success rate. One such new way is Agile as an approach to developing software. A survey was done to determine whether Agile projects are more successful than Waterfall projects, thus contrasting the old and the new ways of working. Some 617 software projects were evaluated to determine the success rate based on the methodology used. Success was measured on a continuum of five levels and not just the triple constraint. The results imply that Agile projects are more successful than Waterfall projects to some extent, but that there are still concerns that need to be addressed.

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.

Leveraging Smart Supply Chain and Information System Agility for Supply Chain Flexibility

Global businesses are leveraging their analytical capabilities to develop competence over others. This study uses Organization Information Processing Theory (OIPT) in context to explain the relationship between the smart supply chain and information system flexibility to achieve an overall greater supply chain flexibility. Also, this shows that correct deployment of information processing leads to better diffusion of information throughout the system necessary for making the supply chain more adaptive in nature. This study extends the application of OIPT theory and a better understanding of analytical data processing and theoretically grounded guidance to managers in order to achieve a higher degree of flexibility in dynamic conditions. The Partial Least Square Method based on Structural Equation Modeling is used to empirically test the theoretical framework. Results from the analysis of 150 respondents indicate the strong relationship between the components of the smart supply chain and information systems agility. The research shows a positive relationship between the characteristics of smart supply chain management and modules of information system flexibility which leads to the achievement of a high level of supply chain flexibility.

Impact of IS agility and HR systems on job satisfaction: an organizational information processing theory perspective

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the link between information systems (IS) agility, HR performance management systems and job satisfaction using organizational information processing theory. The objective of this study answers the following questions: How does use of different IS agility impact HR systems and job satisfaction? What are the connecting pathways by which IS agility affects HR systems and job satisfaction?Design/methodology/approachThe authors developed a theoretical framework based on the organizational information processing theory and collected primary data through an online-based questionnaire. Following these procedures, the authors analyzed the data using structural equation modeling (SEM).FindingsSEM analysis of the data from 150 respondents supports the organizational information processing theory. The authors proposed eight hypotheses, and only one was rejected.Research limitations/implicationsThe data were collected from South Africa only, which is an emerging economy, and these cross-sectional data were gathered from the perspectives of the respondents.Originality/valueThe present paper empirically tests the conceptual model through the lens of organizational information processing theory.

Barriers of knowledge transfer and mitigating strategies in collaborative management system implementations

PurposeAs the dynamics of the external environment of the enterprise continue to increase, the support of information systems for organizational agility becomes increasingly important. Collaborative Management System (CMS) is a new type of information system that can cope with the dynamic changes of the organization. Effective knowledge transfer is the core of the system implementation. The purpose of this study is to explore the knowledge transfer barriers faced by CMS in its implementation process.Design/methodology/approachThrough field interviews with a representative CMS provider, this paper summarizes the barriers of knowledge transfer during CMS implementation into three aspects.FindingsBased on the innovative measures taken by the company and relevant literature, the corresponding mitigating strategies are proposed.Originality/valueThe findings enrich the implementation methodology of agile information systems by exploring the knowledge transfer problem from a novel context. The study also provides a reference for practical implementation to overcome the dilemma of knowledge transfer.

Agility of enterprise information systems: A conceptual model, design principles and quantitative measurement

Yuri A. Zelenkov - Professor, Department of Information Systems and Digital Infrastructure Management, National Research University Higher School of EconomicsAddress: 20, Myasnitskaya Street, Moscow, 101000, Russian FederationE-mail: yzelenkov @hse.ru A modern enterprise has to react to permanent changes in the business environment by transformation of its own behavior, operational practices and business processes. Such transformations may range from changes of business processes to changes of information systems used to support the business processes, changes in the underlying IT infrastructures and even in the enterprise information system as a whole. The main characteristic of changes in a turbulent business environment and, consequently, in the enterprise information system is unpredictability. Therefore, an enterprise information system should support the operational efficiency of the current business model, as well as provide the necessary level of agility to implement future unpredictable changes of requirements. This article aims to propose a conceptual model of an agile enterprise information system, which is defined as a working system that should eliminate the largest possible number of gaps caused by external events through incremental changes of its own components. A conceptual model developed according to the socio-technical approach includes structural properties of an agile enterprise information system (actors, tasks, technology, and structure). Structural properties define its operational characteristics, i.e. measurable indicators of agility - time, costs, scope and robustness of process of change. Different ways to build such an agile system are discussed on the basis of axiomatic design theory. We propose an approach to measurement of time, cost, scope and robustness of changes which helps to make quantitative estimation of the achieved level of agility.