Changes to team autonomy in large-scale software development: a multiple case study of Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) implementations

Gustavsson, Tomas; Berntzen, Marthe Nordengen; Stray, Viktoria

doi:10.12821/ijispm100102

Cited by 13 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Moreover, there are numerous barriers and challenges that inhibit the realization of the agile benefits in an organizational context [10,25]. Especially in large-scale transformation projects, basic agile principles such as team autonomy are hard to maintain [26].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hybrid project management – a systematic literature review

Reiff

Schlegel

2022

IJISPM

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Hybrid project management is an approach that combines traditional and agile project management techniques. The goal is to benefit from the strengths of each approach, and, at the same time avoid the weaknesses. However, due to the variety of hybrid methodologies that have been presented in the meantime, it is not easy to understand the differences or similarities of the methodologies, as well as, the advantages or disadvantages of the hybrid approach in general. Additionally, there is only fragmented knowledge about prerequisites and success factors for successfully implementing hybrid project management in organizations. Hence, the aim of this study is to provide a structured overview of the current state of research regarding the topic. To address this aim, we have conducted a systematic literature review focusing on a set of specific research questions. As a result, four different hybrid methodologies are discussed, as well as, the definition, benefits, challenges, suitability and prerequisites of hybrid project management. Our study contributes to knowledge by synthesizing and structuring prior work in this growing area of research, which serves as a basis for purposeful and targeted research in the future.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hybrid project management – a systematic literature review

Reiff

Schlegel

2022

IJISPM

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“…To ease tension between team autonomy and inter-team alignment, creating incentives for co-location can be beneficial. Enforcing company-wide rules, such as co-location on a set day, may threaten team autonomy in a large-scale agile organization [12]. Instead, incentives could be used to encourage co-location.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, there are more uncertainty, complexity, and dependencies between projects and teams, and thus coordination especially becomes a challenge [6]. Furthermore, the high degree of complexity and dependencies across teams threatens team autonomy [12]. A recent longitudinal study exploring coordination mechanisms in large-scale agile revealed that these mechanisms evolve in response to external and internal change events and that implementing the appropriate coordination mechanisms can significantly enhance the organization's resilience [4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Organizational Debt in Large-Scale Hybrid Agile Software Development: A Case Study on Coordination Mechanisms

Liu,

Stray,

Sporsem

2023

Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing

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Software development is a complex human-centered activity, increasingly complicated by agile organizations scaling and adopting hybrid work. While technical debt has been extensively studied, other forms of debt-organizational, process, cultural, and social-have received less attention. We conducted a case study using ten semi-structured interviews, observations, and document analysis to identify coordination mechanisms used in large-scale hybrid agile. We identified organizational debt challenges such as a lack of shared mental models, team coordination, team cohesion, and team learning. Also, the hybrid working arrangement was found to create tension between increased individual autonomy and team objectives, as well as between team autonomy and inter-team coordination. We found 23 coordination mechanisms that the teams used to address challenges in their organization. We propose that implementing many of these mechanisms may help manage organizational debt.

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“…49 The implementation of frameworks is not indifferent to team autonomy. 50 Conboy and Carroll warn that should an organizational transformation be based on formal frameworks, boards may be tempted by the counterproductive pursuit of compliance with a particular framework rather than the benefits brought by individual component practices. 51 On top of that, deliverables of highly regulated industries are subjected to various regulation schemes beyond typical national-level requirements, thereby leading to a disruption of the agile process referred to as ScrumBut or even the unfeasibility of adopting a given framework.…”

Section: Large-scale Agile Transformationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, Putta et al when scrutinizing the implementation of the SAFe framework within a large financial corporate body encountered a series of challenges, two of which could potentially derail any SAFe‐centered organizational transformation: (1) the management of traditional companies might be unwilling to embark on a path of a far‐reaching rebuild of their organizations; (2) yielding control over pools of resources each manager controls in order to form agile release trains is likely to face strong resistance of political nature 49 . The implementation of frameworks is not indifferent to team autonomy 50 . Conboy and Carroll warn that should an organizational transformation be based on formal frameworks, boards may be tempted by the counterproductive pursuit of compliance with a particular framework rather than the benefits brought by individual component practices 51 .…”

Section: Background and Related Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

Scaling scrum with a customized nexus framework: A report from a joint industry‐academia research project

2023

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Despite a wide range of scaling frameworks available, large‐scale agile transformations are not straightforward undertakings. Few organizations have structures in place that fit the predefined workflows – while once one applies an off‐the‐shelf framework outside of its prescribed process, guidance quickly runs out. In this paper, we demonstrate how to instantiate a method configuration process using a lightweight experimental approach embedded in Action Research cycles. The proposed approach was developed to assist practitioners working on a multiple‐team project at Intel Technology Poland to find the right practices to continue their Nexus‐based transformation and integrate their in‐house method into the already established company structures, processes, and routines. In particular, it enabled identifying a series of challenges with scaled practices and coping with those. The challenges ranged from logistical problems, through poor availability of the Product Owner, to lackluster knowledge transfer and a wide array of communication/coordination issues at meetings. The study broadens the current body of knowledge within technology management and the scaled agile method‐tailoring domain. It indicates potential corrective actions that may be taken advantage of by entities that are not inclined, due to organizational constraints, to directly implement an off‐the‐shelf framework. Furthermore, our study demonstrates that a gradual transition to large‐scale agile at the project level (1) is possible with the preservation of traditional command‐and‐control management practices; (2) requires neither middle management involvement nor upfront investment; and (3) does not need to disrupt the continuous delivery of the product.

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Changes to team autonomy in large-scale software development: a multiple case study of Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) implementations

Cited by 13 publications

References 34 publications

Hybrid project management – a systematic literature review

Hybrid project management – a systematic literature review

Organizational Debt in Large-Scale Hybrid Agile Software Development: A Case Study on Coordination Mechanisms

Scaling scrum with a customized nexus framework: A report from a joint industry‐academia research project

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