ADAPTING AGILE METHODS TO DEVELOP SOLUTIONS FOR THE INDUSTRIAL INTERNET OF THINGS

The Internet of Things (IoT) is evolving from a technological buzz-phrase into a substantiated organizational and private reality with interconnected devices over the Internet. However, with literature focusing on the technological aspects of IoT, research on the development process of IoT solutions remains scarce. This is particularly captivating, since agile methods provide a natural fit for the requirements associated with the development of IoT solutions, ranging from continuous and flexible improvement of products to integrating developers’ interdisciplinary expertise. We bring together these two areas of interest by conducting a study on the adaptation of agile methods in organizations that develop and distribute industrial IoT solutions. In this paper, we derive a theoretical model based on adaptive structuration theory and develop our empirical research design. Our multiple-case study research approach across relevant companies and industries is currently in process of data collection and analysis. Nonetheless, our preliminary findings reveal interesting insights into the specific adaptation of the agile development method of Scrum in the industrial IoT context. In terms of our finalized study, we provide a sound theoretical basis for future research and offer relevant practical guidance for organizations that are implementing agile methods to develop their industrial IoT solutions