Tensions experienced and balancing strategies used in Agile Software Development environments

To achieve efficiency in rapidly changing environments, working methods that promote change and flexibility are needed. Thus, the Agile ways of working (i.e. Agile values, principles, and frameworks) are today the most common approach to developing software and something that is currently spreading to many other industries and organizations outside of the traditional IT sector. However, it is challenging to combine the business-driven need for predictability and planning with the Agile ways of working, e.g. changeability, self-management and step-by-step development and delivery; therefore, several tensions can arise at the team and organizational levels. Tensions can, for example, be experienced if the team members’ experiences are rooted in traditional project environments with stable processes and predefined requirements based on detailed planning. This dissertation aims to contribute to our knowledge of Agile Software Development (ASD) by examining the contradictions and tensions in ASD environments, as well as how to balance and react to these tensions. The dissertation responds to the great need for conceptual development in the field of Information Systems. The target groups are both researchers and practitioners. The research reported on in this dissertation is based on one conceptual study and two empirical studies. The studies reported on in four appended papers jointly contribute toward answering three research questions (RQs): RQ 1: What is the nature of the tensions experienced in ASD environments? RQ 2: What are the sources of the tensions experienced in ASD environments? RQ 3: What ambidextrous strategies can be used to both balance and react to the tensions found in ASD environments? This dissertation brings together concepts from academic domains of knowledge (organizational theories of [paradoxical] tensions and ambidexterity and Activity Theory derived from socio-psychological theory) in order to provide a new insight into the complexity of ASD. This dissertation contributes by discussing and visualizing how patterns of contradictions, categorized tensions and ambidextrous (i.e. the ability to manage two seemingly contradictory activities) strategies have been compiled and connected. This dissertation also contributes by describing how three models that can be used to develop the concept of “shared mental models”, which is so important to team-based learning. This dissertation aims to contribute to our knowledge of Agile Software Development (ASD) by examining the contradictions and tensions in ASD environments, as well as how to balance and react to these tensions. This extended knowledge of ASD is important because ASD is today the most common way to develop software and it is currently spreading to many other industries and organizations outside the Information Technology sector. However, recent research reports that it is challenging to combine the business-driven need for predictability and planning with the Agile ways of working, e.g., changeability, self-management and step-by-step development and delivery; therefore, several tensions can arise at the team and organizational levels. Tensions can, for example, be experienced if the team members’ experiences are rooted in traditional project environments with stable processes and predefined requirements based on detailed planning. This dissertation comprises of three studies (one conceptual study and two empirical studies), which are reported on in four papers. This dissertation contributes by visualizing how patterns of contradictions, categorized tensions and ambidextrous (i.e. the ability to balance between tensions) strategies have been compiled and connected. This dissertation also contributes by describing how three models that can be used to develop the concept of “shared mental models” which is so important in team-based learning.