A Software Team Leaders’ Lived Experiences During Agile Adoption: A Phenomenological Study

Abstract

Abstract

Rapid technological advancements and global competition have heightened the need for agility in organizations striving to meet evolving customer expectations. This study examined the experiences of software team leaders who adopted Agile methods to enhance future Agile adoption in organizations seeking to deliver timely customer value. It employed a qualitative phenomenological approach to describe the lived experiences of software team leaders throughout Agile adoption. The research question asked about the experiences of software team leaders when successfully adopting Agile methodologies for their software projects. The conceptual framework that guided this research was the Agile Software Solution Framework (ASSF). The objective of employing ASSF was to assess the level of agility demonstrated by software development teams and facilitate the identification of areas where Agile implementation could suggest organizational and procedural improvements within the development environment.  Twenty-five software team leaders were interviewed who guided Agile teams through the adoption of Agile methodologies, chosen through purposeful sampling. This study used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to examine participant data and gain insights into how individuals make sense of a specific phenomenon in their unique context. This study documented several valuable Agile adoption techniques in its summary and recommendations section, which contributed to the knowledge of Agile methodologies in software development team leadership.  In conclusion, this study examined the successful adoption of Agile methodologies by software team leaders, providing insights into the challenges, successes, and key factors. This study benefits organizations by providing valuable insights into the successful adoption of Agile methodologies by software team leaders, helping them enhance their software development practices for increased adaptability in a rapidly changing market.