Guidance on Implementing Agile Software Development Methods within a Traditional Environment

Sammanfattning: Agile software development methods keep increasing in popularity. Many organizations who are using traditional software development methods, such as water-fall and stagegate based methods are switching to agile software development methods. This transition can be challenging, especially for organizations using project governance models that hinder the adoption of agile practices. This study aims to provide guidance to managers on how to introduce agile software development methods in such traditional organizations. The study is a single-case study on a large governmental agency in Sweden. Eight interviews with developers, team-leads and managers were conducted. The study identifies practical tools and ideas that managers can use to introduce a shared definition of agile, adopting an agile mindset, dedicated teams, and CI&CD. Together, this guidance supports managers with the introduction of agile software development methods in organizations utilizing traditional project governance structures and traditional software development methods.