Factors affecting effectiveness of agile usage - Insights from the BBC worldwide case study

Abstract

The past decade has seen significant changes in systems development with many organizations adopting agile methodologies as a viable methodology for developing systems. An increasing number of research studies reveal the growing popularity and acceptance of agile methodologies. While most academic research has focused on adoption and adaptation of agile methods, there is very limited understanding of their post-adoption usage and incorporation within organizations. What factors explain the effective usage of agile methodologies? A synthesis of past research in Systems Development Methodologies, Information Systems implementation, Diffusion of Innovations, and Agile Methodologies was conducted to develop a research model that identifies the main factors pertinent to the propagation and effective usage of agile methodologies in organizations. The model is tested by applying it to the usage of Kanban for Software Engineering practices at BBC Worldwide, London. Insights gained from the case study are discussed. © 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.