Building a Toolbox for Working with Psychological Safety in Agile Software Teams

Abstract

This paper presents the design of eight tools for working with psychological safety in agile software teams, which were designed in collaboration with industry practitioners using design science. The tools were adopted over a two-week period by four Danish industry software teams and evaluated through team interviews and surveys. Results show that the designed tools can be successfully adopted and integrated in the practices of a software team. Participating teams found the tool format valuable, as it allowed them (i) to engage in discussions they were not always capable of having, (ii) to find the right shared vocabulary to frame these discussions, and (iii) to provide them with needed prompts to let such discussion surface. Finally, teams unanimously reported interest in the continued use of the designed tools.