Discursive co-development of agile systems and agile methods

Abstract

Agile methods continue their growth in popularity. This spreading usage increases the need for adapting agile approaches to specific organizations. Hence, we investigate how system developers engage in the evolution of both agile systems and agile methods in practice. We study adaptation of the agile method Scrum in six organizations. Based on this study we design a framework explaining how agile methods, and in particular Scrum, are constantly articulated and re-articulated when diffused in practice. This framework includes a two-by-two dimensional grouping that includes three classes of fragments: Objects, Organization, and Process. The fourth class involves a discursive articulation that occurs on the same logical plane as the fragments. Unlike method engineering, the discourse is an inseparable part of the methodology itself, not a separate “meta” method.