Transition of organizational roles in Agile transformation process: A grounded theory approach

Abstract

© 2017 Elsevier Inc. This study aims to identify how traditional organizational roles are transformed towards Agile roles. A grounded theory study with 5 software teams in a large software development company in Spain was conducted. We interviewed 21 people, participated in Agile Coaching sessions and observed daily activities in the company during a six-month period. The transition of organizational roles during the Agile transformation process is influenced by many circumstances such as: higher management commitment and support, knowledge about Agile, project team size and culture. The theory demonstrates how enterprise factors influence the transition of organizational roles and how practitioners cope with the challenges during the Agile transformation process. Based on our results, we proposed recommendations and guidelines for organizational roles transition during the Agile method adoption.