Agility from First Principles: Reconstructing the Concept of Agility in Information Systems Development.

Author List: Conboy, Kieran;

Information Systems Research, 2009, Volume 20, Issue 3, Page 329-354.

Awareness and use of agile methods has grown rapidly among the information systems development (ISD) community in recent years. Like most previous methods, the development and promotion of these methods have been almost entirely driven by practitioners and consultants, with little participation from the research community during the early stages of evolution. While these methods are now the focus of more and more research efforts, most studies are still based on XP, Scrum, and other industry-driven foundations, with little or no conceptual studies of ISD agility in existence. As a result, this study proposes that there are a number of significant conceptual shortcomings with agile methods and the associated literature in its current state, including a lack of clarity, theoretical glue, parsimony, limited applicability, and naivety regarding the evolution of the concept of agility in fields outside systems development. Furthermore, this has significant implications for practitioners, rendering agile method comparison and many other activities very difficult, especially in instances such as distributed development and large teams that are not conducive to many of the commercial agile methods. This study develops a definition and formative taxonomy of agility in an ISD context, based on a structured literature review of agility across a number of disciplines, including manufacturing and management where the concept originated, matured, and has been applied and tested thoroughly over time. The application of the texonomy in practice is then demonstrated through a series of thought trials conducted in a large multinational organization. The intention is that the definition and taxonomy can then be used as a starting point to study ISD method agility regardless of whether the method is XP or Scrum, agile or traditional, complete or fragmented, out-of-the-box or in-house, used as is or tailored to suit the project context.

Keywords: agile; agile management; agile manufacturing; conceptual research; systems development

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List of Topics

#292	0.210	information research literature systems framework review paper theoretical based potential future implications practice discussed current concept propositions findings provided extant
#86	0.133	methods information systems approach using method requirements used use developed effective develop determining research determine assessment useful series critical existing
#152	0.109	software development process performance agile processes developers response tailoring activities specific requirements teams quality improvement outcomes productivity improve fit maturity
#220	0.103	research study different context findings types prior results focused studies empirical examine work previous little knowledge sources implications specifically provide
#197	0.090	agility capital substitution non-it enablers significant inhibitors link dynamism does agile labor executives enabling dual adaptive contrast substitute practices literature
#175	0.072	taxonomy systems different concept isd alternative generalization mechanistic distinction types generalizability theoretical speech richer induction original form inductive empirical organic
#137	0.060	phase study analysis business early large types phases support provided development practice effectively genres associated different sensemaking including form technologies