Challenges of shared decision-making: A multiple case study of agile software development

  • Authors:

  • Nils Brede Moe;Aybüke Aurum;Tore Dybå

  • Affiliations:

  • SINTEF, NO-7465 Trondheim, Norway;School of Information Systems, Technology and Management, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia;SINTEF, NO-7465 Trondheim, Norway

  • Venue:
  • Information and Software Technology
  • Year:
  • 2012

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Abstract

Context: Agile software development changes the nature of collaboration, coordination, and communication in software projects. Objective: Our objective was to understand the challenges of shared decision-making in agile software development teams. Method: We designed a multiple case study consisting of four projects in two software product companies that recently adopted Scrum. We collected data in semi-structured interviews, through participant observations, and from process artifacts. Results: We identified three main challenges to shared decision-making in agile software development: alignment of strategic product plans with iteration plans, allocation of development resources, and performing development and maintenance tasks in teams. Conclusion: Agile software development requires alignment of decisions on the strategic, tactical, and operational levels in order to overcome these challenges. Agile development also requires a transition from specialized skills to redundancy of functions and from rational to naturalistic decision-making. This takes time; the case companies needed from one to two years to change from traditional, hierarchical decision-making to shared decision-making in software development projects.