Using Social Intelligence to Overcome Agile Adoption Challenges

ABSTRACT

Agile adoption is gaining popularity in many organizations, even those steeped in traditional software development. However, project managers often cannot implement agile to its full potential given the numerous human- and process-related challenges. This research focuses on how project managers can tailor agile to overcome human-related challenges. Using a grounded theory approach, we examine how managers’ social intelligence competencies play a pivotal role in overcoming the human-related challenges emanating from stakeholders rooted in the traditional waterfall development approach. An understanding of this area informs practitioners on the interventions that can be taken and competencies that can be cultivated to maximize the success of agile adoption despite human-related challenges.

KEYWORDS:

• Agile
• method tailoring
• human-related challenges
• social intelligence
• grounded theory

Declaration of interest statement

We have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Data availability statement

Owing to the nature of this research, our participants did not agree for their data to be shared publicly. Therefore, supporting data is unavailable.

Notes

¹ The six principles are (i) businesspeople and developers must work together daily, (ii) projects must be built around motivated individuals, (iii) the most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation, (iv) sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely, (v) the best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams, and (vi) the team must regularly reflect on how to become more effective and adjusts its behavior accordingly.²⁶

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.