A comparative analysis of challenges in the adoption of agile scaling frameworks

Abstract

The software development industry continues tackling larger and more complex projects, and adopting scaling frameworks has become increasingly popular. These frameworks offer structure and guidance for scaling agile practices across multiple teams and domains. However, the challenges associated with adopting these frameworks still need to be fully understood. This study aims to address this gap by investigating the challenges faced by organizations that have adopted an agile scaling framework.

This research analyzed data gathered during previous research (Putta et al., 2021a, 2021b, 2018; Uludağ et al., 2021) on benefits, challenges, and reasons for adopting agile scaling frameworks. They were conducted through a survey of software practitioners with experience in adopting agile scaling frameworks, receiving 204 responses from ten different frameworks used across 26 countries. The results reveal that the most common challenge reported by respondents, regardless of their chosen framework, industry, or role, was organizational politics. Significant differences in the challenges faced by organizations were identified based on their chosen framework, the industry, and organizational role. The study quantitatively and qualitatively assesses the challenges associated with adopting specific agile scaling frameworks. Additionally, team formation emerged as the second most significant challenge, with change resistance as the third. These findings emphasize the importance of challenges when adopting agile scaling frameworks. By comparing the challenges associated with different frameworks, industries, organizational units, and roles, organizations can better understand the most significant obstacles they may face and improve their framework fit to mitigate these challenges. Future studies could build on these findings to provide additional insights and recommendations for organizations seeking to adopt agile scaling frameworks, including identifying strategies for overcoming common challenges and improving the overall effectiveness of these frameworks in a diverse range of contexts. This study is a valuable resource for organizations looking to adopt agile scaling frameworks and highlights the importance of understanding the challenges associated with adoption in different contexts.