Abstract:
Agile methods have been embraced by the software development industry. Their effectiveness in streamlining the software process has led organizations to look at the application of agile methods to non-software projects and organizational functions. While a significant body of research exists on agile methods and software development, previous studies on agile methods have not elaborated on their use in global virtual teams (GVTs) engaged in non-software projects. This paper describes one such project, where an organization that had previously adopted agile methods for software development, scaled agile methods to a GVT undertaking a process improvement project. Participant observation was employed to capture a rich description of the tailoring of agile methods for the project. Findings suggest that while agile methods in a GVT context are realizable, adjustments have to be made to allow for the distributed team structure and project type.
