Coordination in Large-Scale Agile Software Development: Integrating Conditions and Configurations in Multiteam Systems

141 Pages·2017·3.74 MB·English

by  Alexander Scheerer (auth.)

Progress in IS
Alexander Scheerer
Coordination
in Large-Scale
Agile Software
Development
Integrating Conditions and Configurations
in Multiteam Systems
Progress in IS
More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/10440
Alexander Scheerer
Coordination in Large-Scale
Agile Software Development
fi
Integrating Conditions and Con gurations
in Multiteam Systems
123
Alexander Scheerer
SAPSE
Walldorf, Baden-Württemberg
Germany
ISSN 2196-8705 ISSN 2196-8713 (electronic)
Progressin IS
ISBN978-3-319-55326-9 ISBN978-3-319-55327-6 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-55327-6
LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2017933555
ThisbookisbasedonadoctoralthesissuccessfullydefendedattheBusinessSchooloftheUniversityof
Mannheim.
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The original version of the book was revised:
For detailed information please see erratum.
The erratum to this book is available at
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-55327-6_6
v
Acknowledgements
This dissertation is the result of a successful cooperation between the research
groupofProf.Dr.ArminHeinzlattheInstituteofEnterpriseSystems,Universityof
Mannheim, Germany and SAP SE, Walldorf, Germany. Developing and writing
this book has been a challenging and enriching experience. I would like to thank
many people who have supported and accompanied me during this process.
First and foremost, I would like to thank my academic advisor Prof. Dr. Armin
Heinzlforgivingmethesupport,theguidanceandalsothefreedomtodevelopmy
research ideas and skills in teaching. I deeply appreciate his encouragement and
support to present at international conferences and to develop my work during a
research stay abroad with Dr. Rashina Hoda at the University of Auckland.
This dissertation project would not have been possible without the amazing
support I received from colleagues at SAP SE. Through innumerable discussions,
interviews and workshops I had the unique opportunity to study agile software
development with and from experts in the field. My special thanks goes to Tobias
Schimmer(néHildenbrand),whohasbeeninvaluableinthisresearchendeavor.He
has always been an encouraging and highly supportive mentor throughout this
journey.MartinFassunge,JuergenHeymann,MichaelRömerandJoachimSchnitter
guided me through the world of software development at SAP SE. Without their
support,thesuccessfulcompletionofthisjointresearchprojectwouldnothavebeen
possible.Furthermore,IwouldliketothankBehnazGholami,HerbertIllgner,Roger
Kilian-Kehr,GünterPecht-Seibert,FelixMaximilianRoth,SarahTräutleinandDirk
VölzatSAPSEfortheirsupport.Furthermore,theempiricalstudywouldnothave
beenpossiblewithoutthesupportofmorethan90colleagueswhowerewillingtobe
interviewedfor myresearch on topof their daily work.
While working on my dissertation, I had the opportunity to collaborate with a
great team of colleagues at the Chair of General Management and Information
Systems. The ongoing exchanges aboutour work and beyond was all-important to
this journey. Through this time spent together I was fortunate enough to have
gainedmanyafriend.MyveryspecialthanksgoestoOkanAydingül,SaskiaBick,
Jens Förderer, Erik Hemmer, Lars Klimpke, Tommi Kramer, Thomas Kude,
vii
viii Acknowledgements
Miroslav Lazic, Nele Lüker, Tillmann Neben, Marko Nöhren, Sven Scheibmayr,
Kai Spohrer, Christoph Schmidt, Sebastian Stuckenberg and Aliona von der
Trenck. I would also like to thank the chair’s assistants Luise Bühler and Ingrid
Distelrath as well as the student assistants, Stefan Eckhardt, Alexandra Lang, Lea
Offermann and Martin Pfannemüller.
My deepest gratitude goes to my family, who have given me the utmost of
encouragementandadvice,especiallytoSaskiaforherunceasingpatienceandmy
parents, who have always given me unconditional support in all aspects of life.
Mannheim, Germany Alexander Scheerer
December 2016
Contents
1 Introduction.... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 1
1.1 Problem Statement ... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 1
1.2 Research Questions and Objectives ... .... .... .... ..... .... 3
1.3 Research Design and Organization.... .... .... .... ..... .... 4
References.. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 5
2 Theoretical and Conceptual Foundations . .... .... .... ..... .... 7
2.1 Coordination.... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 7
2.1.1 Coordination in Organizational Theory... .... ..... .... 8
2.1.2 Coordination Theory. .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 10
2.1.3 Coordination in Team Cognition Studies . .... ..... .... 11
2.1.4 Outcomes and Conditions of Coordination .... ..... .... 12
2.1.5 Summary. .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 14
2.2 Teams and Multiteam Systems... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 14
2.3 Agile Software Development .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 16
2.3.1 The Scrum Framework ... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 18
2.3.2 Agile Software Development on the Team Level .... .... 21
2.3.3 Industrial Frameworks for Large-Scale Agile
Development.. ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 23
2.3.4 Agile Software Development on the Multiteam System
Level.... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 26
2.4 Prior Work on Coordination in Multiteam
Systems and Large-Scale Agile Development.... .... ..... .... 27
2.4.1 Coordination in Multiteam Systems . .... .... ..... .... 27
2.4.2 Coordination in Large-Scale Agile Development .... .... 28
2.5 Research Framework . ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 29
References.. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 32
ix
x Contents
3 Research Design .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 39
3.1 Research Context .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 39
3.1.1 Organizational Context ... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 40
3.1.2 Embedded Research Setup .... .... .... .... ..... .... 40
3.2 Selection of a Research Strategy.. .... .... .... .... ..... .... 41
3.3 Specification of the Case Study Strategy ... .... .... ..... .... 42
3.4 Data Collection and Analysis Procedure.... .... .... ..... .... 44
3.4.1 Data Collection..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 44
3.4.2 Analysis of Process Changes... .... .... .... ..... .... 45
References.. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 47
4 Case Study Results on Coordination in Multiteam Systems.... .... 49
4.1 Single-Case Analysis . ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 49
4.1.1 Case Alpha... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 50
4.1.2 Case Beta .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 62
4.1.3 Case Gamma.. ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 72
4.1.4 Case Delta.... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 78
4.1.5 Case Epsilon.. ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 85
4.2 Cross-Case Analysis.. ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 90
4.2.1 Imbalances of Integrating Conditions .... .... ..... .... 90
4.2.2 Deriving Instantiations of Coordination Configurations.... 92
4.2.3 Analysis of the Relationship Between Integrating
Conditions and Coordination Configurations... ..... .... 95
4.2.4 Analysis of the Relationship Between the Coordination
Configuration Dimensions and the Integrating
Conditions.... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 98
4.2.5 Temporal Analysis of Integrating Conditions
and Coordination Configurations.... .... .... ..... .... 99
4.2.6 Stereotypes of Multiteam Systems... .... .... ..... .... 105
References.. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 106
5 Discussion and Summary . ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 107
5.1 Summary of the Findings... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 107
5.2 Theoretical Contributions ... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 109
5.3 Practical Contributions ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 112
5.4 Limitations of the Study and Future Research ... .... ..... .... 113
5.5 Summary .. .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 114
References.. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 116
Erratum to: Coordination in Large-Scale Agile Software
Development .. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... E1
Appendix. .... .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 119