So you think you’re agile?

Abstract

Some agile projects succeed, some fail miserably. Research shows that time does not necessarily cure such ills and there can be many complex underlying reasons. Evaluating the ways agility is supported across three supposedly agile projects reveals a myriad of organizational, human and political issues. Using a novel approach to assess agile projects from first principles, this paper outlines several key findings and recommendations beyond mere compliance to textbook methods.