The Risks of Agile Software Development: Learning from Adopters

Agile software development (ASD) resulted from widespread professional discontent with traditional approaches; development projects' high failure rates; and, most important, the need for speedy, responsive delivery of software for Internet businesses. Many practitioners have embraced ASD, which commentators often extol as a faster, better, and cheaper development approach. However, a recent high-profile failure of an ASD project and the discontinued use of ASD in a software company have drawn attention to ASD's possible risks. Before we can manage such risks, we must identify them and understand why they arise. Researchers conducted interviews with 112 people in 28 organizations and with 25 ASD contractors and consultants. The interviews revealed key ASD risks that require careful management to achieve the desired project outcomes.