Implementing Large-Scale Agile Frameworks: Challenges and Recommendations

Based on 15 years of research collaboration across 13 case studies with organizations like Accenture, Dell, and Ericsson, this article identifies nine critical challenges in adopting large-scale agile frameworks such as SAFe, LeSS, Spotify, and Scrum-at-Scale. Key issues include unclear framework concepts, difficulty comparing options, lack of organizational readiness, structural conflicts, top-down versus bottom-up implementation tensions, over-emphasis on rigid adherence over value, insufficient empirical evidence, reduced developer autonomy, and misalignment with customer processes. The authors provide specific, actionable recommendations for each challenge, such as developing a common vocabulary, using framework-independent metrics, conducting readiness assessments, balancing implementation approaches, and involving customers in framework selection, to help organizations navigate large-scale agile transformations more effectively. 

https://arxiv.org/pdf/1901.08130

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