Barriers to Deploying Agile Methods in Established Product Development Organizations

This research presents four barriers to deploying agile methods in established R&D organizations that develop complex, mechatronic products. While prior research has identified success factors and common challenges when implementing agile methods, their adaptation in established multidisciplinary product development work, where coordination across diverse engineering domains is crucial, remains underexplored. Drawing on a qualitative case study based on two years of interviews and discussion meetings, we have studied barriers that emerge when deploying agile methods in an organization where legacy practices and organizational logics conflict with the new methods. Our findings highlight twelve challenges that are categorized into four key barriers: complex dependencies & coordination, existing structures, new application & setting, and ambiguous values & benefits. The study thus offers insights into the barriers of changing workways in established R&D organizations and makes a threefold contribution: (1) identifying four barriers to agile adoption, (2) suggesting future research questions, and (3) providing practical advice for managers planning to deploy agile methods or other technological or methodological transformations that challenge the status quo. Managers should not assume immediate benefits, but instead be prepared to adapt the agile methods to their specific context. They should listen to those perceived as change averse and consider educating ‘boundary spanners’, that is, individuals who bridge engineering knowledge with method know-how. These roles help evaluate dependencies for coordination, identify rigid structures and articulate potential benefits to bridge the gap between the old and the new.