Barriers to Learning in Agile Software Development Projects

The adoption of agile methods promises many advantages for individual, team, and organizational learning. However, environmental, structural, and organizational/cultural constraints often find teams adapting agile software development methods rather than engaging in full adoption. We present results from two qualitative studies of teams and organizations that have, in many cases, adapted agile software methods to suit their needs through the omission or alteration of aspects of the method. In many cases, aspects of an agile method that are most related to learning were those that were modified or omitted. This paper utilizes the results of these studies to identify common and emergent barriers to learning. Often these barriers to learning exist according to organizational culture and the extent to which that culture influences attitudes, norms, and behaviors pertaining to learning. We present these barriers to learning and provide insight to the causes, effects, and potential ameliorations for these barriers.