The Impact of Adopting Agile Methodologies in South African Banks in Gauteng Province for Software Development on a Work-from-Home Arrangement

Abstract

Agile methodology is a project management methodology that focuses on breaking down a project into smaller, repeatable steps. It emphasises continuous collaboration amongst the stakeholders involved in the project and improving the overall project. Teams that use Agile methodologies typically follow a cycle that involves planning, performing, and evaluating, while advocating for less documentation and a greater focus on performance. While IT (Information Technology) companies have primarily employed agile methodologies and software development teams, IT and non-IT teams in the banking sector have also seen a rise in adopting agile methodologies since the emergence of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) pandemic. It is important to understand these methodologies as they continue to shape the ways of working even long after COVID-19 which affects the country’s economy, wellbeing of individuals and continue to drive technological growth. This study examined the impact of adopting agile methodologies in South African banks in Gauteng province for software development. The focus was on IT personnel working from home in the South African banking sector. In addition, three theoretical frameworks (resource-based view, competing values framework and technology acceptance model) were integrated to underpin the study, to develop the conceptual framework and to guide the testing of hypotheses for the study. The research design identified and followed for this study was a quantitative study that used a closed-ended questionnaire to collect data from 160 respondents, who were selected at the researcher’s convenience using non-probability sampling. The respondents were also selected through snowball sampling from the selected five banks to minimise data collection bias, and the collected data were analysed using IBM SPSS v. 31. The study's main findings indicated that agile training is crucial for agile success, and organisational culture and structure affect the successful use of agile methodologies in a work-from-home arrangement. Organisations also need to be more flexible when adopting agile methodologies in a work-from-home arrangement and allow for adaptability to get the best out of agile methodologies. Future studies could be conducted in other South African provinces across various industries to compare the impact, adoption, use, challenges, and benefits realised with the use of agile methodologies in a work-from-home arrangement.