Teamwork Challenges in Distributed Agile Software Development

In Distributed Agile Software Development (DASD), Agile software development principles are applied in a distributed setting. This creates an inherent tension, since DSD and ASD place conflicting requirements on how software development is organized. Where DSD builds on a plan-driven, systematic and structured approach, ASD by its nature is interactive, flexible, and focused on self-organizing teams. Based on an in-depth case study, we find that these inherent tensions lead to teamwork challenges within any of the eight teamwork dimensions (coordinating mechanisms and core components) of the Salas et al. (2005) model on which our study is founded. We also find that specific teamwork practices focused on shared understanding and practices, leveraging multiple communication channels, and stimulating mutual trust mitigate the extent to which these challenges emerge and affect collaboration in DASD teams. Our study contributes to the emerging literature on DASD, as well as the broader teamwork literature.