How Agile Practices Influence the Performance of Software Development Teams: The Role of Shared Mental Models and Backup

摘要

This study draws on team adaptation theory to examine how agile behavior within Information Systems development (ISD) teams influences team performance. We conceptualize agile behavior as the degree to which ISD teams use agile practices and test a theoretical model that links agile practice use to two key components of team adaptation-shared mental models and backup behavior. Moreover, in line with team adaption theory, shared mental models among team members are hypothesized to increase backup behavior, which in turn is suggested to lead to higher levels of ISD team performance in complex environments. To test our hypotheses, we collected data from Scrum masters, project leaders and more than 490 professional software engineers of a global enterprise software development company. Our findings broadly confirm our theoretical model linking agility, adaptation, and ISD team performance, leading to several theoretical and practical contributions.