Technical dependencies in practicing Agile in large- scale Software Development Organizations

Due to the benefits associated with Agile practices, such as flexibility, responsiveness. Large-scale software companies have been attracted to scale Agile practices which has led to software vices like technical dependencies. This study investigates the challenges associated with technical dependencies, and the challenges of communicating technical dependencies in large-scale Agile software development. A qualitative research approach was used to investigate the study. Thematic analysis of the interview data revealed: Planning, Teams backlog priority, Attitude and Knowledge sharing, Code quality, and Merge challenges, as the main challenges of this study. The main challenges interact with each other forming a technical dependency loop, and lead to domino effect, during the development of a product. The magnitude of the domino effect will determine the quality of the final product. We suggested some recommendations such as broadening initiative, continuous integration among others, to mitigate the above challenges. Resolving the challenges of technical dependencies will lead to effective communication across teams, which will enable large scale companies realize the benefits of large scale agility.