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Sprint Zeal or Sprint Fatigue? The Benefits and Burdens of Agile ISD Practices Use for Developer Well-Being

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  • Alexander Benlian

    (Department of Business, Law and Economics, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64289 Darmstadt, Germany)

Abstract

Despite the predominant view in the agile information systems development (ISD) literature that agile information systems development practices use (AISDPU) has positive ramifications for ISD teams and projects, previous research has paid considerably less attention to whether and how these practices can be simultaneously beneficial and burdensome to individual developers. In addition, much of our knowledge on AISDPU and its effects relies on research into the differences between developers over an extended period of time. Yet, agile ISD practices are typically used on a day-to-day basis and can thus be viewed as an inherently within-person phenomenon, pointing to the need for daily investigations that provide a closer look at the immediate, lived experiences of developers. Drawing on the holistic stress process model, we develop the idea that daily AISDPU can be a source of stressful situational demands with both energizing and depleting effects that may thus help or harm developer well-being. In an experience-sampling study of 131 developers who responded to daily surveys spread over 10 workdays, we show that AISDPU can indeed be a double-edged sword: instrumental to developers’ energy resources (by increasing work engagement) on some days yet detrimental to their energy resources (by increasing depletion) on others—two forces with opposing effects on developer well-being. Importantly, we find that the divergent effects of AISDPU critically hinge on whether developers appraise it as a challenge or a threat. As a potential antidote, we investigate the moderating role of information technology (IT) mindfulness in developers’ appraisal processes. Our results show that IT mindfulness serves as a facilitator of challenge appraisals and as a buffer against threat appraisals. More broadly, this study challenges the predominant view of AISDPU as an inherently good thing and offers meaningful insights into why and when AISDPU improves versus impairs developer well-being.

Suggested Citation

  • Alexander Benlian, 2022. "Sprint Zeal or Sprint Fatigue? The Benefits and Burdens of Agile ISD Practices Use for Developer Well-Being," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 33(2), pages 557-578, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:orisre:v:33:y:2022:i:2:p:557-578
    DOI: 10.1287/isre.2021.1069
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bartsch, Sebastian Clemens & Milani, Verena & Adam, Martin & Benlian, Alexander, 2024. "Algorithmic Accountability: What Does it Mean for AI Developers and How Does it Affect AI Development Projects," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 142984, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).

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