Investigating the Establishment of Communities of Practice in Large-Scale Agile Software Development - A Literature Review

This thesis will be published here end of this year (2025) after publication.

Abstract

The advancement of modern technology is a driving key for software development to align with the rapid development in the industry. An increasing number of organizations are implementing agile practices in order to adapt to changes that occur constantly in the field. Despite being created initially for small teams, larger companies are implementing the agile methodology. However, complexities arise since the frameworks were not implemented to meet the needs of large structures. Knowledge distribution, for example, faces difficulties in this area due to the intricacy of integrating some of the agile practices in large-scale systems. Communities of Practice (CoPs), who are groups of people with a common interest and who regularly exchange knowledge, are recommended to tackle challenges in scaling agile software development. This thesis provides a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) that investigates the research endeavors, challenges, and good practices of Communities of Practice in large-scale agile software development.

Research Questions

RQ1: What research endeavors exist investigating CoPs in large-scale agile software development?

RQ2: Why were the CoPs established? 

RQ3: What challenges and good practices exist?