Investigating the Agile Hybrid Approach in Construction

Abstract

Rapidly developing technologies, fast evolving business needs, and increasing competition have forced construction companies to respond to changing conditions much faster in their projects. Agile project management, which was originally developed by software engineers, takes advantage of collaborative, integrated, and productive teams composed of project participants guided by principles of trust, transparent processes, and open information sharing. It is a project management approach based on delivering project requirements incrementally through short iterations by a small, self-organized, and cross-functional team. This study aims to investigate the implementation of the agile hybrid approach in construction. In this context, a conceptual model composed of 6 constructs (drivers, barriers, enablers, inputs, process improvements, and project benefits) and 42 corresponding indicators was proposed. A questionnaire survey was designed and administered to construction professionals. The validity of the interrelations among the constructs was tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings revealed a need for project performance improvement as the main driver; a lack of awareness of agile methods and practices as the major barrier; commitment and organizational learning via short feedback loops as the main enabler; an autonomous, self-organized, and multidisciplinary team as the most critical input; better response to changes as the major improvement; and enhanced project performance as the key project benefit. This research proposes an interactive agile integration framework for the construction industry that can be used to reveal primary differences in implementation across countries through the collection and analysis of data from another country. Construction companies can benefit from the recommended strategies to determine their short- and long-term strategies and incorporate agility into their project management practices.