The Impact of Motivator and Demotivator Factors on Agile Software Development

Since the last decade, Agile software development has emerged as a widely utilized software development method keeping in view the developing countries of South Asia. The literature reports significant challenges and barriers for agile in software industry and thus the area still has significant problems when considered with this domain. This study reports an industrial survey in Pakistani software industry practices and practitioners to elicit the indigenous motivator and demotivators of agile paradigm in Pakistan. This study provides a concrete ranking of motivator and demotivator factors which influence the agile paradigm. A lack of proper training and other identified issues indicate that the adoption of agile is in preliminary phases and serious effort is required to set the direction right for success of agile paradigm and its adopting institutions. The survey is conducted in 23 companies practicing agile organizations and involves 90 agile practitioners. Reports of 67 practitioners were finally selected after careful selection against selection criteria for this study. The results indicate various alarming factors which are different from reported literature on the subject. Tolerance to work is the most important motivating factor among Pakistan agile practitioners, likewise lack of resources is the highest demotivating factor. A detailed ranking list of motivators and demotivators and comprehensive data analysis has been provided in this paper which influences strongly the agile software development issues in Pakistan.