Bridging the Gap

Connecting Business Research and Agile Practice, Insights from Dr. Stephen Kenneth Hart

Observing the small things in life: why details matter in everyday experiences

There are many things in life that we take for granted, or that we do not question. Only after something is pointed out to us, then we can notice things all around us. One example I like is how often I see people try to open a door, and have to guess whether it is pull or pull. As you would expect, roughly half the time, people get it wrong. However, once someone points out to you that by looking at the door for a second, if you can see the hinges, then it is most likely to succeed by pulling, and if not, then push. This simple tip doesn’t fix a dramatic problem, but it can illustrate how simply taking the time to look at something with a bit of a critical view, the outcomes can change for that environment.

Motivation for research: exploring agile methods in practice

I decided to undertake research through the Geneva Business School, as I had become very interested in certain styles of project management that have become quite trendy in several industries over the past couple of decades. These “agile” methods had struck me as fascinating, as I had seen their use seeping into various different scenarios & applications, and was unable to align my anecdotal understanding with how people were using these methods. Even within one organisation, I had seen a wide spectrum of expectations for how these methods, along with their job titles, ceremonies, and outcomes were being executed. The more time I spent trying to understand inside the organisation, the harder I found it to reconcile.

The role of research in understanding agile methods

This is where the research has really helped. After taking the decision to review from an external perspective, a lot of the personal confusions and questions that I had with my own experience could be addressed in different ways.

Gaining context from literature: connecting theory and practice

In one sense, seeing comparative literature which could put titles to things I had experienced but couldn’t name then made it easier for me to frame what was happening.

Understanding the history of agile practices: lessons from past trends

In another sense, reviewing the history of agile methods along with other styles of project management put context around how these practices had gained popularity, and the environments that fostered their growth and success.

Personal growth and practitioner insights: learning from interviews

All of my personal growth in understanding should not be a surprise. I had made the decision to pick this specific topic, and made a concerted effort to work on understanding and analysing it.

Interviews with practitioners: exploring diverse experiences

What was a great additional part of my research was that of interviewing practitioners of agile methods, and this was for two main reasons.

Diverse perspectives: understanding multiple views on agile

The first was, similar to me, I feel a lot of people showed to have a wide range of their own opinions and assessments of these methods, and that they appreciated a platform to talk about them. I heard many different angles, use-cases, successes and failures, and overall belief about the use of agile practices, and people were very engaged to talk about them.

Ongoing engagement: building lasting research connections

The second benefit in talking to the practitioners was the continued interest from the participants after the interviews were over. I had many of the people I spoke to independently following up with me to share additional anecdotes, fresh examples, and ask how the research was going. To me, this felt a bit like the hinges on the door – by pushing people to think a bit more actively about the working environment they were in, people were then taking a more active role in framing and executing their own work.

Bridging research and practice: closing the gap in business knowledge

During my research, it has seemed that the divide between research and practice for business is one that has a continual need for monitoring, and there are a lot of benefits to closing this gap as much as possible. The DBA is a strong move in this direction, as it allows for the engagement with research from the vantage point of being in industry, and in my case, being able to bring the academic terms, materials, and framing directly into the world of practical application. At the same time, the direct feedback from the very specific use-cases of my own research then feeds back into the academic sphere, and hopefully works to close this research and practice divide.

Reflections on the DBA experience: personal growth and communication

My expectations for the DBA were initially quite internal, as I wanted to build my own research capabilities, whilst tackling a topic that had given me a lot of questions. Throughout the experience, what I have grown to appreciate more is that business research is much more about the importance of communicating to others, formally and informally, on what we learn. There is a lot of valuable information from both the academic world, and from the practicing industry, and the more we can bring these insights together, the more we can expect better outcomes for all.

About Dr. Hart Stephen: alumni profile and professional journey

Dr. Hart Stephen is an alumni of the Geneva Business School, and also has a degree in Mechatronic Engineering, and a Masters of Business Administration. He has worked for over a decade in global organisations, with roles in project management, engineering, and process management. He has worked across local, national, and international departments in Australia, Switzerland, and Germany. Stephen has a particular passion for communicating technical topics, and experimenting with open source solutions.