Three paths to grassroots software team engagement
Author: Les Misken
Three Paths to Grassroots Software Team Engagement
Leslie Michael Miskin
10 October 2018
Abstract
This thesis aims to demonstrates the importance of employee engagement in three respects: from the point of view of team dysfunction, learning and innovation, and organisational impact. In particular, how this can be achieved from a grassroots, non-leadership position. The research was conducted in a workplace-based setting in an IT department of a medium-sized finance company, using an auto-ethnographic approach. Primary findings included the addressing of dysfunction through the application of psychological safety and software development process; the harnessing of latent team member motivation towards professional development ends; and recognition and facilitation of non-leaders as grassroots change agents within an organisation. Notable concepts and works applied included the Competing Values Framework, The Extra Mile, Groupthink, Extreme Programming and Agile Software Development, 20% time and Changing Your Company from Within. The work yielded a change in professional practice from an individually-focused disengaged position, to that of a highly-engaged style focused on team and peer engagement.
Key words: Software development; Wellbeing; IT department; Agile software development; Organisational change; Information Technology.
Licence
This redacted thesis is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives licence CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International.
