A Taxonomy of Inter-Team Coordination Mechanisms in Large-Scale Agile

In large-scale agile software development, many teams work together to achieve overarching project goals. The more teams, the greater coordination requirements. Despite growing popularity of agile, inter-team is challenging practice and research. We conducted a case study over 1.5 years in development firm better understand which mechanisms are used how they support coordination. Based on thematic analysis 31 interviews, 113 hours observations, supplemental material, we identified 27 mechanisms. From this, offer following contributions. First, propose taxonomy with three categories: meetings, such as communities practice, stand-ups, retrospectives; roles, program architects platform team; tools artefacts, Slack JIRA well task boards, product backlogs, roadmaps. Second, displayed combinations four key characteristics, technical, organizational, physical, social (TOPS), form basis TOPS framework capture multifaceted characteristics Technical relates and/or technical supporting development. xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Organizational pertains structural aspects organization. xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Physical refers tangible or spatial characteristics. xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Social captures interpersonal community-based Finally, provide knowledge base structured approach for researchers practitioners improve agile.