Adoption of agile methodology in ICT software projects in Kenyan Insurance Companies

Abstract

Background Since the early 2000s, numerous businesses have used agile techniques in order to accelerate their return on investment and enhance their capacity to adapt to changing market conditions. Purpose The purpose of this research was to strengthen Agile Methodology in IT projects by proposing the methodology that can be adopted by insurance companies in Kenya in its projects. Method Using descriptive research, data was collected through interviews on key informants and questionnaires to randomly select Kenya Insurance Companies’ IT and back-office staff. The target population for this study was Insurance companies in Kenya that have been in existence for a period of not less than five years and operate in Nairobi County. Findings The study shows that compared to other agile methodologies, scrum is the most preferred by Kenya Insurance companies due to the benefits derived from its adoption. Limitation The study was limited to Kenya Insurance companies operating within Nairobi County and have been in existence for more than five years. Thus, respondents from other insurance companies were omitted. Value of Research Understanding the adoption level of agile methodology is a step closer in the implementation of effective agile methodology in service delivery. Identifying possible key hurdles in the adoption of agile methodology in insurance industry will be key in identifying a suitable approach and methodology for the insurance industry in Kenya. Conclusion The research proposes that scrum agile methodology helps insurance companies in Kenya realize more benefits and return on investment compared to traditional software development approaches. In some instances, various agile methodologies can be employed to realize value. Key words: Agile Methodology, Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), Insurance Companies, organizational-environmental (TOE) model.