Implementing agile development methods can prove extremely difficult in bureaucratic and highly structured organizations. While not all large organizations are plagued by these characteristics, many are. Agile development methods aim to optimize software development and drive improvements to the project's bottom line. However, large organizations often struggle with the very nature of agile structures.

Agile Methods Are Not for Everyone or Every Situation

Agile development works well in small enterprises, but what happens when agile is applied in a large enterprise? Can agile approaches be used successfully in larger, slower moving enterprises that are often resistant to change and where the need for high levels governance and control are the norm?

The reality is that most agile processes are designed for small or mid-sized software development projects. While not all agile projects in large enterprises are destined to fail (in fact some have proven quite successful, such as at BMC Software), the reality remains...