Key research Question
In the research that is being proposed, I want to explore how a psychologically safe
environment mediates a successful agile transformation. Agile is empirical in nature
and therefore requires learning to be captured to improve products and services
iteratively and for learning to be captured, people need to speak up, share ideas,
challenge and question one another. For this to happen, we need psychological safety
(Edmondson 2002).
Thus, the central question that this project seeks to ask then, is: How can organisations
create an environment that is psychologically safe for agile transformation? (i.e. an
exploration of the factors that hinder or promotes speaking up, questioning authority,
sharing of concerns, ideas and knowledge).
Sub research questions
To further achieve the intended outcomes, the following sub questions are considered
for focus:
i) What does a psychologically safe environment look like? (minimizing
assumptions of workers perception of psychological safety)
ii) What are the factors of agile transformation that are dependent on psychological
safety in an organisation?
Research Aim: To determine the role of psychological safety in agile transformations,
through qualitatively exploring the perception of agile team members on how safe they
feel to take interpersonal risk