Adopting Agile methodology in government - Is it the time or not yet?

Abstract: The study's primary objective is to investigate the obstacles associated with agile implementation in ICT public services and the importance of government facilitation and removal of these obstacles. It employs a case study strategy which includes data collection and analysis methods. The case study's purpose is to investigate the challenges of implementing the agile methodology in Kuwait's public services, and the findings are presented at the end. Thus the study is formulated around the following research questions: “What are the challenges of implementing agile methodology into the Kuwait ICT public services?” and “What are the recommendations for the government side to facilitate adopting agile transformation?”. In order to gain a better understanding, the study uses the appropriate approach for producing thematic analysis results in a table of themes, categories, and codes covering ICT managers and decision-makers in the public and private sectors who participated in semi-structured interviews. The conclusions are based on the data collected and analyzed, and the study provides evidence to support the final recommendations. The study concludes that implementing Agile methodology in Kuwait's public services faces several challenges, including cultural or regulation factors. The study provides recommendations for the Kuwaiti government to facilitate adopting Agile transformation, including developing a clear vision, providing training and support, and creating a culture of trust and collaboration. The findings also suggest that the Kuwaiti government can adopt an agile methodology to provide public services in the IT domain with faster response and feedback while changing the bureaucratic culture and ancient rules to be more adaptive and reasonable.