Uso de práticas ágeis e o tecnoestresse: olhar sobre as pessoas desenvolvedoras de software

Abstract

The use of agile methodologies has become increasingly common in the context of software development teams, as they promote simple process design, short cycles, continuous interactions, and self-organizing teams. On the other hand, another variable gaining visibility in this context is technostress, understood as the stress caused by the continuous use of information technology, depending on its dimensions. Aware of these phenomena, this study aims to investigate the relationship between the use of agile practices by software developers and the incidence of technostress. The relevance and originality of this research are demonstrated by addressing the scientific gap on the topic, especially considering the call from prominent scholars like Venkatesh (2020) and others for more theory-based research investigating the effects and consequences of agile methodologies, focusing on their impact on individuals rather than solely on organizational outcomes. To this end, a quantitative multigroup comparison study was designed, involving the analysis of 60 valid responses, divided into two groups (higher and lower presence of agile practices), to determine whether significant differences exist between them regarding the perception of technostress dimensions. An online structured questionnaire was applied, using a Likert scale to measure both the extent of agile practice usage and the perception of technostress. The main results revealed no statistically significant differences between the groups regarding the presence of technostress dimensions related to overload, invasion, complexity, and uncertainty. However, concerning the insecurity dimension, the results indicated that this may be influenced by agile practices, as the statistical analysis showed a significant difference between the groups. Beyond these results, a thematic analysis was conducted, revealing that agile methodologies have the potential to mitigate technostress due to characteristics such as adaptability, collaboration, and more reliable estimates. However, implementation deviations may lead to feelings of work overload, inefficient communication, and deadline pressure. The results aim to contribute to academia and literature by broadening the debate on agile methodologies, exploring their potential consequences and their impact on the human side of project management. From a social perspective, this research seeks to promote the advancement of decent work, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Additionally, it provides agile team managers with a deeper understanding of people management in this context, enabling them to make more informed and suitable decisions, considering the possible impacts on developers.