Investigating the challenges of Agile Project Management at RWE

This Master’s thesis investigates the organizational dynamics, structural barriers, and cultural challenges surrounding Agile adoption—specifically Scrum—within established German incumbents, using a qualitative embedded single-case study of RWE. While Agile practices promise adaptability in fast-paced digital environments, highly regulated contexts like the energy sector often experience hybrid implementations or a quiet drift back to traditional plan-driven approaches due to legacy governance and compliance requirements.

Drawing on nine semi-structured interviews across multiple roles (Software Developers, Solution Managers, Product Owner, UX/UI Designers, and Team Lead), this research evaluates adoption dynamics through a consolidated framework categorizing barriers across people, organization, and process levels. The study highlights how legacy hierarchies, role ambiguity, cross-silo coordination, and regulatory constraints impact Agile sustainability. Ultimately, the thesis provides practical recommendations for leadership, capability building, and governance alignment to help regulated enterprises sustain durable Agile transformations beyond software functions.