AI in Agile Project Management: A systematic Literature review

12/30/1899
Table of Contents
Abstract.......................................................................................................................................................3
Chapter 1.....................................................................................................................................................4
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................4
1.1Background study...............................................................................................................................4
1.2 Problem statement:............................................................................................................................5
1.3 Aims of the topic:..............................................................................................................................5
1.4 Objectives:.........................................................................................................................................5
1.5 Research Questions:..........................................................................................................................5
Chapter 2.....................................................................................................................................................6
Literature Review:.......................................................................................................................................6
2.1 Theoretical Foundation:.....................................................................................................................6
2.2 Key Challenges:.................................................................................................................................6
Chapter 3.....................................................................................................................................................7
Methodology...............................................................................................................................................7
3.1 Selection criteria................................................................................................................................7
3.2 Inclusion............................................................................................................................................7
3.3 Exclusion...........................................................................................................................................8
3.4 Data collection...................................................................................................................................8
3.5 Research approach.............................................................................................................................8
3.6 Research Strategy-PRISMA..............................................................................................................8
Chapter 4.....................................................................................................................................................9
Analysis and Findings:................................................................................................................................9
4.1 Key Analysis:....................................................................................................................................9
4.2 Key Findings:....................................................................................................................................9
Chapter 5...................................................................................................................................................10
Conclusion & Recommendations:.............................................................................................................10
5.1 Conclusion:......................................................................................................................................10
5.2 Recommendations:..............................................................................................................................10
Reference list.............................................................................................................................................11

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Appendix 1: Research Timeframe.............................................................................................................12

Abstract
Agile project management approaches have been extremely successful and widely adopted due
to their versatility and adaptive delivery. As AI technologies advance, there is a greater desire for
incorporating AI into agile processes to enhance project efficacy, planning, and problem-solving.
The purpose of the comprehensive literature review described in this study is to examine
previously investigated AI applications in agile project management.
This paper presents major findings, trends, and the impact of AI on the management of agile
projects, including organizing, tracking, collaboration, and interaction, through a meticulous
review of relevant literature on the subject and subsequent analysis. Secondary data will be taken
through research gate, Google scholar and Pub Med for the study. PRISMA technique is used to
analyze the systematic review and research study.
Furthermore, it discusses the constraints, opportunities, and future research directions at the
intersection of AI and agile approaches in this emerging field. The key findings of this review
was the groundwork for a more in-depth understanding of AI's role in agile project management
practices, as well as guidance for agile researchers and practitioners interested in incorporating
artificial intelligence technologies into their project management processes.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, agile project management

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Chapter 1

Introduction
Agile project management has revolutionized project execution, particularly in developing
software projects, where the focus is on continuous improvement in an iterative manner,
collaboration with customers, and flexibility to adapt. Now that most firms are implementing
agile processes to optimize their projects, the function of AI is one of the most generally
explored variables due to its various uses in agile methodologies (Niederman, 2021).

AI approaches open up new options for improving important parts of agile project management,
such as planning, estimating, risk-based choice making, and team participation. Along with the
use of modern intelligence tools and approaches, businesses are driven to increase the
effectiveness of projects, shorten work flow, and easily adapt to changing circumstances.
Though the subject of AI and the integration of agile software creation on a project level gained
has popularity, a comprehensive understanding of the present state of academic and practice
research remains insufficient. Advancing from the bottom of this comprehensive literature
review, the rising smoke retains current knowledge, detects trends, and determines whether
literature gaps have been addressed (Najdawi and Shaheen, 2021).

1.1Background study
Agile approaches are increasingly being employed in a variety of industries, particularly
software development, since they emphasize flexibility, collaboration, and incremental progress.
Scrum, Kanban, and Extreme Programming are some of the most prominent agile approaches.
These techniques prioritize customer satisfaction by delivering valuable software early and often,
regularly monitoring progress, and revising plans depending on feedback (Vasilka Saklamaeva
and Luka Pavlič, 2023).

Agile methods are undeniably beneficial; nevertheless, as with any strategy, they have
weaknesses, such as the necessity to accurately record and handle changing needs, provide an
approximate estimate of project time, and create and maintain a successful team atmosphere. The
startling improvements in artificial intelligence (AI) technology have had an impact on the agile
project management approach, which was originally designed to respond fast to volatile,
uncertain, and complicated settings. This is why enterprises are beginning to consider the
potential of AI technology to improve and enhance the agile project management process (Tosic,
2023).

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Agile methods are undeniably beneficial; nevertheless, as with any strategy, they have
weaknesses, such as the necessity to accurately record and handle changing needs, provide an
approximate estimate of project time, and create and maintain a successful team atmosphere. The
startling improvements in artificial intelligence (AI) technology have had an impact on the agile
project management approach, which was originally designed to respond fast to volatile,
uncertain, and complicated settings. This is why enterprises are beginning to consider the
potential of AI technology to improve and enhance the agile project management process.

1.2 Problem statement:

The integration of AI into the agile project management framework creates an excellent
opportunity to improve the project work process and decision-making procedures. Nonetheless,
there is a lack of comprehensive understanding of the scope of AI usage, its impact on the agile
style of working, and the potential and difficulties it entails. Following that, this study aims to fill
in the gaps by conducting a comprehensive literature analysis, which will allow one to examine
previous studies and define the use, benefits, and limitations of AI in agile project management
(Shoushtari, Daghighi and Ghafourian, 2024).

1.3 Aims of the topic:

This study provides a detailed understanding of the AI technologies' baseline and current practice
in agile project management. The study determine the impact of AI on agile project management
in practice, not on just cutting-edge sectors such as planning, estimating risk management, and
decision-making, but also on team interactions.

1.4 Objectives:
1. Determine the AI implementation areas in agile project management, such as planning,
estimate, risk management, decision-making, and team participation.
2. Investigate and examine certain AI approaches/tools that have previously been employed
in the context of agile project management.
3. Examine their effectiveness, convenience of use, and impact on project success.
4. Provide advice and guidance to researchers, officials, and organizations on how to use AI
to improve agile project performance.
5. Investigate the case of AI deployment in agile project management, taking into account
inadequate data quality, bias, the use of sophisticated tools, and organizational resistance.

1.5 Research Questions:

1. Where AI may be utilized to manage agile projects? How does artificial intelligence play
a part in agile planning?
2. What are the specific AI methodologies and tools utilized in agile project management in
current practice?
3. What are some of the acknowledged advantages and disadvantages of AI in terms of agile
project management?

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 4. What are the challenges addressed by present AI research in agile project management?

Chapter 2

Literature Review:
2.1 Theoretical Foundation:
Agile approaches have expanded rapidly and nearly totally during project development,
particularly in the software sector, emphasizing continuous improvement, cooperation, and the
widespread use of changes. Simultaneously, the development of AI (artificial intelligence)
technology is driven by a desire to better and boost the efficiency of agile project management
approaches. Today, the Agile Manifesto and its conceptual pillars serve as the foundation for
research into agile project management. Customer collaboration, rapid responsiveness to change,
iterative software delivery, and self-organized teams led by motivated individuals are the
underlying principles that support the agile software development methodology. It allows us to
understand the wisdom behind AI technologies that can be utilized to supplement and magnify
agile methodologies (Haase et al., 2023).

2.2 Key Challenges:

Analyzing your creative management project will help you find a way out while also serving as a
warning sign for the side effects of the innovations. Artificial intelligence algorithms rely heavily
on accurate data for training and decision-making. However, it might be challenging to ensure
the availability and quality of important data in fast-paced project management circumstances.
Project data may be disorganized, missing essential facts, or of varying quality, causing AI
systems to underperform. AI tools can help with project management, but they may also
complicate matters for agile teams. AI's complicated algorithms and interfaces demand
specialized knowledge to operate properly, making it more difficult for teams to collaborate
effectively (Gorgadze, 2021).

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Chapter 3

Methodology
Agile techniques are a set of techniques used in the development of software initiatives. These
techniques emphasize adaptability and teamwork. Competent AI strategies are vital, especially
when planning for implementing an AI model, since they assist teams in designing, creating, and
delivering higher-quality projects.

Source: Saunders et al. (2007)

3.1 Selection criteria

Previous study shows that the selection of data depends on the use of AI in agile project
management. Moreover selection also depend on the project size whether it is small, mediocre or
large and also on where the project is implicated. Because AI is the defining component in the
research's implementation of agile projects, the other key conditions that those projects may
encounter during their implementation are critical for studies, as this stage is typically
accompanied by a high level of complexity and uncertainty.

3.2 Inclusion
The inclusion data depends on the studies that focus the use of AI in agile project management
and systematic review of these studies. The study also includes the methods by which Ai used in
agile project management.

Criteria Inclusion Exclusion

Publication
Type Research article Non research article
Language English Other languages
Publication
date 2015-2023 Before 2015
focus on role of project Studies that not focus on the role of projcect
Study management in innovation and its management in innovation and also the hurdles
Focus relation with organization structure that observed during the study
Study Cross sectional study used for Non research studies e.g editorials

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 Design research
Peer
Review Peer-reviewed journals Non peer-reviewed sources

3.3 Exclusion
Exclusion includes all the studies that are not related with the use of AI in agile project
management.

3.4 Data collection

The strategy utilizes the secondary data collecting approach, which involves doing systematic
searches of academic databases such as Research Gate, Google Scholar, and PubMed. Research
is conducted on the papers to determine how AI works in agile project management and the
effects of this management strategy on projects. The research publications would be accumulated
from 2016 to 2023, which would be seven years.

3.5 Research approach

This research implements a particular investigation methodology based on the research topic and
concept. Logic and rationality is a method that relays and focuses on specific facts and literature
reviews in order to evaluate and determine the reliability of a theory through data collecting and
analysis. A logical study approach focuses on systematic methods and the impact of powerful
notions that are being investigated.

3.6 Research Strategy-PRISMA

This research uses the PRISMA technique to conduct a systematic review of the literature on the
utilization of AI in agile project management. PRISMA is a comprehensive method for
evaluating and analyzing research studies and a meta-analysis PRISMA promotes systematic and
transparent review authentication, examination and data collection, synthesis, and reporting
through a strong, clear, and straightforward framework.

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Chapter 4

Analysis and Findings:

4.1 Key Analysis:
The application of artificial intelligence (AI) in agile project management is a challenging but
promising undertaking. A thorough investigation into AI-enhanced agile project management has
shown its possible applications, benefits, challenges, and underlying ideas. The major points
demonstrate how AI may significantly improve several areas of agile project management,
including planning, estimation, decision-making, and team collaboration. Machine learning,
natural language processing, and predictive analytics are some of the AI tools used to automate
activities, provide data-driven insights, and support agile operations. Based on these findings, the
project intends to investigate AI applications, evaluate methodologies and resources, weigh
benefits and drawbacks, and identify future research directions. These objectives serve as a road
map for increasing understanding and execution in this new field. By attaining these goals and
proactively resolving issues, stakeholders can take use of AI's potential to improve flexible
project execution, resulting in better project outcomes and organizational efficacy (Gil, Martínez
Torres and González-Crespo, 2020).

4.2 Key Findings:

Artificial intelligence is employed in a variety of agile project management activities, including
planning, costing, risk management, decision making, and team collaboration. This exhibits AI's
versatility and capacity to enhance numerous facets of project implementation. In agile project
management contexts, AI approaches such as machine learning algorithms, natural language
processing, and predictive analytics have proven to be extremely useful in automating chores,
providing data-driven insights, and assisting with decision-making processes. The paper
identifies several avenues for future research, including closing gaps in the existing literature,
establishing novel AI approaches for agile practices, investigating socio-technical implications,
and advocating for ethical AI practices in agile project management contexts (Taboada et al.,
2023).

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Chapter 5

Conclusion & Recommendations:

5.1 Conclusion:
Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into agile project management provides an excellent
opportunity to improve project delivery, efficiency, and overall project success. This study
provided useful insights into current research and practice in AI-driven agile project
management, including applications, benefits, problems, theoretical foundations, and future
research prospects. In conclusion, this study underscores the importance of adopting a complete
strategy to AI-powered agile project management. It is critical to establish a balance between the
benefits of AI technology and the ethical and practical issues they raise. Companies may position
themselves to successfully tackle the complexities of integrating AI and fully embrace the
innovative potential that AI-powered agile project management can provide by leveraging
theoretical knowledge and pursuing additional research in this area.

5.2 Recommendations:
Focus on ensuring that the project data is available and of acceptable quality. Use data
governance methods, cleansing techniques, and validation procedures to increase the
dependability and correctness of the data used by AI algorithms. To overcome any hesitation to
deploy AI, foster a culture of creativity, experimentation, and continual education within the
organization. Connect with people at all levels, explain the benefits of using AI, and involve
team members in decision-making to increase acceptance and support (Shabaz, 2021).

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Reference list

Gil, J., Martínez Torres, J. and González-Crespo, R. (2020). The Application of Artificial
Intelligence in Project Management Research: A Review. International Journal of Interactive
Multimedia and Artificial Intelligence, [online] In Press(In Press), p.1.

Gorgadze, N. (2021). AGILE PROJECT MANAGEMENT APPROACH, METHODS AND ITS

APPLICATION IN GEORGIA. Globalization and Business, [online] 6(12), pp.191–196..

Haase, J., Walker, P.B., Berardi, O. and Karwowski, W. (2023). Get Real Get Better: A
Framework for Developing Agile Program Management in the U.S. Navy Supported by the
Application of Advanced Data Analytics and AI. Technologies, [online] 11(6), p.165.

Najdawi, A. and Shaheen, A. (2021). Which Project Management Methodology is better for AI-
Transformation and Innovation Projects? [online] IEEE Xplore.

Niederman, F. (2021). Project management: openings for disruption from AI and advanced
analytics. Information Technology & People, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print).

Shabaz, M. (2021). Agile Software and Business Development Using Artificial Intelligence.
Annals of the Romanian Society for Cell Biology, [online] pp.1851–1857. Available at:

Shoushtari, F., Daghighi, A. and Ghafourian, E. (2024). Application of Artificial Intelligence in

Project Management. International journal of industrial engineering and operational research,
[online] 6(2), pp.49–63.

Taboada, I., Daneshpajouh, A., Toledo, N. and de Vass, T. (2023). Artificial Intelligence
Enabled Project Management: A Systematic Literature Review. Applied Sciences, [online] 13(8).

Tosic, D. (2023). Artificial Intelligence-driven web development and agile project management
using OpenAI API and GPT technology : A detailed report on technical integration and

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implementation of GPT models in CMS with API and agile web development for quality user-
centered AI chat service experience

Vasilka Saklamaeva and Luka Pavlič (2023). The Potential of AI-Driven Assistants in Scaled
Agile Software Development. Applied sciences, 14(1), pp.319–319.

Appendix 1: Research Timeframe

Tasks done in months March April May June
confirming research
topic 13
collecting literature
review 20
Writing literature
review 30
collecting data 6
screening data 13
final filtration 14
checking Quality data 21
Analyzing the data 27
presenting summary of each article 28
generating codes 10
defining reviews 15
finalizing writing task 23
writing discussion of results 26
writing conclusion of results 30
Finalizing the project 5

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