The Evolution of Agile and Hybrid Project Management Methodologies: A Systematic Literature Review

TL;DR

This systematic review examines how agile methodologies have evolved into hybrid project management frameworks, highlighting implementation challenges, success factors, and practical insights for organizations adapting to these new approaches.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of the evolution from agile to hybrid methodologies, identifying key trends, challenges, and success factors based on recent peer-reviewed studies.

Findings

Hybrid methodologies emerge from agile limitations in large-scale environments.

Success depends on leadership support and tailored process integration.

Contextual adaptation is crucial for effective hybrid implementation.

Abstract

The rapid evolution of IT projects has driven the transformation of project management methodologies, from traditional waterfall approaches to agile frameworks and, more recently, hybrid models. This systematic literature review investigates the evolution of agile methodologies into hybrid frameworks, analysing their implementation challenges and success factors. We identify key trends through PRISMA-guided analysis of peer-reviewed studies from the last 8 years. Hybrid methodologies emerge from agile limitations in large-scale and regulated environments, combining iterative flexibility with structured governance. Agile has several implementation challenges, leading to hybrid methods, and the success hinges on leadership support, tailored process integration, and continuous improvement mechanisms. The study explores the need for contextual adaptation over rigid frameworks, offering practical insights for organisations navigating hybrid transitions.