Their degree project became an award-winning paper

Mursel Mohammad Naim, Denis Cesko and Fatima Touray, students on the Bachelor’s Programme of Systems Analysis, have co-authored a paper together with researcher Tanja Elina Havstorm. The study is based on the students’ degree project and examines the role of agile coaches in the public sector and the challenges they face when organisations seek to introduce and develop more flexible ways of working.

“I really want to highlight Tanja’s commitment and confidence in us. It was on her initiative that we were given the opportunity to take the work from a degree project to a research article. She not only helped us to strengthen the academic quality of the work but also opened a door to the world of research, which we might not otherwise have had a chance to experience,” says Mursel Mohammad Naim, student at Örebro University.

Agile methods difficult to implement in practice

An agile approach means being adaptable, flexible and able to respond quickly to change.

“Many public sector organisations, particularly within their IT operations, want to adopt more agile ways of working. However, bureaucratic structures make it more difficult to implement these changes fully,” says Tanja E. Havstorm, researcher in informatics at Örebro University.

Regulations, hierarchies, budgeting processes and organisational culture all influence the ability to take an agile approach in the public sector. Agile coaches therefore play an important role in helping organisations identify ways of working that are effective in practice. Coaches often need to support organisations over an extended period and provide ongoing guidance throughout the process. One-off training sessions are rarely enough to create lasting change.

“The most interesting finding for me is that an agile approach cannot be introduced as an off-the-shelf solution. It needs to be adapted to the specific circumstances of each organisation,” says Mursel Mohammad Naim.

One of the study’s most important conclusions is that agile transformation in public sector organisations involves learning how to work both within and around and, at times, gradually reshape bureaucratic structures. In addition, the study shows that introducing new roles and meeting formats is not enough. Organisations must also change how work is carried out and how decisions are made.

International recognition in Prague

The paper was presented at the 34th International Conference on Information Systems Development (ISD 2026) in Prague, where it received the Runner-Up Award for Best Paper. Together with Tanja E. Havstorm, students Mursel Mohammad Naim, Denis Cesko and Fatima Touray attended the conference.

“It was a fantastic experience and something I will remember for a long time. Presenting our research at ISD 2026 in Prague, meeting researchers from different parts of the world and discussing our work in an international context was both inspiring and rewarding,” says Mursel Mohammad Naim.

Tanja E. Havstorm views the recognition afforded the students’ work as confirmation of the quality of the university’s Programme of Systems Analysis and the strong connection between teaching and research.

“It shows that we offer a research-led degree programme that is relevant both to professional practice and to the advancement of research,” she says.