Characterization of Gender-Based Interventions In Agile Development Teams Using Multimodal Learning Analytics

Effective communication is crucial for agile software development teams, significantly influencing collaboration, decision-making quality, and productivity. Despite growing awareness around gender equity, challenges remain in ensuring equal participation during team interactions. This study analyzes communication in agile teams from a gender perspective, employing a Multimodal Learning Analytics (MMLA) approach to identify interaction patterns. Advanced natural language processing (NLP) and epistemic network analysis (ENA) were utilized to explore differences in communication behaviors between male and female team members during effort estimation activities.

Findings revealed that women concentrated their contributions in specific categories—clarification and understanding, estimation and consensus, and confirmation and acceptance—suggesting structured, reflective decision-making strategies. Men exhibited a more evenly distributed communication style across various categories. Additionally, dependencies and risks were central to women's epistemic networks, highlighting gender-based differences in managing uncertainty. Psychological safety significantly shaped these communication patterns; lower perceived safety among women resulted in more structured interactions, while equitable participation contexts facilitated balanced communication.

These results highlight the importance of fostering psychological safety and inclusive communication in agile teams. Future research should examine intersectional aspects, such as cultural background or experience level, to deepen understanding of gender dynamics and enhance agile practices.