Synthesis and evaluation of key factors for successful software development projects : An industrial study

Abstract: Context: Numerous studies have demonstrated that information technology (IT) projects are more complex than other types of projects and suffer more from budget overruns and frank project failures. The software industry is becoming ever complex, despite efforts to introduce higher-level programming languages and object-oriented programming. In particular, constant specification and requirements changes, which are typical of any software project, make completion and completion on budget difficult. In order to provide quality products and meet customer needs, methods to accommodate this are required. As an alternative to the traditional “waterfall” methods, which required specifications freezing in order to work, agile methods were developed. These methods accommodate changes in all phases of the project. Even with such methods, the ratio of failed to successful projects remains high.Objectives: To determine which factors affect the success of a project using agile methods, and to identify those factors that are priorities for ensuring project success.Method: A literature search was conducted, and a number of interviews were conducted at three different companies. Along with the interviews and the literature research, a technical analysis was also made with the help of Visual Studio and NDepend. After the literature search and the data collection were complete, an evaluation and synthesis of the various factors was done.Result: There are 21 different factors that affect the success of a software project.Conclusion: According to the literature, there are four factors that dominate over the other 17: project management, project scope, time, and budget. According to the interviews conducted, 11 of the 21 factors are critical, and two of them, project management and project scope, were also identified in the literature as critical. As these two were identified in both the literature and the interviews as critical, they should be accorded highest priority, while also taking the other 19 factors into account.