Abstract
M.Com. (Information Technology Management)
Software projects delivered following an Agile approach are deemed more successful than those following a traditional methodology such as Waterfall. This notion is supported by multiple studies, including the 2015 Chaos Report. The purpose of this study was to determine how the success of Agile software projects is measured, rather than to confirm the results of previous studies. This study focused on the Agile principles highlighted in the Agile Manifesto and investigated whether Agile practitioners consider these principles as success factors. It was important to determine what other success factors are currently used to ensure the successful delivery of Agile software projects.
The Total Quality Framework (TQF) was adopted as a research design to maximise the quality of the data and to build the readers’ confidence in the research outcomes. An inductive approach was selected to establish an acceptance criterion or theory that can be verified through further studies. The objectives to achieve the research goal were very specific and required conversations with experienced participants with an in-depth knowledge of Agile software projects. The research method best suited to collect the rich data required was semi-structured interviews; therefore the approach followed in this study was a qualitative research approach.
The TQF is based on four principles: credibility, analysability, transparency and usefulness. It was important for the researcher to adhere to these principles so that the results formulated could be generalised internally as well as externally. It is important that the results and outcome of the research be useful, i.e. the research outcome was to design a framework that Agile practitioners can use.
The assumption and key finding is that all twelve Agile principles are deemed to be critical success factors in Agile software projects. Another finding is that eight of the twelve principles are also considered success measures.
Traditional success measures are still considered success measures, but not deemed the only measure of success. Agile software projects consider multiple success measures, but are ultimately deemed a success when the business value has been realised. The primary success measures recognised for Agile software projects include strategic success, business success, product success and project success, measured at different stages after the product has been delivered.
The product of this research is a framework consisting of 30 control objectives and 46 supporting practices that could be considered when implementing Agile software projects. The framework includes Agile-specific success factors that would improve the value delivered on Agile software projects. It further highlights the success measures that are relevant to all software projects. This framework, named COSAF, is the first version and it is the researcher’s vision that it will be implemented, adopted and improved to increase the success rate of software projects across the globe.