Integrating hybrid project management practices to optimize the agile software development process in the it sector

Abstract

Sri Lanka's Information Technology industry is a key export earner, influencing various industries and directly impacting the nation's economy. To ensure a project's success, firms must select Project Management approaches that are appropriate for the project. Agile is a popular and widely used methodology in the IT sector due to the countless benefits it provides, while it offers precedence in terms of flexibility, there are also definite drawbacks as well. This study examines on enhancing the agile software development process by incorporating traditional methodology factors, coming together in a hybrid manner to overcome the issues faced in agile resulting in project effectiveness. A comprehensive analysis of theoretical models and empirical results in the literature review has led to identifying of six key constructs. Namely delivery strategy, software development techniques, team capability of agile and requirement clarity, efficient communication in traditional methodology. Later the impact of the moderator, project duration was examined to see the moderating effect of three constructs on project effectiveness. The study adopts a quantitative research methodology and a deductive approach. This study has employed convenience sampling technique, and the structured questionnaire was distributed among them. With a total of 150 responses, using primary data the analysis was conducted. The data analysis recommends that agile constructs and traditional methodology constructs can come together as a hybrid project management methodology to resolve the identified agile issues and achieve project effectiveness based on time, cost, quality, team, and client satisfaction. The research would be significant for medium to large- scale IT companies currently using the agile since it would help to mitigate issues in agile by developing a hybrid project management approach to achieve higher project effectiveness. Future research opportunities are proposed to explore the enhancement of agile software development process while taking other success methodologies into account.