Software Process Diversity: Conceptualization, Measurement, and Analysis of Impact on Project Performance1
Authors: Ramasubbu, Narayan; Bharadwaj, Anandhi; Tayi, Giri Kumar
Journal: MIS Quarterly (2015)
DOI: 10.25300/misq/2015/39.4.3
This article investigates software process diversity, defined as the project condition arising out of the simultaneous use of multiple software development process frameworks within a single project. Software process diversity is conceptualized as the response of a project team to such contingencies as requirements volatility, design and technological novelty, customer involvement, and the level of organizational process compliance enforced on the project. Moreover, we conceptualize that the degree of fit (or match) between a project’s software process diversity and the level of process compliance enforced on the project impacts overall project performance. This conceptualization was empirically tested by utilizing data collected from 410 large commercial software projects of a multinational firm. The results show that higher levels of requirements volatility, design and technological novelty, and customer involvement increased software process diversity within a project. However, software process diversity decreased relative to increases in the level of process compliance enforced on the project. A higher degree of fit between the process diversity and process compliance of a pro…