Analysis of Critical Success Factors of Agile Software Projects based on the Fuzzy Delphi Method

• Published in: Engineering, Technology and Applied Science Research
• Main Author: Zhang F.; Abdullah N.A.S.; Mohd Rosli M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dr D. Pylarinos 2025
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85217638491&doi=10.48084%2fetasr.9151&partnerID=40&md5=23628d1804084d1b671860eec9ee83a2

Agile software development initiatives have gained widespread recognition both domestically and internationally, particularly in the Chinese software industry. However, traditional enterprises often face challenges, such as inadequate project management and lower success rates, which can be attributed to a limited understanding of agile methodologies and effective implementation of agile practices. To address these challenges and identify the Critical Success Factors (CSFs) in agile software projects, an extensive literature review was conducted. As a result, a CSFs model for agile projects in China was constructed. The aim of this study is to evaluate the CSFs model using the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM). The research involved 30 authoritative experts from the Chinese agile software development industry and academia, each with more than 10 years of relevant industry knowledge and experience. The FDM was applied to collect data through questionnaires and verify theoretical success factors and dimensions in three rounds of the survey. Finally, a total of 28 factors were analyzed and ranked to develop an optimized CSFs model that has a significant impact on agile software development in China. The research findings provide a feasible set of CSFs for the effective implementation of agile software projects in China. This CSFs model also offers valuable insights for the broader adoption of agile practices in China, with the potential to greatly improve the success rate of agile software development and implementation. © by the authors.