Software Development Methodologies Evaluation: The Importance of Contextual and Technical Criteria

To meet customers' changing needs, Software Development Methodologies (SDMs) are constantly evolving to match the volatile environment of the recently emerging technologies. SDM selection has always been a challenging task for the organization. Besides, the emergence of complex software requirements, changing requirements, source limitations, and inflexible project planning are often new challenges that the software industry faces. This situation urges the need for more practical and realistic software development methods, paying attention to the allocated budget and resources in projects, and developing high-quality software products. Two essential things that need to be borne in mind in selecting an SDM are technical and contextual criteria. Technical criteria consider SDM's technical suitability and adaptability for the project and organization. Contextual criteria usually focus on the organization and individuals' characteristics. Nevertheless, only a few studies are available to pay attention to these both aspects. This study identifies and prioritizes contextual and technical criteria for SDMs evaluation through a systematic literature review study and a survey. As a result, this study has identified five dimensions for technical criteria comprised of 13 items and four dimensions for contextual criteria, including 16 items. The identified criteria were evaluated and prioritized by 32 SDMs experts via a questionnaire. The results provide valuable insights into the concurrent evaluation of SDMs' contextual and technical aspects, considering their ranks.