Critical Success Factors for the Application of Agile Methodology in IT Telecommunication Projects: A Mixed Method Research Approach

This research project reflects an In-depth analysis of the critical success factors associated with the application of Agile project management methodology in the IT telecommunication domain in the region of the Middle East and Africa. The agile project management approach has proven to be effective in the area of IT telecommunications. The agile project management approach in the field of digital services and managed services are essential for the success of the project. The goal of this research project was to determine the critical success factors linked to people and organisational factors and the perceived success of software development initiatives in the two realms of managed services and digital services. This research is an explanatory study with a more in-depth emphasis on the contribution of five critical variables (Team Size, Team Communication, Team Performance, Customer Involvement, and Management Involvement) to the performance of agile projects. The researcher used the sequential explanatory mixed approach as a technique. Random sampling was extended to survey operators with a cross-sectional time horizon. Purposive sampling was extended to the interviewees to reach a consensus and answer the three research questions. A total of a hundred and ten study participants replied to the survey, and five interviewees contributed to the study. Here, the researcher shows the agile project management approach to be practical as applicable to managed services and digital services. Team size between five and nine has proved successful, team communication using daily standups or video conference during pandemic proves to be successful, team performance in terms of experience and agile knowledge proves to be successful, customer involvement on daily basis is a key of success, and management involvement as governance and not micromanagement is important too. These five variables found to be a critical success factor for this research project. A positive linear relationship called correlation between the five variables and the success of the project in terms of the project value was found, although the strength and the relationship between the five variables and the project success cannot be predicted statistically. Two pilot projects proved to be successful in achieving the project success value concerning time to market. More analysis areas are outlined; in particular, team communication, customer involvement, the form of contract, and internal company regulation. Whilst the research offers new insights into the form of contract, applying agile methodology on quality assurance, more in-depth research needs to be done to provide more understanding for people and organisational factors, especially in the field of IT telecommunications under both DS and MS departments.