Exploring the Managing Scope Changes and Requirement Volatility in Software Development Projects

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to understand best practices and methods that can be used in countering challenges related to scope and requirements in software development with reference to the Agile and Waterfall project management approaches. The challenges that often come from scope changes include indicators such as change demands from stakeholders, regulatory and changes in business needs and requirement volatility demanding changes in project requirements, and they are usually counterproductive to factors such as project time, cost and stakeholder satisfaction. Based on interviews with 10 project stakeholders which the rganizations using Agile, this study reveals that Agile is very flexible incorporating feedback in iterative procedures and tools like JIRA and Confluence. All these give higher satisfaction and lead to align the Agile with the ever- changing requirements, therefore makes it perfect for dynamic and competitiveareas. On the other hand, Waterfall methodologies are more appropriate for compliance regulated project which have fixed requirements because Waterfall is much more predictable, more focused on budget and regulatory compliance. Insights focused on enhancing the identification and involvement of project stakeholders, the implementation of method approach measures specific to the type of project, and the use of sound advanced technological tools to monitor project work progress and change project processes as needed. Research enablers for the future include; integrated methodologies, AI systems for project management, and the use of change and requirement management across sectors to mitigate on the challenges brought about by volatility in the project scope.