A Global Survey of Software Development Practices

The worldwide boom in the use of information technology has spurred software development efforts around the globe. Our ongoing research program focuses on three aspects of the global development of software: (1) collection of quantitative data regarding current practice and performance in a variety of countries; (2) determination of the adoption of competing models of software development across countries, and (3) analysis of the impact of different development practices on performance. This paper presents the results of a survey of 104 software development projects primarily centered in India, Japan, Europe and the United States. Practice and performance are contrasted by region. Among other findings it appears from the data that Indian organizations are doing an admirable job of combining conventional best practices, such as specification and review, with more flexible techniques that should enable them to respond more effectively to customer demands. If such a trend is replicated across the broader population, it suggests the Indian software industry is likely to experience continued growth and success in future.