Strategies for Improving Systems Development Project Success

Sixteen years after the publication of the Standish Group’s first CHAOS report in 1994, there is little cause for celebration. True, system development project (SDP) success rates have improved to 32% from the benchmark low of 16.2%; however, when 68% of projects are either cancelled or seriously challenged with regard to budget, schedule, or project scope, there is considerable room for improvement in the SDP process. This research examines the critical risk factors responsible for system development failure with an eye toward the role internal auditors could take in increasing the likelihood of SDP success. In this paper we provide an overview of our efforts to identify a relevant set of critical factors by synthesizing the voluminous practitioner and academic literature. From the hundreds of potential factors identified, we conclude with a preliminary list of 16 strategies for improving SDP success that are the subject of an ongoing investigation.