Publications
Proceedings, refereed
Perceived Challenges in Benefits Management - A Study of Public Sector Information Systems Engineering Projects
In 24th IEEE International Conference on Business Informatics. IEEE Computer Society , 2022.Status: Published
Perceived Challenges in Benefits Management - A Study of Public Sector Information Systems Engineering Projects
The field of benefits management gives guidelines on how to plan and realize benefits throughout the life-cycle of a system. However, realizing benefits from information systems projects has proven to be challenging in practice. In this paper, we investigate specific benefits management challenges as perceived by practitioners involved in information systems engineering projects. We conducted 22 interviews with respondents representing nine public sector projects, where challenges in managing benefits were elicited and identified. We elicited six specific benefits management challenges: A - Identifying and describing benefits, B - Alignment of work with planned benefits, C - Reception and acceptance of the planned benefits, D - Organizational issues, E - Alternative or competing solutions, F - Measuring and evaluating benefits. Overlaying these challenges with current normative models on benefits management, we find that: 1. Normative models on benefits management lack sufficient guidance on operative work on how to create information systems fit for realizing benefits and how to introduce these solutions to ensure benefits realization, and 2. Normative models on benefits management do not explicitly leverage the rapid project learning promoted by modern engineering methods. We conclude that more specific benefits management models should be elaborated, which are integrated into modern information systems engineering practices. This will enable best practices on the continuous adjustments of cost and scope according to evolving knowledge in projects to also be adapted to the management of benefits.
Afilliation | Software Engineering |
Project(s) | Department of IT Management, EDOS: Effective Digitalization of Public Sector |
Publication Type | Proceedings, refereed |
Year of Publication | 2022 |
Conference Name | 24th IEEE International Conference on Business Informatics |
Pagination | 156-165 |
Publisher | IEEE Computer Society |
ISBN Number | 978-1-6654-6016-3 |
Keywords | Benefits management challenges, Benefits management models, Information systems engineering, Public sector |
DOI | 10.1109/CBI54897.2022.00024 |
Proceedings, refereed
A Survey on Software Estimation in the Norwegian Industry
In 10th International Software Metrics Symposium (METRICS 2004). Chicago, USA: IEEE Computer Society Press, 2004.Status: Published
A Survey on Software Estimation in the Norwegian Industry
This paper seeks to provide an overview of the estimation methods that software companies apply to estimate their projects, why those methods are chosen, and how accurate they are. In order to improve software estimation accuracy, such knowledge is essential. We conducted an in-depth survey, where information was collected through structured interviews with senior managers from 18 different companies and project managers of 52 different projects. We collected and analyzed information about estimation approach, effort estimation accuracy and bias, schedule estimation accuracy and bias, completeness of delivered functionality and other estimation related information. Our results suggest, for example, that average effort overruns are 41%, that the software estimation performance has not changed much the last 10-20 years, that expert estimation is the dominating estimation method, that estimation accuracy is not much impacted by use of formal estimation models, and that software managers tend to believe that the estimation accuracy of their company is better than it actually is.
Afilliation | Software Engineering, Software Engineering |
Publication Type | Proceedings, refereed |
Year of Publication | 2004 |
Conference Name | 10th International Software Metrics Symposium (METRICS 2004) |
Pagination | 208-219 |
Date Published | September 16-18 |
Publisher | IEEE Computer Society Press |
Place Published | Chicago, USA |
Does Use of Development Model Affect Estimation Accuracy and Bias?
In Product Focused Software Process Improvement: 5th International Conference (PROFES 2004). Lecture Notes in Computer Science. Kansai Science City, Japan: Springer-Verlag, 2004.Status: Published
Does Use of Development Model Affect Estimation Accuracy and Bias?
Objective. To investigate how the use of incremental and evolutionary development models affects the accuracy and bias of effort and schedule estimates of software projects. Rationale. Advocates of incremental and evolutionary development models often claim that use of these models results in improved estimation accuracy. Design of study. We conducted an in-depth survey, where information was collected through structured interviews with 22 software project managers in 10 different companies. We collected and analyzed information about estimation approach, effort estimation accuracy and bias, schedule estimation accuracy and bias, completeness of delivered functionality and other estimation related information. Results. We found no impact from the development model on the estimation approach. However, we found that incremental and evolutionary projects were less prone to effort overruns. The degree of delivered functionality and schedule estimation accuracy, on the other hand, were seemingly independent of development model. Conclusion. The use of incremental and evolutionary development models may reduce the chance of effort overruns.
Afilliation | Software Engineering, Software Engineering |
Publication Type | Proceedings, refereed |
Year of Publication | 2004 |
Conference Name | Product Focused Software Process Improvement: 5th International Conference (PROFES 2004) |
Pagination | 17-29 |
Date Published | April 5-8 |
Publisher | Springer-Verlag |
Place Published | Kansai Science City, Japan |
Notes | ISBN: 3-540-21421-6 |
Technical reports
Project Estimation in the Norwegian Software Industry - a Summary
Simula Research Laboratory, 2004.Status: Published
Project Estimation in the Norwegian Software Industry - a Summary
This report provides an overview of the results obtained from a survey on project estimation in Norwegian software companies. The survey was conducted between February and November 2003. The main results are: • We observed that 76% of the projects used more effort than estimated, while 19% used less. The average effort overrun was 41%. • Average effort overrun was 67% in projects with a public client, compared to an average effort overrun of 21% for projects with a private client. • Projects that used an incremental or evolutionary development approach had an average effort overrun of 24%, as opposed to the average 55% overrun for projects that used a waterfall-based development approach. The frequency and magnitude of effort overruns found in this survey seems to be similar to results reported from surveys conducted in other countries in the past 20 years. The observed differences in effort overruns between private and public projects may be caused by differences in bidding procedures, level of client involvement or acceptance procedures. In order to reduce the risk of effort overruns, software companies should: • Focus on analyzing their own estimation performance, and invest in estimation improvement (for instance through experience databases or work breakdown structures). • Differentiate risk buffers based on the type of the customer, development approach and the size of the project. • Try to establish an “as close as possible” dialogue with the customers (e.g. through an incremental development approach). All companies should analyse completed projects, in order to benchmark their performance. This allows for improvement efforts to be identified.
Afilliation | Software Engineering, Software Engineering |
Publication Type | Technical reports |
Year of Publication | 2004 |
Number | 2004-03 |
Publisher | Simula Research Laboratory |
Notes | Results from the BEST-Pro (Better Estimation of Software Tasks and Process Improvement) survey |