The primary criterion for success in software development is that it leads to benefits (value, profit, gains, …) to clients and/or other stakeholders, and that these benefits are sufficiently large to make the investment worthwhile. In spite of this pretty obvious criterion, most software development processes, including those belonging to the family of agile processes, often seems to have their main focus elsewhere.

In this presentation, I will report on empirical studies conducted at SimulaMet/EDOS that aim at a better understanding of how to successfully integrate benefits management practices and roles in agile software development contexts. The studies give results on planning the realization of benefits, implementing continuous benefits management, designing the role of a “benefits responsible,” and evaluating the realization of benefits.

In general, the studies find a positive effect from benefits management practices on benefits realization. This was in particular the case in agile software development contexts. Not only did the benefits management practices give a better effect in agile contexts, they were also easier to implement and did not conflict with agile principles or values.