Drivers for software development method usage

In this research, the authors examine factors affecting the use of product development methods. Based on established behavioral theories, they develop and test a model that can explain, and hence predict, the extent of use of development methods. Although their model can be adapted to any development process, they apply it to software development. To test their model, they examine the combined effects of a number of important usage factors that contribute to the depth and breadth of use of two software development approaches: the waterfall model and prototyping. Two main constructs, process quality and facilitating conditions, are found to be the drivers of method usage. The dominating “facilitating conditions” and “process quality” indicators vary from one method to another product quality was not found to be a statistically significant factor in explaining usage. The authors' results are consistent with the view taken by the software process improvement movement, i.e., that a quality process will result in a quality product