Die Betrachtung der Earned Value Methodik im agilen Projektumfeld hinsichtlich des Projekterfolgs

The Earned Value analysis has proven to be beneficial in waterfall and located software projects for monitoring the project management triangle. Nowadays, more and more virtual and agile project teams are used to manage the software requirements process. However, it remains unclear whether using the Earned Value metrics’ general positive effect generates project success in such an area too as additional challenges arise like communication or coordination difficulties. This thesis examines the assumption of a positive influence of the Earned Value technique on the project success during the software requirements process within a virtual, global project team in an agile software project environment. In addition, it should be clarified whether coordination and communication elements moderate this effect.
The research is achieved with a sample size of 190,051 international people, mainly extracted from the consulting company Capgemini. Therefore, a mixed methods approach is used which consists of a partially-standardized and structured online survey as well as non-standardized and semi-structured guided interviews. The analyses of the latter ones are based on Mayring’s content analysis.
This dissertation has not revealed any evidence of a positive influence on the project success by the Earned Value analysis during the requirements process in virtual project teams of an agile software project. This outcome is based on an inconsistent view of how to successfully apply this project controlling approach, whereby the subjective perception of project success played an important role. In this particular context, the Earned Value metrics reached their practical limits due to certain challenges named within this research. Although, the moderation analysis showed no significant effects of communication or coordination on the relation between the Earned Value method and the project success during the requirements process in a virtual agile software project team, a positive tendency emerged from both dimensions.
The thesis presents some prerequisites that must be fulfilled in order to weaken or even reduce the problems in the application of the Earned Value analysis in this research context. Lastly, consistent definitions as well as standardized utilization understandings are required for a successful implementation of the Earned Value controlling instrument in this particular field.