Identify and Prioritize the Challenges of Customer Knowledge in Successful Project Management: An Agile Project Management Approach

Abstract

The main advantage of Agile Project Management (APM) lies in its ability to investigate and resolve issues that arise during the project period, making timely adjustments to save resources and deliver successful projects on time and at a lower cost. Customers play a crucial role in determining many of these changes, highlighting their special involvement in managing projects using an agile approach. This paper prioritizes the factors influencing challenges related to customer knowledge in APM, initially identifying three categories: individual, organizational, and technological factors. Expert opinions from the software development industry verified these factors, while the DANP method explored their causal relationships and importance. The analysis revealed organizational factors’ impact on the other two categories, with individual factors ranking highest, followed by technological factors. Notable challenges related to customer knowledge include lack of time for knowledge sharing, reluctance to adopt information technology systems, ineffective communication between knowledge-holders and seekers, inadequate training on new technology, and a lack of awareness regarding knowledge benefits for project partners. These findings are presented as suggestions to project teams for effectively managing agile projects and addressing customer knowledge challenges. By implementing these recommendations, projects can achieve greater efficiency and success.