Risk Management in Software Development Projects A
Risk Management in Software Development Projects A
Abstract-Risk Management is an integral part of every project. Risk management must estimate the risks’ significance, especially in the SDLC process,
and mitigate those risks. Since 2016, many papers and journals have researched planning, design, and risk control in software development projects
over the last five years. This study aims to find the most exciting topics for researchers in risk management, especially in software engineering projects.
This paper takes a systematic approach to reviewing articles containing risk management in software development projects. This study collects papers
and journals included in the international online library database, then summarizes them according to the stages of the PICOC methodology. This
paper results in the focus of research in the last five years on Agile methods. The current issue is that many researchers are trying to explicitly integrate
risk management into the Agile development process by creating a comprehensive risk management framework. This SLR helps future research get a
theoretical basis to solve the studied problem. The SLR explains the focuses of previous research, analysis of research results, and the weaknesses of
the investigation. For further study, take one of the topic papers, do a critical review, and find research gaps.
Keywords: project, risk management, software development, systematic literature review, SLR
Article info: submitted January 8, 2022, revised April 25, 2022, accepted May 27, 2022
Joshua Partogi also says the extra work that causes software
1. Introduction development costs to be more expensive is a risk that can eliminate
Uncertainty and extreme competition in the information in a fail-safe environment [7].
systems industry increase new challenges and problems in today's Risk management in software development projects describes
growing companies. Cost, deadline, and implementation of an integrated engineering approach with methods, processes, and
development methodologies are severe factors in software artifacts that continuously identify, analyze, control, and pool risks,
development project failure [1]. Risk is part of the project, and to reduce the risk of project failure. The risk management process
managing risk leads to success. Most software development consists of all the activities necessary to identify risks that may
companies view risk differently and less comprehensively [2]. This potentially impact the software project [8].
failure is why risk management in software projects has become a
significant concern for many companies. Organizations that adopt The importance of risk management in software development
risk management strategies positively affect the outcomes of their projects encourages researchers to conduct studies in this field to
software projects and typically result in reduced costs, fewer delays, find a novelty for knowledge and the software industry. However,
and improved performance [3]. in every research, it is often asked why the field was chosen and
whether the lot is outdated or has the potential to find elements of
Software engineering is a discipline that covers everything related novelty. Who researched the area (risk management in software
to the software development process, from the design stage to the development projects), and what were the results?
implementation stage and post-implementation, so that the
software life cycle can take place efficiently and measurably [4]. In To answer these problems, a systematic literature review was
(Rudy 2016), the definition of a project, according to PMBOK carried out to identify and evaluate the research, with the object of
(Project Management Body of Knowledge), is a temporary effort study in the form of papers published in the last five years until
to produce specific/unique products, services, or results [5]. Risk is September 2021, when this research was conducted. This paper
an integral part of every project, and risk management is an essential describes the research focus, analysis of research results, and
part of the decision-making process at every stage of the project. weaknesses of previous studies so that the results of this literature
The success or failure of a project is highly dependent on the review are used as a theoretical basis for further research.
approach to the potential emergence of risks that can affect the
productivity, quality, timeliness, and or cost of the project [6].
Vol.8 No.2 | October 2022 KHAZANAH INFORMATIKA | ISSN: 2621-038X, Online ISSN: 2477-698X
2. Method o IEEE Xplore (ieeexplore.ieee.org)
This paper takes an approach systematically to reviewing the o Elsevier (elsevier.com)
literature on risk management in software development projects.
o ACM Digital Library (dl.acm.org)
The Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method is well established
in medical research and deeper in information technology [9]. The Inclusion criteria as requirements of relevant research,
SLR used is an approach by Kitchenham and Charters to identify, and exclusion is used to exclude studies or research those
assess, and interpret findings on a research topic to answer not pertinent.
predetermined research questions [10].
Table 3 Inclusion and exclusion criteria
1. Research Question
Research questions are obtained from the PICOC (Population, Inclusion Exclusion
Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes, and Context), which
Articles published in English Articles published not in English.
contains the criteria and scope of the papers included in the
literature study, as shown in Table 1. The PICOC method is used Articles published between January Articles published before 1st 2016
to build an evidence-based practice by asking well-structured 1st, 2016, and September 30th, 2021 and outside inclusion period
practical questions. Articles included in international Articles included not in
journals. international journals.
Table 1 Scope of formulating research questions Fully accessible papers Fully inaccessible papers
Criteria Scope Articles belonging to the risk Articles not belonging to the risk
management category and software management category and software
P Population Risk management and software development projects development projects development projects
RQ4 What is the result of the research? Causes of Human Errors in Early
[11] 2016 Risk assessment in Software dl.acm.org 1
RQ5 Who has researched the most in this field? Project Management
Open data standards for open
[12] 2018 source software risk management dl.acm.org 2
2. Search strategy routine
The search strategy was carried out by determining the search Risk management in projects
string formulation, searching for data sources from the online [13] 2019 dl.acm.org 3
based on open-source software
database literature, defining the inclusion and exclusion criteria as Risking: A game for teaching risk
shown in Table 3, and extracting papers based on the RQ in Table [14] 2019
management in software projects
dl.acm.org 4
2.
Risk Management for Software
[15] 2020 dl.acm.org 5
Search string is English and combines keywords using Projects in Banking
Boolean ANDs & ORs [9]. This paper is used search Categorization and
strings like the following: risk management AND standardization of accidental risk-
(software develop* OR project manage*). [16] 2016 criticality levels of human error to elsevier.com 6
develop risk and safety
management policy
Literature from the most popular Internet is explored to
the broadest possible range for study dan research. The Climate-Agriculture-Modeling
following is a list of digital repository indexes: and Decision Tool (CAMDT): A
[17] 2017 elsevier.com 7
software framework for climate
o Springer (link.springer.com) risk management in agriculture
Vol.8 No.2 | October 2022 KHAZANAH INFORMATIKA | ISSN: 2621-038X, Online ISSN: 2477-698X
Year Title Source Seq Year Title Source Seq
Framework for risk management Data-driven Risk Management
[18] 2017 software system for SMEs in the elsevier.com 8 for Requirements Engineering:
[38] 2020 ieeexplore.ieee.org 29
engineering construction sector An Automated Approach based
on Bayesian Networks
A risk management framework
[19] 2017 elsevier.com 9
for distributed agile projects Risk Management in Software
[39] 2020 ieeexplore.ieee.org 30
Engineering Using Big Data
Risk management framework for
distributed software team: A case Artificial Intelligence based Risk
[20] 2019 elsevier.com 10
study of telecommunication Management Framework for
[40] 2021 ieeexplore.ieee.org 31
company Distributed Agile Software
Development
A framework for risk
[2] 2019 management in Scrum elsevier.com 11 Adapting a Software Acquisition
development process Curriculum to Instruct Supply
[41] 2021 Chain Risk Management in a ieeexplore.ieee.org 32
Project planning and risk Project-Based Software
management as a success factor Development Course
[21] 2020 elsevier.com 12
for IT projects in agricultural
schools in Serbia Assessing the Risk of Software
[42] 2021 Development in Agile ieeexplore.ieee.org 33
A risk prediction model for Methodologies Using Simulation
software project management
[22] 2021 elsevier.com 13
based on similarity analysis of Software risk management: Using
[43] 2016 link.springer.com 34
context histories the automated tools
Expert's opinions on software A study on software risk
[23] 2016 ieeexplore.ieee.org 14
project effective risk management [44] 2016 management strategies and link.springer.com 35
mapping with SDLC
Experimental evaluation of a
novel ISO 14971 risk Risk Management During
[24] 2016 ieeexplore.ieee.org 15
management software for medical Software Development: Results
devices [45] 2016 of a Survey in Software Houses link.springer.com 36
from Germany, Austria and
Corporate risk estimation by Switzerland
[25] 2016 combining machine learning ieeexplore.ieee.org 16
technique and risk measure Software Testing in Clinical Risk
[46] 2016 link.springer.com 37
Management
Quantitative planning and risk
[26] 2017 management of Agile Software ieeexplore.ieee.org 17 Risk Factor Classification
Development [47] 2016 GEMIO in the Planning Phase of link.springer.com 38
Logistic Project Management
Decision support system for risk
assessment and management Improving Project Risk
[27] 2017 ieeexplore.ieee.org 18
strategies in distributed software [48] 2016 Management of Cloud CRM link.springer.com 39
development Using DANP Approach
A critical analysis of software risk Concept implementation of
[28] 2018 management techniques in large ieeexplore.ieee.org 18 decision support software for the
[49] 2017 link.springer.com 40
scale systems risk management of complex
technical system
A Software System for Risk
[29] 2018 Management of Information ieeexplore.ieee.org 20 3PR Framework for Software
Systems* [50] 2017 Project Management: People, link.springer.com 41
Process, Product, and Risk
Agile Software Risk Management
[30] 2018 Architecture for IoT-Fog based ieeexplore.ieee.org 21 Agile risk management using
[51] 2018 link.springer.com 42
systems software agents
Exploring Experiential Learning Risk Management in Software
Model and Risk Management [52] 2018 Engineering: What Still Needs to link.springer.com 43
[31] 2018 ieeexplore.ieee.org 22
Process for an Undergraduate Be Done
Software Architecture Course
Application of a risk management
Modeling information security tool focused on helping to small
threats for smart grid applications [53] 2018 and medium enterprises link.springer.com 44
[32] 2018 ieeexplore.ieee.org 23
by using software engineering and implementing the best practices
risk management in software development projects
Intelligent Software Platform and Risk Analysis and Management of
[54] 2018 link.springer.com 45
[33] 2018 End-Point Software for Risk ieeexplore.ieee.org 24 Software V&V Activities in NPPs
Management
Adaptation of open up in the
Risk Management in Agile scrum framework to improve
[34] 2019 ieeexplore.ieee.org 25
Software Development: A Survey [55] 2019 compliance in scope, risk link.springer.com 46
management and delivery times in
Agile risk management for multi- software development projects
[35] 2019 ieeexplore.ieee.org 26
cloud software development
Towards risk-driven security
Risk Management Technology of [56] 2019 requirements management in agile link.springer.com 47
[36] 2019 Software Project Sustainability in ieeexplore.ieee.org 27 software development
Fuzzy Conditions
Risk Catalogs in Software Project
[37] 2019 ieeexplore.ieee.org 28
Management
Vol.8 No.2 | October 2022 KHAZANAH INFORMATIKA | ISSN: 2621-038X, Online ISSN: 2477-698X
Year Title Source Seq categorized into two parts, namely Journal Articles, and Conference
A Scalable and Automated Proceedings. Each contribution can be seen in Figure 2.
[57] 2021 Machine Learning Framework to link.springer.com 48
Support Risk Management A total of 20 articles have been studied; each was coded (C1,
C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, C8, C9, C10, C11, C12, and C13) for
Requirement-oriented risk articles in the Conference Proceedings category. And the code (J1,
[58] 2021 management for incremental link.springer.com 49
software development J2, J3, J4, J5, J6, and J7) for articles in the Journal Article category,
the bibliographic details can be seen in Table 7.
Open Chance and Risk
Management Process Supported
[59] 2021 link.springer.com 50
by a Software Tool for Improving
Urban Security
A Multi-Disciplinary Software
Suite for Uncertainty 7; 35%
[60] 2016 researchgate.net 51
Quantification and Risk
Management
13; 65%
Impact of Risk Management on
[61] 2017 Software Projects in Nigeria researchgate.net 52
Using Linear Programming
Drinking Water Quality Risk
Management. Risk Analysis of Journal Article Conference Proceedings
[62] 2019 Nitrogen Groundwater researchgate.net 53
Contamination Using Analytica
Software Figure 2 Articles of software development projects
A Review on Some Pertinent
[63] 2021 Software Security Risk researchgate.net 54
Management Frameworks 3. What is the main focus of the research?
Table 6 shows the mapping of the primary research focuses
from articles published between January 2016 to September 2021.
A grouping of articles by database source can be seen in Figure
1. A total of 12 articles (C3, C5, C6, C10, C11, C13, J1, J2, J3, J4,
J6, and J7) focused on Agile as the object of research. Agile
methodology is an alternative to traditional linear sequential
Springer 17 software development processes such as Waterfall. The term
"Agile" in software development methodologies comes from the
researchgate.net 4 "Agile Manifesto,” compiled in 2001. Among the Agile methods
ieeexplore.ieee.org
are Extreme programming, Test-driven development, Feature-
20
driven development, and Scrum. In recent years, the software
Elsevier 8 industry has shifted to adopting Agile practices that are responsive
and flexible to change instead of traditional methods [64].
dl.acm.org 5
Three articles (C8, J5, and J6) specifically examine risk
0 5 10 15 20 25 management in the software development process with Scrum.
Scrum is based on empiricism and lean thinking. Empiricism
asserts that knowledge comes from experience and makes decisions
Figure 1 A grouping of articles by database source based on observation. Lean thinking reduces waste and focuses on
After implementing the PICOC methodology for these papers, what matters. Scrum uses an iterative and incremental approach to
the results related to the research questions (RQ) presented in the optimize predictability and control risk [65].
previous section were obtained. Here are the answers to the five The Risk Management Tool includes the second most popular
questions. research focus. A total of 8 articles (C4, C5, C6, C13, J2, J3, J5, and
1. Does the paper discuss risk management? J6) were reviewed, and even some articles carried the tools or
applications used in risk management. The framework for risk
Fifty-four articles can be accessed to carry out a study in the management includes a widely discussed research focus, including
abstract, introduction, and discussion sections. These papers eight articles (C5, C7, C8, C9, C11, J1, J4, and J7).
discuss risk management; the following is a mapping based on the
year of publication, as shown in Table 5. The risks involved in deployment have not gone unnoticed by
researchers in the last five years. Five articles (C1, C3, C7, C10, and
Table 5 Mapping based on the year of publication C12) focused on this issue. Each piece (C3 and C10) focuses on
Quality Risks, and the last report (C2) focuses on People Risks.
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Total Visually, the trend of research focus is shown in Figure 3.
Qty 12 8 11 11 5 7 54
Vol.8 No.2 | October 2022 KHAZANAH INFORMATIKA | ISSN: 2621-038X, Online ISSN: 2477-698X
Table 6 Mapping of research focus
RISK FOCUS
Method Framework
Deploym Frame-
People Tools Quality
ent work Tools
C5 C6
C5 C11 People
C13 J2
Agile C3 C10 J1 J4 C3 C10 Deployment
J3 J6
J7
0 2 4 6 8
Scrum J5 J6 C8
Tradition C1 C7 Traditional Scrum Agile
C2 C4 C6 C7 C9
al C12
Vol.8 No.2 | October 2022 KHAZANAH INFORMATIKA | ISSN: 2621-038X, Online ISSN: 2477-698X
4. What is the result of the research? The model emerged based on the respondent's questionnaire. The
The article (C1) produces a risk classification based on the aim is to improve the methodology that maps the risk management
phases in the SDLC (Systems Development Life Cycle). This allows principles to increase project success [2]. However, the results need
researchers to apply various conceptual models or risk management to be verified by testing them in software development scenarios in
frameworks and then analyze the occurrence of risk across all steps various Scrum organizations, both on medium and large-scale
of the SDLC so that risk mitigation can be inventoried as quickly projects. This risk management framework also needs to be further
as possible [44]. However, the results of this study have not brought developed for other Agile methodologies such as Extreme
up a framework that can be integrated into all phases of the SDLC. Programming (XP), Dynamic System Development Method,
Kanban, and Feature Driven Development (FDD).
Article (C2) takes the theoretical approach of Strauss and
Glaser to detect human errors in information security that can pose The article (C9) adds a communication element to the DSD
risks to the software development process [11]. However, this is (Distributed Software Development) risk category.
only partial mitigation for the overall chances of a project. Communication will help grow team members to become aware of
the risk, facilitate everyone responsible for managing risk, and
In the article (C3), the researcher proposes a concept to understand the basis for decisions made and the reasons behind
calculate the risk value in the software development process using specific treatments or actions chosen [20]. However, this addition
the Agile method based on input parameters with the desired target does not cover the categories of other risks.
value limits and the appropriate level of confidence [26]. However,
the concept being carried out does not cover the planning and The article (C10) presents the results of a survey conducted on
mitigation strategies that may occur at a value that has exceeded the industry practitioners of software developers using the Agile
target limit. method. The survey contains the mitigation strategies to minimize
risk in the risk management process to various software
The article (C4) describes the software that has been developed development life cycle stages. According to an industry survey,
to manage risk in the information system process. It enables scheduled risk and varying requirements are the most experienced
developers to identify, evaluate, and neutralize information and by practitioners. Most of the risk mitigation strategies followed
other automated systems risks. In addition, the developed system involve using tools to communicate with clients, tracking
has several other advantages, such as the ability to identify risks at requirements and change requests implemented in the project, and
an early stage of development, the convenient interface, and time- reducing the number of software bugs [34]. The author considers
saving [29]. However, the addition of tools in the software these parameters can be used as material to create a framework for
development process can increase the workload of developers, risk management for future research to get more optimal results.
considering that agencies that are only used half-heartedly will
create invalid output results. Article (C11) presents a framework to help Agile development
teams consider security priority in software risk. The framework
Article (C5) proposes an architecture and risk assessment was developed and tested on a single software developer in the
framework system to identify and plan risk management in the Netherlands and only applied to mobile and web applications [56].
software development process using the Agile method. Especially Therefore, this framework only covers one aspect of risk
software development in IoT, Fog, and Cloud-based systems [30]. management, so it is necessary to develop a framework for other
However, the proposed framework does not include an analysis of elements.
risk parameters, so further research is needed to create a more
effective framework. The article (C12) analyzes the size, accuracy, time, cost, effort,
knowledge, and experience to avoid or overcome many risks in
The article (C6) presents the results of a case study of the information system project management at the Bank [15].
application of tools in essential risk management in two companies. However, it does not discuss planning and risk mitigation strategies.
The results of the hypothesis indicate that the use of these tools is In addition, the scope of research is only in the banking sector, so
helpful for implementation in software engineering projects [53]. it cannot be confirmed for other industrial sectors.
However, these results cannot be generalized to other projects in
the software development process. Because environmental and The article (C13) raised issues in risk management in software
ethnic, or cultural factors can affect the results obtained. engineering using big data. Predictive big data analysis is used to
predict risks experienced before in software projects and provide
The article (C7) examines the risk management process: risk proposals for possible risks that will arise accordingly [39].
planning; risk identification; risk analysis; risk response; and However, checking unstructured data will be inconvenient and
monitoring and control. This article presents a framework that requires special skills to avoid invalid analysis results.
categorizes risks based on their relative importance and perceived
level of control over the project manager. The framework is Article (J1) proposes a framework for risk categories, 'Group
classified into four quadrants: customer mandate, scope and Awareness', 'External Stakeholder Collaboration', and 'Software
requirements; execution; and the environment [52]. However, risk Development Lifecycle' on a DAD (Distributed Agile
analysis becomes very difficult or impractical for large projects Development) project. However, the DAD team needs to adopt
because the research only focuses on quantitative aspects and practices to reduce the impact of spatial distance between
ignores qualitative elements. This makes the framework that is stakeholders. Apart from geographic dispersion, other properties,
carried out ineffective and can be applied to large projects. including work culture, enormous project scope, temporal distance,
and language barriers, which impact the DAD project, should also
Article (C8) proposes a model of the activities involved in be considered to control risk [19]. Therefore, further research is
spreading the risk management process in the Scrum framework. needed to improve this framework.