Software development practices in New Zealand

Different kinds of process model are prescribed for software organisations, and each offers successful project outcomes if followed. There is little evidence that organisations strictly adhere to specific models. We surveyed 195 participants from 51 New Zealand (NZ) software organisations with a view to increasing our understanding of practice implementation in NZ. We found that practices are implemented inconsistently. The implication is that organisations do not follow any one process, either prescribed or adapted, but rather select practices on a project basis and according to some unknown guidelines. Our conclusion is that, rather than attempting to impose or adapt processes at an organisational level, we should instead aim to understand the rationale behind practice selection and how practices combine to make a coherent set. We also found a collaborative, informal, iterative approach to product development with issues around clarity and availability of requirements.