Project management and the effectiveness of tools i̇n the software industry: a bwm analysis based on stakeholder-centered criteria

The software industry possesses a dynamic structure characterized by rapid and continuous technological advancements. This situation directly affects not only the technical infrastructure but also the methods of project management. Today, the increasing complexity and uncertainty encountered in software projects have heightened the need for planned, traceable, and flexible management approaches. In this context, not only project management methodologies but also the effectiveness of the tools used throughout the process have become decisive factors in determining project success. Within this framework, project management has gained importance as an interdisciplinary field of practice that ensures the effective allocation of resources, optimization of processes, and systematic achievement of defined goals. Software projects, however, often struggle to fully align with traditional project management approaches due to frequently changing customer expectations, the rapid integration of technological innovations into projects, and the high level of uncertainty. Therefore, agile approaches and project management tools that support these approaches have become indispensable components of software development processes. In particular, the geographically distributed nature of teams, the need for continuous communication, and the evolving nature of project requirements over time have turned the use of project management tools from a preference into a necessity. This study analyzes the contributions of commonly used project management tools in software development processes from the perspectives of different stakeholders and systematically evaluates their impact on project success. As part of the research, surveys conducted with project managers, software developers, and clients evaluated the effectiveness of these tools across various aspects. Based on the survey results, both quantitative and qualitative data analyses were performed. In line with the findings, the key decision criteria for each stakeholder were identified and systematically evaluated using the Best-Worst Method (BWM) technique. In this way, the study aims to offer a multidimensional, stakeholder-focused, and practice-oriented contribution to the decision-making processes related to the selection and evaluation of project management tools in software projects. The results of the study reveal the expectations of each stakeholder group regarding project management tools individually, thereby aiming to enable industry users to make more informed and data-driven decisions about which features a tool should include. Additionally, the criteria prioritized by different stakeholder groups were compared, and the similarities and differences among these expectations were analyzed with a holistic perspective. Thus, the needs regarding project management tools in software projects have been made more visible in the light of next-generation methods.