Reasons for the Failure of Most In-House Software Development in Tanzania: A Case Study of Selected Higher Learning Institutions (HLIs)

Abstract

Since it has evolved into an essential part of today’s world, 90% of Tanzanian businesses have attempted to develop in-house software for their operations. However, a substantial fraction of these projects haven’t quite achieved what they set out to. The bulk of in-house software development projects in Tanzania have been unsuccessful. This article presents ideas for improving the success rate of in-house software development initiatives and explains why this is the case. As part of the qualitative research methodology, software developers, project managers, and other stakeholders took part in focus groups and interviews. The results show that there are several factors, such as a lack of qualified staff, an inadequate budget allocation, poor project management, a lack of precise project requirements, improper communication, an inadequate amount of resources, and a lack of user involvement, that significantly contribute to the failure of in-house software development projects in Tanzania. The study makes numerous recommendations for enhancing the success rate of in-house software development initiatives in Tanzania. Involving end users throughout the project life cycle, implementing strong project management practices, allocating enough time and resources for software testing, hiring experts to establish and gather precise project requirements, allocating adequate budgets, and setting up efficient communication channels are a few examples of these. Additionally, in-house software development must adhere to the SDLC’s standards by enhancing the model of the SDLC that best suits the nature of the development process.