Does the Approach Matter? A Qualitative Study on Differences Concerning Time Pressure in Agile and Sequential Information System Projects

While time pressure is a both common phenomenon and a critical issue in information system (IS) projects, consensus concerning time pressure’s impact on IS project outcomes is still lacking. To ad-dress this shortcoming stemming from focusing on quantitative assessments of time pressure’s role in sequential projects, we identify seven themes concerning time pressure in IS projects based on in-depth insights gained by conducting semi-structured interviews using the critical incident technique. Considering the different approaches to managing requirements in sequential and agile IS projects, 13 interviews were conducted with requirements engineers working on both IS project types in Germany. Our study reveals a number of differences between agile and sequential projects concerning time pressure, including causes and severity of time pressure as well as requirements engineers’ perceptions of time pressure. Insights from a requirements-engineering context advance our understanding in this domain. While our contribution is limited due to its narrow sample, we suggest several directions for future research. Furthermore, we provide guidance for addressing time pressure in IS projects