Abstract for: Relationship dynamics in hybrid software development projects part two

Hybrid project management methodologies offer a unique advantage: leveraging relationships to improve project outcomes. In software development, collaboration fosters personal relationships, emphasizing the importance of motivating team members and cultivating relational capital to drive project success. Still, project overruns are common, hindering organizations' profitability and compromising investment capacity. Despite this recognition, research on policies that leverage these relational factors is limited. This study addresses this gap by investigating literature-identified and manager-validated relationship-oriented policies using a System Dynamics simulation model. Findings emphasize the critical role of staffing policies in the effectiveness of relationship-oriented interventions. The study demonstrates that a combination of policies (aimed at capacity increase, relational capital cultivation, and control of overly close relationships) is more efficient than individual policies, significantly reducing cost and schedule overruns. For example, pairing staffing adjustments with improved feedback systems and external support resulted in a marked reduction in overruns. This research explores these policy synergies, suggesting a set of actionable insights for enhancing software development results, and identifies avenues for future research to expand the accessible policy repertoire.