Abstract
Traditional project management methodology which laid the foundation for building
“functional software products” is unable to respond to varied and continuous customer
requests in a quick changing software development environment. In contrast, Agile project
management and Design Thinking methodologies provide a set of methods that have been
successfully applied to software projects globally. However, there is insufficient empirical
research conducted in the application of design thinking methodology and competencies in
project management. Therefore , the main aim of this research is to conduct an identification
and analysis of benefits obtained when Design Thinking Methodology is applied in large
software development projects and to evaluate the required competencies for project
managers working in such projects. The study also strives to determine key success factors
when adopting design thinking methods. A mixed methods research was carried out through
an online survey of 153 IT professionals across a variety of industries based in Ireland and
through nine semi-structured interviews with software professionals with immense
experience and knowledge of design thinking methodologies. The main benefits obtained
were improved teamwork and collaboration, better understanding of the customer
requirements and providing a quality product in the end. Moreover, this dissertation gives
reasonable evidence that supports the success of design thinking methodology in large
software projects in multinational organizations in Ireland.
