Agile implementation factors in the project portfolio
Submitted: 2025-06-02
|Accepted: 2025-09-22
|Published: 2025-11-17
Copyright (c) 2025 mohammad forozandeh; Bahareh Ardalani
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Keywords:
agility, agile project portfolio, defense organization, Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM)
Supporting agencies:
Abstract:
This research aims to investigate the agility implementation factors in the project portfolio of defense organizations. Given the complex and dynamic nature of the organization environment, utilizing agile approaches in project portfolio management can significantly improve efficiency, flexibility, and responsiveness to change. In the first phase, 42 factors influencing project portfolio agility were identified through a comprehensive literature review. Subsequently, using questionnaires and based on expert opinions, some of these factors were modified and eliminated, resulting in a refined list of 22 factors utilizing the Fuzzy Delphi method. This study employs a combination of Fuzzy Delphi method, TOPSIS, and Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) methods to identify and prioritize key agility factors affecting the project portfolio of these organizations. The identified key agility factors were adapted to the project portfolio lifecycle. Following this, ISM was used to determine the structural relationships between the prioritized factors, culminating in the development of a hierarchical model that illustrates the level of influence and dependence of each factor. For each factor, an implementation method was proposed based on existing agile methodologies. The research findings indicate that the most critical agility factors include planning aligned with the continuous needs of customers and stakeholders, rapid response planning to changes including demand fluctuations and strategic technologies, and overall flexibility. These results can be leveraged to enhance decision-making processes and optimize resource allocation within defense organizations.
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