Quality vs risk: An investigation of their relationship in software development projects

• The relationship between people quality, process quality and risk was analysed.
• The reliability and the validity of the newly developed questionnaire were examined.
• Empirical data were analysed using the “structural equation modelling” technique.
• People quality is a significant factor for risk mitigation.
• Process quality has a slightly limited effect on the project risk level.

Quality, risk and successful software development projects are three concepts which appear to be indisputably intertwined with one another. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the relationship between people quality, process quality and risk in the context of software development projects of Greek companies. Project team members with different characteristics were used as key respondents. The final sample consisted of 112 projects from 63 companies. Empirical data were analysed using the structural equation modelling technique. The main results indicate a negative effect of people quality on project risk level. On the contrary, process quality appears to have a slightly limited effect, defining only the risk level associated with the project team. The results contribute in the existing literature underlining the importance of quality on the reduction of the project risk level, thus, creating the necessary background for new similar research attempts in the future.