Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: A state of terminal stagnation is often reached by software projects despite the presence of advanced tools, and these occurrences are defined within this study as software engineering deadpoints, where the cost of system recovery is frequently found to be higher than the actual value of the software. While many factors are seen to lead toward project failure, it is suggested by the evidence that technical debts are the main cause of such failures. A significant number (23.5%) of these fatal issues is created during the early architectural phases of development, and it is noted that these problems often remain hidden until they become unrecoverable. The data collected during this research show that projects facing technical obstacles (Recovery Score: 4.24) are much harder to save than those suffering with process obstacles (Recovery Score: 5.38). It was also observed that a steady reluctance to refactor old logic and an excessive number of code revisions are seen as the most reliable signs that a project is approaching a point of no return. Because these warning signs are often overlooked by management, the eventual failure of the system is often viewed as an unexpected event rather than a predictable outcome of poor early choices. By defining these terminal states, this work provides those in leadership roles with a method to differentiate between minor delays and total failure, thereby assisting teams in avoiding the heavy economic losses associated with unproductive development paths.
Source: Information
DOI: 10.3390/info17030291
Author: Abdullah A. H. Alzahrani
Institution: Umm al-Qura University
Language: English
Subfield: Information Systems
Field: Computer Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,930
OpenAlex ID: W7138130833