AN ASSESSMENT OF AGILE PROJECT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR FINTECH PROJECT: CASE STUDY ON DASHEN BANK'S FINTECH PROJECT(AMOLE)

Abstract

Agile approach is an emerging methodology which has been introduced recently as a new approach for managing complex software projects to improve project performance and efficiency of software development process compare to traditional methodologies used before. This thesis presents a comprehensive assessment of agile project management practices for a FinTech project at Dashen Bank, one of the leading commercial banks in Ethiopia. The study aims to evaluate the adoption and effectiveness of agile methodologies in the development of Dashen Bank's mobile payment platform, Amole. The research utilizes a qualitative case study approach, gathering both primary and secondary data. Primary data was collected through surveys and semi-structured interviews with key project team members, including project managers, developers, business analysts, and other stakeholders involved in the Amole FinTech initiative. Secondary data was obtained from project documentation, Dashen Bank's internal reports, and relevant industry publications. The study examines several key dimensions of agile project management, including agile planning, agile practices, the agile triangle, and the agile manifesto. The findings suggest that the agile approach was largely embraced by the project team, who perceived significant benefits such as increased flexibility, faster time-to-market, better alignment with evolving customer requirements, and enhanced teamwork and communication. However, the research also identified several challenges in the adoption of agile methods, including the need for greater agile training and competency development, more effective cross-functional collaboration between teams, and smoother integration of agile practices with traditional project management processes and governance structures. The study provides valuable practical insights into the opportunities and hurdles faced when deploying agile methods in a complex, large-scale FinTech project context. The results can inform best practices for agile adoption in similar digital transformation initiatives in the banking and financial services sector in Ethiopia and beyond. The research contributes to the growing body of literature on agile project management in the context of enterprise-wide digital transformation