DSDM aims not only to prevent failure but to bring success, by delivering systems that:

• satisfy the real requirements of business, in order of importance
• support the way the business needs to work
• are delivered on time and within budget
• are delivered quickly, and yet are robust and right (e.g. the right level of quality, the right functionality, the right performance, security and maintainability).

Solutions built with DSDM do not focus purely on speed at the expense of quality. DSDM focuses on the priorities of the business and delivers what can safely be delivered within the time and cost constraints of the project, in priority order determined by the business needs and the objectives of the project.

Summary of the benefits of using DSDM

Using an iterative process based on prototyping, DSDM involves the system's end-users throughout the project lifecycle. This has many benefits, for example:

• the users are more likely to claim ownership of the system
• the risk of building the wrong system is greatly reduced
• the final system is more likely to meet the users' real business requirements
• the users will be better trained, since their representatives will define and co-ordinate the training required
• implementation is more likely to go smoothly, because of the co-operation of all parties concerned throughout development.